Idaho Power resists feds’ request for more studies

BOISE – Federal regulators want the state’s largest utility to make more comprehensive the studies it has been conducting as part of a review process to renew its operating license for its Hells Canyon complex of hydrogenerating dams.

But the utility is balking.

“We don’t believe there is a connection between these information requests and the operation of our dams,” said Craig Jones, manager of Idaho Power Co.’s relicensing effort.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission last month ordered Idaho Power to expand existing studies or begin new ones in 14 specific areas involving water quality, sediment and temperature around the Brownlee, Oxbow and Hells Canyon dams that are the core of the utility’s generating system.

The company has requested a 30-year renewal of the current 50-year federal license that expires in 2005.

Idaho Power officials said they did not object to the commission’s entire request. However, they did take issue with the need for additional studies on flow restrictions and the feasibility of technology to control the temperature of water released through Brownlee Dam in an attempt to improve downstream conditions for salmon.

The commission wants consideration of a device to cool water in the summer and fall for the chinook spawning season and accelerate the warming of water in the spring to promote growth.

In addition to saying the system is untested and potentially too costly, the utility maintains that it is not solely responsible for high temperatures in Brownlee Reservoir.

Jones said some other federal directives want the company to explore ways of dealing with problems created by the four lower Snake River Dams, the first about 70 miles below Hells Canyon. Those dams, all federal projects, have been blamed by environmental groups for destroying the anadromous fish runs into Idaho.

Three groups this week renewed their calls for the federal government to require Idaho Power to investigate methods of fish passage around the dams. The commission has previously concluded Idaho Power has already provided enough information to adequately assess fish passage alternatives.

The utility also contends fish passage is unnecessary and expensive.