Powerful winds – Idaho has the wind, but lacks the will to harness it for electricity

Armand Eckert had a dream: he wanted to build a wind farm on his family’s 5,000-acre spread outside of Buhl. The 57-year-old farmer had always been interested in wind, and the additional money would help supplement his crop and irrigation costs. In early 2005, he began the arduous permit process required for starting a wind business. A few months later, just when things were starting to fall into place, the winds suddenly changed.

"In June, we sent in a Power Purchase Agreement with Idaho Power and an Interconnection Study Agreement along with a $10,000 deposit to Idaho Power to start the process. Three days later Idaho Power petitioned [the Public Utilities Commission] to stop all wind power development," he said.

BY TERESA SHIPLEY

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