Idaho Power’s commitment to green energy started with hydroelectric power, 和 we’ve relied on this clean energy resource since the company was founded in 1916.

The backbone of our hydroelectric system is the Hells Canyon Complex (HCC) in the Hells Canyon reach of the Snake River, 沿着爱达荷州和俄勒冈州的边界.

The HCC consists of Brownlee, Oxbow 和 Hells Canyon dams 和 their associated generation facilities. In a normal water year, the three plants provide approximately 70% of Idaho Power’s annual hydroelectric generation 和 approximately 30% of the total energy generated.

Hydroelectric power plants use water pressure to spin the turbine blades, which look like a large ship propeller. These plants are Idaho Power’s most inexpensive method of generating electricity.

The availability of hydroelectric power depends on several factors, like snowpack levels in the mountains, reservoir storage, water leases, water rights 和 other weather 和 stream flow considerations.