Idaho Electricity Rates
Rate data for Idaho is being refreshed. The regulator and market facts below are current; figures return with the next data load.
Can you choose your electricity supplier in Idaho?
No. Idaho has not opened its residential electricity market to competition, so the utility that delivers your power also sells it. Its prices are set in rate cases before the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, and the rate you pay depends on which utility serves your address, your rate schedule, and the season.
Grid operator: No RTO; Western bilateral market (WECC). Wholesale power costs flow through to retail bills on the regulator's schedule rather than month to month, which is why regulated-state rates move more slowly than the market-based states listed below.
Want to shop for a supplier? Retail choice is open on this site in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington DC.
Idaho has no supplier choice and some of the cheapest hydro-backed power in the country (9.51¢/kWh average, 44th among states per EIA), but Idaho Power's standard residential rate is seasonal and tiered, so the same 1,000 kWh costs noticeably more in June-September than in October-May, and a new customer normally pays no deposit at all.
Who will deliver your power in Idaho
The utility is fixed by your address. These are the largest in the state, with what each says it needs from a new customer.
Idaho Powerinvestor-owned
Southern Idaho and eastern Oregon, headquartered in Boise, with 17 hydroelectric projects it calls the backbone of its system; the IPUC regulates its Idaho service. About 525,911 residential customers (2024 average, per IPUC 2025 Annual Report).
Sign up online or call 208-388-2323 (1-800-488-6151 toll-free); if the meter is already connected, service is transferred to your name within three business days of the requested date, otherwise the meter is connected on the date requested. Idaho Power normally does not require a deposit for new residential service, a $30 Service Establishment, $30 Service Connection or $8.50 Remote Meter Connection fee may appear on the first bill, and an unpaid Idaho Power balance from the last four years must be paid before service can begin if it is $100 or more (or any amount if the power at the new address is off); smaller balances are added to your first bill.
Start service with Idaho Power →Sources: idahopower.com, idahopower.com, docs.idahopower.com, idahopower.com, puc.idaho.gov
Avista Utilitiesinvestor-owned
Northern Idaho (the IPUC describes Avista as the northern Idaho electric utility), part of a 30,000-square-mile, four-state territory; the IPUC's customer count combines Idaho and Washington. About 371,076 residential customers in 2024 across Idaho and Washington combined (per IPUC 2025 Annual Report); Avista says it serves nearly 403,000 electric customers in total; Idaho-only count not stated on a verifiable page.
Start, stop or transfer service online or call residential customer service at (800) 227-9187, 7:00 am-6:00 pm Monday-Friday. Avista's Idaho customer brochure says there is no charge to connect new customers during regular business hours, a deposit may be required only for the IPUC-listed reasons (unpaid bill in the last four years, prior termination for nonpayment, failed credit screen after 12 months without service, etc.), capped at one-sixth of the expected annual bill and payable in two installments.
Start service with Avista Utilities →Sources: myavista.com, myavista.com, myavista.com, myavista.com, puc.idaho.gov
Rocky Mountain Power (PacifiCorp)investor-owned
Eastern and southeastern Idaho: about 91,000 customers in 14 counties (Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Bonneville, Butte, Caribou, Clark, Franklin, Fremont, Jefferson, Madison, Oneida, Power and Teton), including Rexburg, Rigby, Shelley, Preston, Montpelier and Malad City. About 74,945 residential customers in 2024 (per IPUC 2025 Annual Report); approximately 91,000 total Idaho customers (per PacifiCorp testimony in IPUC Case PAC-E-24-04).
Rocky Mountain Power's FAQ says a start, stop or move request is processed within 1-2 business days or sooner; customer service is 1-888-221-7070. Its Idaho consumer-information insert says a new customer with good credit at a previous utility will not need a security deposit; if one is required it cannot exceed two months' worth of the estimated yearly bill, can be paid half at application and half the following month, and earns the IPUC-set interest rate.
Start service with Rocky Mountain Power →Sources: rockymountainpower.net, rockymountainpower.net, rockymountainpower.net, rockymountainpower.net, pacificorp.com, puc.idaho.gov
Idaho Falls Powermunicipal
City-owned utility serving the corporate city limits of Idaho Falls, with five city-owned hydropower plants on the Snake River supplying about one-third of the city's electricity. About customer count not stated on a verifiable page.
Accounts are opened through the City of Idaho Falls Utility Billing office at 308 Constitution Way (208-612-8280) or the online residential application; the city's FAQ says you need a photo ID, Social Security number, rental/lease agreement and a signature. For a new building, IFP's 2026 Service Policy says the meter is generally installed within five working days after Utility Billing confirms the connect order; the city's pages do not state a deposit rule, so none is claimed here.
Start service with Idaho Falls Power →Sources: ifpower.org, idahofallsidaho.gov, idahofallsidaho.gov, ifpower.org, ifpower.org, ifpower.org
Fall River Rural Electric Cooperativecooperative
Member-owned co-op serving portions of seven counties across Idaho, Montana and Wyoming (2,728 square miles) from offices in Ashton, Driggs and West Yellowstone. About over 16,000 electric owner-members and more than 21,000 electric meters (per co-op About Us page).
New customers download and submit a Membership Application (English or Spanish) to become an owner-member; a new connection also requires a physical address, a load estimate, an Agreement for Electrical Service and an easement, and a $250 estimate fee is charged for all construction estimates. The co-op's pages do not state a deposit amount or lead time, so none is claimed here (contact memberservices@fallriverelectric.com).
Start service with Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative →Sources: fallriverelectric.com, fallriverelectric.com, fallriverelectric.com
Clearwater Power Companycooperative
Member-owned co-op headquartered at 4230 Hatwai Road, Lewiston, Idaho; its new-service form accepts Idaho, Washington and Oregon addresses (county list not stated on its pages). About member count not stated on a verifiable page.
Apply for new electric service with the online form (name, phone, email, service type and location) or call (208) 743-1501; the co-op's pages do not state deposit, ID or lead-time rules, so none are claimed here.
Start service with Clearwater Power Company →Sources: clearwaterpower.com, clearwaterpower.com
Deposits, ID, and supplier choice in Idaho
Deposits. Under IPUC Rule 101 (IDAPA 31.21.01, effective 7-1-24), a regulated utility may not demand a residential deposit without proof the applicant is a credit risk, and lack of history with the utility is not proof; a deposit is allowed only for listed reasons such as an unpaid bill from the last four years, termination for nonpayment or unauthorized use in the last four years, materially false application information, no service with that utility for 12 consecutive months in the last four years plus a failed objective credit screen, a residence where a former customer with a past-due balance still lives, or two or more final termination notices in 12 months. Rule 105 caps the deposit at one-sixth of the reasonably estimated annual bill, payable in two installments (half immediately, half in one month), it earns interest, and Rule 107 returns it (with interest) once you have paid all undisputed bills with no more than one late payment in the past 12 consecutive months. (files.dfm.idaho.gov)
Choosing a supplier. No. The IPUC regulates investor-owned utilities' rates and service, electric cooperatives and city-owned utilities are not regulated by the IPUC, and no IPUC or utility page describes a residential retail-supplier choice program; you buy electricity from whichever utility serves your address (sources: IPUC About the Commission; IPUC deposit and disconnection fact sheets).
Current IPUC Rule 306 bars a regulated gas or electric utility from terminating or threatening to terminate service during December through March to a residential customer who declares they cannot pay in full and whose household includes children (18 or younger), elderly (62 or older) or infirm persons; a customer who sets up a Winter Payment Plan before November 1 (paying half the level-pay amount) is protected November through March and must pay or make new arrangements on or after April 1. Note the IPUC's 2020 fact sheets and the older Rocky Mountain Power and Avista inserts still describe the moratorium as December-February, while Idaho Power's 2026 brochure says December through March; the IPUC fact sheets add that co-ops and city utilities may not offer these plans, and Idaho Falls Power's own policy suspends residential electric disconnections December 1 through March 15.
Sources: files.dfm.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, docs.idahopower.com, idahofallsidaho.gov
Help paying an electric bill in Idaho
LIHEAP (Idaho Heating Assistance)
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, delivered by Community Action Agencies serving every county
Idaho residents with at least one U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident in the household who show proof of identity and heating expense and meet income limits (effective October 1, 2025: $2,736.25 a month for one person, $5,262.08 for four); households with children under six, elderly or disabled members can apply from October, everyone else from November, one seasonal payment per October-September program year, first-come first-served. A separate crisis benefit is available year-round for households facing disconnection, a past-due balance or under 48 hours of bulk fuel, with a goal of resolving the crisis within 48 hours.
Sources: healthandwelfare.idaho.gov, healthandwelfare.idaho.gov
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare through Community Action Agencies
Income-eligible households that can prove ownership of the home or have signed written permission from a qualifying landlord, where the work can be shown to save the family money; priority goes to families with children, elderly or disabled members or emergency heating situations, and the same Application for Energy Assistance covers LIHEAP and WAP.
Sources: healthandwelfare.idaho.gov, healthandwelfare.idaho.gov
Idaho Power with The Salvation Army and Community Action Partnership agencies, funded by customer and shareholder donations
Idaho Power customers struggling to pay energy bills may receive a one-time payment of up to $450 per year; contact a local Salvation Army or CAP office to check eligibility, and if approved The Salvation Army pays the energy provider directly.
Sources: idahopower.com, idahopower.com, idahopower.com
Idaho Power Weatherization Programs
Idaho Power through local Community Action Partnership (CAP) agencies by county
Low- and near-low-income customers whose homes are heated with electricity from Idaho Power and whose income falls below the listed guidelines (for example under $2,660.00 a month for one person, $5,500.00 for four) may receive free upgrades worth up to $6,000 such as insulation, windows and doors, and heating-system improvements.
Source: idahopower.com
Lend A Hand (Rocky Mountain Power)
Rocky Mountain Power nonprofit program with donated funds, delivered by SouthEastern Idaho Community Action Agency and Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership
Energy assistance for Rocky Mountain Power customers in need; apply through SEICAA at (208) 232-1114 (Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida and Power counties) or EICAP at (208) 522-5391 / 1-800-632-4813 (Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison and Teton counties); the page states no income threshold.
Source: rockymountainpower.net
Avista Project Share and energy grants (Idaho)
Avista with local community action agencies (Project Share is donation-based and open whether or not you are an Avista customer)
Income-qualified customers may be eligible for energy grants and hardship grants through local community action agencies, and Project Share grants help people during emergencies or tough times; find your agency by ZIP code on the page or call 211.
Source: myavista.com
Programs that change what you pay
- Rooftop solar (net metering)limited
- Idaho Power now uses net billing for new rooftop solar: exports are credited at an Export Credit Rate (15.6836¢/kWh summer on-peak, 3.3920¢ summer off-peak, 2.9019¢ non-summer) rather than the retail rate, with legacy net-metering systems kept until December 20, 2045; in 2025 Rocky Mountain Power asked the IPUC (Case PAC-E-25-02) to move non-legacy Idaho customers from retail-rate credits (about 9-10¢/kWh) to a time-differentiated credit of roughly 4¢/kWh, proposed to take effect October 1, 2025; the cited sources describe the proposal, not the IPUC's final decision.
Sources: idahopower.com, idahopower.com, rockymountainpower.net, puc.idaho.gov
- Community solarnone
- Idaho Power's clean-choices page lists a subscription community solar program only for its Oregon customers and no Idaho community solar program; its Idaho option is Clean Energy Your Way, which pairs your usage with renewable energy certificates for an added charge.
Source: idahopower.com
- Time-of-use ratesavailable
- Idaho Power's optional residential Time of Use plan charges 29.9185¢/kWh on-peak (7-11 p.m. Mon-Sat), 14.9594¢ mid-peak (3-7 p.m.) and 7.4797¢ off-peak in summer (June-September), and 13.8347¢ on-peak (6-9 a.m. and 5-8 p.m.) versus 9.2231¢ off-peak the rest of the year, with Sundays and holidays all off-peak; a one-year trial caps any extra cost versus the standard plan at $10. Standard residential service is itself seasonal and tiered: 12.1195¢ for the first 800 kWh in summer versus 9.9332¢ in non-summer, plus a $15.00 monthly service charge (rates as of June 1, 2026).
Sources: idahopower.com, idahopower.com, docs.idahopower.com
Questions people ask before moving to Idaho
How far ahead should I set up electricity before moving to Idaho?
Idaho Power transfers service into your name within three business days of the requested date when the meter is already connected, and Rocky Mountain Power processes start requests within 1-2 business days, so a week's notice is comfortable; Idaho Falls Power accounts are opened in person or online through the city Utility Billing office with photo ID, Social Security number and lease.
Sources: idahopower.com, rockymountainpower.net, idahofallsidaho.gov, ifpower.org
Will I have to pay a deposit to start electric service in Idaho?
Usually not: IPUC rules say a lack of history with the utility is not grounds for a deposit, and Idaho Power says it normally does not require one for new residential service; when a deposit is allowed (unpaid bill or termination in the last four years, failed credit screen after 12 months without service, etc.) it is capped at one-sixth of the estimated annual bill, can be split into two installments, earns interest and is returned after 12 months of good payment.
Sources: files.dfm.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, docs.idahopower.com
Can I choose my electricity supplier in Idaho?
No; the IPUC regulates the three investor-owned utilities (Idaho Power, Avista, Rocky Mountain Power) and does not regulate co-ops or city utilities, and no state or utility page offers a retail supplier choice program, so your address determines your utility and its regulated rate.
Sources: puc.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov
Why is electricity so cheap in Idaho?
EIA lists hydroelectric power as Idaho's primary electricity source and its 2024 average retail price at 9.51 cents per kWh, ranking 44th among states; Idaho Power says it works to keep prices 20-30% below the national average, and Idaho Falls Power shows its residential rate of 6.75 cents per kWh against a 10.2-cent Idaho average and a 14.0-cent U.S. average.
Sources: eia.gov, idahopower.com, ifpower.org
Can my power be shut off in winter in Idaho?
Not if you tell your regulated utility you cannot pay in full and your household includes children 18 or younger, anyone 62 or older, or someone whose health would be seriously impaired: current IPUC Rule 306 bars termination December through March, and setting up a Winter Payment Plan (half your level-pay amount) before November 1 extends protection to November through March, with the balance due or a new arrangement required on or after April 1.
Sources: files.dfm.idaho.gov, puc.idaho.gov, docs.idahopower.com
Does my Idaho bill change with the season?
Yes on Idaho Power: standard residential pricing is tiered and higher in summer (June-September, 12.1195¢/kWh for the first 800 kWh) than non-summer (October-May, 9.9332¢), on top of a $15.00 monthly service charge and, since January 1, 2026, a separate kWh tax line passed through to the state under 2025's House Bill 329.
Sources: idahopower.com, docs.idahopower.com
Researched 2026-10-16 from utility, regulator, and agency pages; every statement links to where it was read. Rules change: confirm deposits and program dates with the utility or agency before you rely on them.
Every state ranked by residential rate, updated weekly: Electricity Rates by State →