Docket Number	Docket Name	Company
UM 2447	IDAHO POWER AND OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE JOINT APPLICATION	IDAHO POWER COMPANY

Created Date	Comment Type	First Name	Last Name	Comment
6/12/2026 11:11:15 AM	Oppose Docket	Kristoffer	Ohlensehlen	Re: Docket UM 2447 I am a residential customer of Idaho Power in Vale, Oregon, and I am writing to oppose the proposed transfer of Idaho Power’s Oregon service territory to Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC). My primary concern is that this transaction does not represent a genuine change in who supplies our power — it simply adds a middleman between the actual power generator and the customer. Idaho Power will continue to own and operate all generation and transmission infrastructure, and OTEC has entered into a multi-year agreement to purchase wholesale electricity from Idaho Power to serve former Idaho Power customers. Oregon Trail Electric does not generate any electricity of its own. Customers like me would be paying for the same power from the same source, only now routed through an additional layer of administration and debt. What troubles me further is the financial structure of this deal. OTEC plans to take out a loan of $154 million — expected to take 25 to 30 years to repay — and that debt will be carried by the ratepayers who become OTEC members, including me. Meanwhile, Idaho Power retains the ability to raise wholesale power prices, which would then be passed directly to those same customers through OTEC with no recourse. The claimed 17.6% rate increase Idaho Power says it would impose if the sale falls through feels like a pressure tactic rather than a necessity, given that Oregon represents less than 3% of Idaho Power’s total business. I urge the Commission to scrutinize whether this transaction genuinely serves the public interest of eastern Oregon ratepayers, or primarily serves Idaho Power’s interest in exiting a small, inconvenient service territory while retaining a guaranteed wholesale customer.
8/14/2026 12:35:33 AM	General Comment			There is concern amongst affected consumers about the speed and quality of service, especially during power outages. Idaho Power has a strong history of responding quickly and getting power back online rapidly. Can OTEC match that performance? Is it possible to impose a threshold response time requirement? What recourse will consumers have if service decreases dramatically? Bruno J. Jagelski Ontario, Oregon
8/15/2026 9:59:15 AM	Oppose Docket	April	Walker	I strongly oppose the proposed sale of Idaho Power’s Oregon distribution system to OTEC, and I urge the Oregon PUC to take a very hard look at what this means for the customers who will be forced into this change. This isn’t simply a business transaction between two utilities. It affects approximately 20,000 customers across rural Eastern Oregon, including residential customers, farmers, ranchers, irrigation users, businesses, and industries. These customers deserve to know exactly how this sale will affect their rates, reliability, service, and long-term costs. The proposed $154 million purchase price is a massive financial commitment. If OTEC takes on that cost, customers need clear answers about how the purchase will be financed and whether they will ultimately be paying for it through higher rates or other charges. Rural Eastern Oregon customers already face unique challenges. Long distances, severe weather, aging infrastructure, irrigation demands, and limited access to services make reliable electricity especially important. The PUC should require a detailed and transparent analysis showing that OTEC can maintain or improve reliability without placing an unreasonable financial burden on the customers being transferred. I am also concerned about the long-term implications of tying these customers to a new utility while OTEC enters into a multi-year wholesale power arrangement with Idaho Power. Before approving this sale, the PUC should examine not only what looks reasonable on paper today, but what this arrangement could mean for customers 5, 10, and 20 years down the road. Customers should not be treated as assets being transferred from one company to another. They are the people who will ultimately pay the bills and live with the consequences of this decision. I respectfully ask the Oregon PUC to put the interests of these 20,000 customers first, demand full financial and reliability transparency, and reject the proposed sale unless it can be clearly demonstrated that the transaction will provide measurable, long-term benefits to the customers affected. This decision deserves more than a handshake between utilities. It deserves scrutiny, transparency, and accountability.
8/15/2026 10:00:08 AM	Oppose Docket	Tylton	Walker	I strongly oppose the proposed sale of Idaho Power’s Oregon distribution system to OTEC, and I urge the Oregon PUC to take a very hard look at what this means for the customers who will be forced into this change. This isn’t simply a business transaction between two utilities. It affects approximately 20,000 customers across rural Eastern Oregon, including residential customers, farmers, ranchers, irrigation users, businesses, and industries. These customers deserve to know exactly how this sale will affect their rates, reliability, service, and long-term costs. The proposed $154 million purchase price is a massive financial commitment. If OTEC takes on that cost, customers need clear answers about how the purchase will be financed and whether they will ultimately be paying for it through higher rates or other charges. Rural Eastern Oregon customers already face unique challenges. Long distances, severe weather, aging infrastructure, irrigation demands, and limited access to services make reliable electricity especially important. The PUC should require a detailed and transparent analysis showing that OTEC can maintain or improve reliability without placing an unreasonable financial burden on the customers being transferred. I am also concerned about the long-term implications of tying these customers to a new utility while OTEC enters into a multi-year wholesale power arrangement with Idaho Power. Before approving this sale, the PUC should examine not only what looks reasonable on paper today, but what this arrangement could mean for customers 5, 10, and 20 years down the road. Customers should not be treated as assets being transferred from one company to another. They are the people who will ultimately pay the bills and live with the consequences of this decision. I respectfully ask the Oregon PUC to put the interests of these 20,000 customers first, demand full financial and reliability transparency, and reject the proposed sale unless it can be clearly demonstrated that the transaction will provide measurable, long-term benefits to the customers affected. This decision deserves more than a handshake between utilities. It deserves scrutiny, transparency, and accountability.
8/18/2026 7:35:25 PM	Oppose Docket			Oregon Trail Electric has intent to purchase the Oregon territory of Idaho Power. OTEC cannot even manage the territory they own let alone doubling their size with the intent of taking on only 20 additional employees for day to day operations. OTEC has increased our rates 3 times in the last year and only told the members of 2 increases, sneaking in the third. The attrition rate is at an all time high. The entire staff of directors have zero utility experience in the field in which they manage. This merger is going to cost all members in ways of rate increases and longer wait times for power restoration.
8/18/2026 7:45:33 PM	Oppose Docket			I am under the understanding that OTEC is trying to acquire new territories…OTEC cannot handle the territory that OTEC currently is operating because they under staffed and are treating the personal like number instead of a human doing the work. The new leadership is out for himself and trying to pad his resume and reputation so he can move on if/and if this comes to fruition. This will ONLY cost all of the members higher rates. Beware everyone. I am totally against this!
8/19/2026 10:46:35 AM	Oppose Docket			Turnover rates are excessive at OTEC, burdening the other employees with an inequity in job functions and associated pay scales. Less people to do more work. The environment has become one that has no leadership, and is more of a dictatorship being lead by fear of disciplinary actions being imposed with no warning. The GM absolutely does not have the best interest of consumers in mind for this territory expansion. The upper level of management under the GM have NO experience working for or leading an electric utility, which has a direct tie to turnover and wasteful spending. As a cooperative member, this territory expansion doesn’t make financial sense unless they raise the my rates to pay for it and nobody wants a rate increase in today’s world. Rural wages have not kept up with costs. The expectation that 20,000 additional meters over a large geographical area can be adequately served for the good of the coop members with an addition of only 20 employees is unrealistic. The business plan for OTEC to make this expansion happen is lacking significantly and the “boots on the ground” will be suffering, directly affecting cooperative members in the process. The lack of investment in existing facilities, employees, tools, and equipment, is a concern for acquiring more area. Fire mitigation resources are also lacking, and taking on the fire risk of high-desert will cost the membership greatly.
8/19/2026 8:08:06 PM	Oppose Docket	Page	Frederickson	I live in the small community of Halfway, Oregon which Idaho power has provided power to since power has been in this community. They have been so good to this community and provided the best of service as long as I have lived here which has been since 1991. I am a low income senior citizen and Idaho Power provides a discount for my situation which greatly helps me. I personally don't want them to sell our service area as this would cause financial hardship because the discount would go away and power bill will increase greatly. I am also concerned about getting the same good service. Thank you for allowing me to provide my input.
8/20/2026 12:35:46 AM	General Comment			Otec residential delivery charge is 38.50 per month, my understanding is the Oregon Idaho power customers will not have to pay that in the beginning, which is hard to believe since they will be part of Otec. Otec customers are subsidizing this sale . Sent from my iPhone
8/20/2026 12:35:50 AM	General Comment			I think it would be beneficial for the commission to have a survey of OTEC members for membership satisfaction of OTEC and the managements pour handling of its employees and members. OTEC is one week from having their union employees go on strike for unfair labor practices for unlawful termination of employees. Plus not willing to pay its current employees what the industry standards are for our geographical area. OTEC doesn’t have the man power to obtain more territory let alone staff their current territory. They have zero substation technicians, only one meter man and are down several lineman. The reputation of OTEC within the industry is very poor. The current management does not treat their employees well at all, inside employees and outside employees would tell you this (and it is not just Union groups being treated badly, it’s also non represented employees being treated badly as well. OTEC advertises a member owned cooperative, until a member wants to attend a board meeting and all of the hoops they must jump through to be allowed to attend. OTEC needs to be audited for customer satisfaction, BTI relationship , along with the new line school that OTEC financed, which is called Apex line school, run by BTI personnel. Thank you for your time, Tom Higgins
8/21/2026 12:35:22 AM	General Comment			Do the Idaho Power customers know that the delivery charge for a residential meter is 38.50 per month ? Sent from my iPhone