Bannock County, Idaho, Banned Wind and Solar — Now Leaders Are Weighing a Reversal

# What happened In March 2024, Bannock County's three-member commission approved an ordinance banning utility-scale solar and wind. The vote was 2–1. Commissioner Jeff Hough was the lone dissenter at the time. He argued the ban violated residents' property rights.

# Why the vote matters now Hough became chair of the commission and has led a push to revisit the ordinance. The commission is scheduled to consider new language this fall that would permit solar, wind, and nuclear development. Local leaders frame the issue as both an economic development question and a response to regional electricity needs.

# Energy and economic context Bannock County sits near the Populus substation, which connects power into Idaho and neighboring states. Building generation near substations reduces transmission costs.

Idaho Power projects an increase in electricity demand of about 1 gigawatt by 2030, roughly a 26% rise over current levels. County officials and renewable advocates say adding generation capacity could help meet that demand and bring tax revenues and lease payments into the community.

Concrete local figures: solar and wind projects in nearby Power and Bingham counties generated $909,000 and $639,000 in tax revenue, respectively, in 2024. Bannock leaders use those numbers to argue for the county to reopen itself to projects.

# How the ban originated

# Local divisions

Steve Criddle, a third-generation farmer, supported solar before the 2024 ban but describes current community relations as "confrontational." The county's slower population growth compared with the rest of Idaho, declining rural services, and worsening drought contribute to pressure to find new revenue streams.

# What's next The county commission will vote on revised language that would allow solar, wind, and nuclear. If the commission reverses the ban, Bannock would become eligible for development at a moment when Idaho's grid planners are forecasting significant growth in demand.

# Practical stakes for residents

• Potential revenue: lease payments for landowners and increased tax receipts for county services.
• Infrastructure: projects near Populus substation could lower transmission costs and be more attractive to developers.

# Bottom line Bannock County's reconsideration of its 2024 ban illustrates a local debate between protecting perceived local interests and pursuing new revenue and energy capacity. The upcoming commission vote will determine whether the county reopens to renewable and nuclear projects at a time of growing regional electricity demand.