Idaho county weighs reversing its clean energy ban

Bannock County, Idaho, approved a ban on utility-scale solar and wind in 2024, with one commissioner opposing it on property-rights grounds. That commissioner, now chair, is pushing a new ordinance that would permit solar, wind, and nuclear development, with a vote expected this fall. The debate comes as clean-energy restrictions have spread to nearly a quarter of U.S. counties, most of them rural, while Idaho Power projects significant demand growth.

Bannock County’s 2024 ordinance barred large solar and wind projects after a 2–1 commission vote. Jeff Hough, the dissenting commissioner, argued the ban undermined residents’ ability to use their land. He now chairs the commission and supports a replacement measure that would permit solar, wind, and nuclear development, with a decision expected this autumn.

Across the U.S., local restrictions on clean energy have increased: by 2025, almost one in four counties had a ban, moratorium, or other barrier, up from 15 percent in 2023. Most affected counties are rural. Idaho Power anticipates about 1 gigawatt of new demand by 2030, while Bannock County sits near the Populus substation, a regional grid hub.