OPINION: A Great Energy Rip-Off is Underway in Southern Idaho

While public attention in southern Idaho is focused on proposed wind power, the construction of a solar farm is gangbusters.  I passed the construction site in southern Twin Falls County on a recent morning and it was clear the promised construction jobs had materialized, however.  The small army of builders is obviously temporary.

Idaho Power plans to use the electricity generated on nearly 1,000 acres west of Route 93.  The agreement is for 20 years and the electric company claims the goal is to provide its customers with 100 percent renewable energy within a quarter-century.  It sounds like someone in charge knows all the latest buzzwords and wants to please the liberal news media with all the latest energy fads.  Oh, and Idaho Power gets to sell energy credits, whatever that means.

The project is expected to be ready for use by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, we still can’t find many people talking about an actual energy solution that would serve future needs.  Brent Regan is the Republican Party leader in Kootenai County.  He recently had a guest editorial published that refutes the arguments made by environmentalists and a lot of politicians who cower when confronted by the tree-hugging crowd.  You can read what he says by clicking here.  The man is a proponent of safe nuclear power.  Me too!

And recent developments in nuclear generation suggest we have far better alternatives than wind and solar.  Fusion promises a future where we never need to worry about rolling blackouts and expensive bills.  So, why are we pursuing fool’s gold?  Because special interests haven’t finished wringing the last few dollars in subsidies.  In other words, you haven’t been completely picked dry in a great wealth transfer.