rPlus Energies advances 525 MW of Idaho solar amid accelerating state market growth

Idaho is adding a large amount of solar power to its grid, though the news is more about the state's energy supply than anything homeowners need to act on. Developer rPlus Energies has finished building the 125-megawatt Pleasant Valley Solar 2 project and started construction on the 400-megawatt Blacks Creek Energy Center in Ada County. Together the two projects represent over $750 million in investment and push rPlus's total Idaho solar and battery storage projects past 1 gigawatt. Both will sell power to Idaho Power under long-term contracts.

The projects are part of a broader trend: Idaho now has 1,301 megawatts of installed solar capacity, ranking 34th in the country, with more than $2 billion invested statewide so far. Solar currently supplies about 9% of Idaho's electricity, and industry forecasts expect another 2,740 megawatts of new solar over the next five years. Idaho Power is also expanding battery storage to help balance the grid, with a 300-megawatt storage project planned for late 2026 and a longer-term goal of 1,685 megawatts by 2040.

For homeowners, this mainly means more solar and storage capacity feeding into the regional grid over time, which utilities say will help meet rising electricity demand. The projects are also expected to bring construction jobs and tax revenue to local communities, plus $375,000 in scholarship funding for students at Boise State University and the College of Western Idaho. There is no new rebate or program here for homeowners to apply for.