An Idaho county that banned renewables two years ago is now reconsidering

Bannock County, Idaho, is moving to reverse a 2024 ban on utility-scale solar and wind development that it passed with only one dissenting vote. County Commissioner Jeff Hough, who originally proposed the moratorium, is now leading efforts to overturn it through a new ordinance that would permit solar, wind and nuclear energy projects, citing rising demand: Idaho Power expects electricity demand in the region to grow by 1 gigawatt, or 26%, by 2030.

Nearly one in four U.S. counties had bans or moratoriums on renewable energy development in 2025, up from about 15% in 2023. Hough said the ban infringed on landowners' rights: "We cannot deny the entire county the opportunity to exercise their property rights." Neighboring counties that allow renewable projects generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax revenue in 2024 — ,000 for Power County and ,000 for Bingham County.

Opposition remains strong in parts of the county. Resident Rebecca Falcon said solar development threatens agricultural land: "They'll take the grain; they'll take the hay; they'll take the cattle." The draft ordinance would require decommissioning bonds and site restoration after a project's 35- to 40-year lifetime, along with funding for local fire departments to train for battery-related emergencies. A January survey found 90% of more than 700 respondents in the county favored nuclear energy, though the nearest planned reactor, a 500-megawatt plant in Wyoming, isn't expected to be complete until 2030.

Based on reporting by Julia Tilton for The Daily Yonder, via Canary Media. Read the original: https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/clean-energy/idaho-county-may-reverse-renewables-solar-ban