In short: Idaho homes paid about 13.7¢ per kWh in July 2026, a quarter below the U.S. average of 18.31¢ (EIA), but up almost 12% in a year. Outages are infrequent yet long, and wildfire season brings planned shutoffs. In Idaho, backup power and smart timing usually matter more than chasing bill savings.
Cheap power changes the questions. A Boise family isn’t asking “how do I escape a 40¢ rate?” so much as “what happens to the well pump when the lines are shut off on a red-flag day?” and “is solar still worth it now that Idaho Power credits exports by the hour?” Here are the state’s own numbers and what they point to.
Idaho at a glance
- Home electricity price: 13.73¢/kWh in July 2026 (12.28¢ in July 2025); 12.96¢ average for January to July 2026. U.S. average 18.31¢ (EIA, preliminary).
- Outages (2024): about 233 minutes per customer including major events and 174 on normal days; about 1.3 interruptions a year, 1.1 without major events (EIA-861).
- Sun: about 4.56 kWh/m² per day in Boise (NASA POWER, 2001–2020); rough estimate about 1,330 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Net metering: mostly net billing. Idaho Power moved to hourly net billing with a time-varying export credit on January 1, 2024; Rocky Mountain Power in Idaho also uses net billing; Avista keeps net metering.
- Plug-in solar law: none found as of October 2, 2026.
- EVs and charging: 14,100 battery-electric and 6,700 plug-in hybrids registered through 2025; 740 public ports at 257 locations, 312 of them DC fast (AFDC, October 2026).
- Main utilities: Idaho Power (about 621,000 customers, 63% of the state), Avista (about 148,000), PacifiCorp / Rocky Mountain Power (about 91,000) and Kootenai Electric Cooperative (about 33,000) (EIA-861, 2024).
- Weather risk (FEMA National Risk Index, Dec 2025): winter weather and wildfire rated relatively high; cold wave relatively moderate; ice storm, heat wave, tornado and strong wind relatively low; no hurricane risk.
- Public Safety Power Shutoffs: yes. Idaho Power runs a PSPS program, and so do Rocky Mountain Power and Avista in Idaho.
Backup power in Idaho
Idaho’s outage pattern is unusual. Customers lost power only about once a year in 2024, but each interruption averaged close to three hours, and even on normal days the total came to 174 minutes, the 10th-highest “normal day” figure among the 50 states and D.C. Major storms added comparatively little on top. So the risk here isn’t a yearly hurricane; it’s a handful of long interruptions, often in places where the nearest crew is far away.
Two hazards stand out in FEMA’s index: winter weather and wildfire, both rated relatively high. They create different problems. A January outage means heat: a gas furnace still needs electricity for its blower and controls, and a frozen pipe costs more than any generator. A summer wildfire shutoff means the lines are switched off on purpose, sometimes for a day or more, in exactly the hot, dry, smoky weather when you want the fridge, fans and an air purifier running.
- Well and septic homes (common outside the Treasure Valley): a 240 V well pump needs a large generator or a whole-home battery, connected through a transfer switch or backup panel installed by a licensed electrician. Run the numbers in our generator sizing tool.
- Furnace and essentials: a mid-size portable generator on a transfer switch or interlock, or a home battery sized with the battery backup calculator.
- Apartments and smoke days: a portable power station can run a CPAP, an air purifier and phones, indoors, with no exhaust.
If you choose a generator, CPSC’s rules apply in every season: outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust pointed away from doors and windows, never in a garage even with the door open, and battery-backed CO alarms on every level. In deep snow, clear a spot before the storm rather than tucking the generator under an eave.
Solar in Idaho
Idaho has decent sun, about 1,330 kWh per kW of panels per year by our rough estimate for Boise, but cheap electricity. At 13.73¢, a kWh of solar you use yourself saves about 14¢, so each kW of panels is worth roughly $150 to $185 a year at most, and less for the share you export. That’s a slower payback than in high-price states, and there is no longer a federal credit for systems finished after December 31, 2025.
How your utility credits exports matters a lot here:
- Idaho Power nets your usage hour by hour and pays a time-differentiated export credit. It has been reported at about 15.7¢/kWh for summer on-peak hours and about 3¢ off-peak. Panels facing west, which produce more in the late afternoon, may earn more than south-facing ones; ask your installer to model both.
- Rocky Mountain Power (eastern Idaho) also uses net billing.
- Avista (north Idaho, including much of the Coeur d’Alene area) still offers net metering. Kootenai Electric Cooperative sets its own rules; ask the co-op.
Idaho’s state incentive is an income tax deduction (not a credit) for residential alternative energy: 40% of the cost in the first year and 20% a year for the next three, up to $5,000 a year and $20,000 in total (Idaho Code 63-3022C). What it’s worth depends on your tax bracket. Check the Idaho Office of Energy and Mineral Resources incentives page; amounts and rules change.
Idaho has no plug-in balcony solar law, so a plug-in kit falls under your utility’s interconnection rules. More in our solar guide, solar costs and net metering and net billing; estimate your roof with the solar potential calculator.
Home batteries in Idaho
Only 465 of the 22,899 net-metered home solar systems in EIA’s 2024 count had a battery, about 2% (and that count leaves out newer net-billing systems). In Idaho a battery is mainly a backup purchase. With hourly netting, it can also shift some solar from the low-value morning into the evening, but at Idaho’s prices that saving alone rarely pays for the battery. Buy one because a long winter outage or a fire-season shutoff would hurt, and size it to the loads you can’t lose: well pump, furnace blower, fridge, medical devices. We didn’t find a confirmed state battery program. Compare options in home batteries and what batteries cost.
EV charging in Idaho
Idaho had 14,100 battery-electric vehicles registered through 2025 and 740 public ports. Unusually, 312 of those ports, more than 40%, are DC fast chargers, which helps on long drives between Boise, Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Idaho: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Charging at home is cheap. Using about 30 kWh per 100 miles (a typical fueleconomy.gov-style figure), 100 miles costs roughly $4.12 at the July 2026 rate, or about $41 for 1,000 miles: an estimate that changes with your car and rate plan. Cold weather raises consumption, so expect higher winter numbers. Check yours with the EV charging cost calculator and read EV charging at home. The federal charger credit ended for chargers placed in service after June 30, 2026, and we didn’t confirm an Idaho charger rebate.
Off-grid, small wind and micro-hydro
Idaho has plenty of remote cabins and ranches, and for them solar plus batteries with a generator backstop is the usual off-grid setup. Small wind is a hard sell at most sites: NASA’s coarse average near the state center is about 3.8 m/s at 50 meters (4.7 m/s near Boise), below the 4.5 m/s the U.S. Department of Energy’s small wind guidebook suggests for grid-tied turbines. A measured, unusually windy ridge can be the exception. Mountain streams make people think of micro-hydro; we haven’t checked a state source on it, and any use of water usually needs state permission, so start with the state water-rights office. See off-grid power, wind energy and hydroelectric power.
Licensing and permits in Idaho
Electricians and electrical contractors are licensed through the Idaho Electrical Board, part of the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). Look up a license on DOPL’s online services before you sign. Permits come from your city or county building department, or from the state where it handles inspections for your area; ask your installer which applies. Solar and batteries also need your utility’s interconnection approval before you turn them on.
Local guides in Idaho
Utilities, rates, outage records, permit offices and local programs for each area:
Where we cover in Idaho
- Boise–Treasure Valley: Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, Kuna
- Coeur d’Alene: Coeur d’Alene, Post Falls
- Eastern Idaho: Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Twin Falls
Local pages will follow as we verify local information and installers for each area.
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Idaho energy FAQ
Does Idaho have net metering?
It depends on your utility. Idaho Power, the largest, switched to hourly net billing on January 1, 2024, crediting exports at a rate that changes by season and time of day. Rocky Mountain Power in Idaho also uses net billing. Avista, which serves much of north Idaho, still offers net metering. Co-ops such as Kootenai Electric set their own rules.
Is solar worth it in Idaho with cheap electricity?
It can be, but payback is slower than in high-price states. By our rough estimate each kW of panels saves at most about $150 to $185 a year at the July 2026 rate, less for exported power. The state income tax deduction helps. Solar makes the most sense if you use a lot of power in summer afternoons or want it paired with backup.
What is a PSPS in Idaho?
A Public Safety Power Shutoff is a planned outage a utility uses in extreme fire weather so its lines can’t spark a wildfire. Idaho Power, Rocky Mountain Power and Avista all have PSPS programs in Idaho. Sign up for your utility’s alerts, and if you rely on a well pump or medical equipment, plan backup that can last a day or more.
What solar incentive does Idaho offer?
An income tax deduction under Idaho Code 63-3022C: 40% of the cost of a residential solar or small wind system in the first year and 20% a year for three more years, capped at $5,000 a year and $20,000 in total. It lowers taxable income rather than your tax bill directly. Confirm the current rules with the Office of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Who licenses electricians in Idaho?
The Idaho Electrical Board, within the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL). You can search licenses on DOPL’s online services site. Solar, battery, transfer switch and EV charger wiring should be done by a licensed electrician or electrical contractor, with the permit and inspection your area requires.
Sources
Electricity prices: EIA Electric Power Monthly Tables 5.6.A and 5.6.B, July 2026 (preliminary). Outages, utilities and solar counts: EIA-861, 2024. Sun and wind: NASA POWER climatology, 2001–2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. EVs and charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center (AFDC), registrations through 2025, station counts read October 3, 2026. Incentive: Idaho Office of Energy and Mineral Resources. Licensing: Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses. Net billing and shutoffs: Idaho Power, Rocky Mountain Power and Avista, checked October 2026.