PUBLIC UTILITIES – Adds to existing law to provide for competitive procurement of electric services and electric ratepayer protection.

H 395 requires public utilities in Idaho to allow competitive bidding for new large electricity customers (defined as those needing 30+ megawatts of power) instead of using the utility's existing resources. It mandates that utilities make their transmission and distribution infrastructure available at cost to facilitate competition, and prohibits utilities from shifting costs for these new large loads to other electricity customers. The law also prevents ratepayers from being unfairly burdened by requiring cost recovery only from the specific large customer, not the general public. The bill takes effect on July 1, 2025.