UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

 

Table of Contents

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C.  20549
FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)

X

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES

EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2006

OR

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES

EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from

to

Exact name of registrants as specified

I.R.S. Employer

Commission File

in their charters, address of principal

Identification

Number

executive offices, zip code and telephone number

Number

1-14465

IDACORP, Inc.

82-0505802

1-3198

Idaho Power Company

82-0130980

1221 W. Idaho Street

Boise, ID  83702-5627

(208) 388-2200

State of Incorporation:  Idaho

Websites:  

www.idacorpinc.com

www.idahopower.com

None

Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants (1) have filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrants were required to file such reports), and (2) have been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes   X    No  ___

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants are large accelerated filers, accelerated filers, or non-accelerated filers.

IDACORP, Inc.:

Large accelerated filer

 X 

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Idaho Power Company:

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

 X 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrants are shell companies (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).  Yes ___  No    X  

Number of shares of Common Stock outstanding as of September 30, 2006:

IDACORP, Inc.:

42,932,144

Idaho Power Company:

39,150,812, all held by IDACORP, Inc.

This combined Form 10-Q represents separate filings by IDACORP, Inc. and Idaho Power Company.  Information contained herein relating to an individual registrant is filed by that registrant on its own behalf.  Idaho Power Company makes no representations as to the information relating to IDACORP, Inc.'s other operations.

Idaho Power Company meets the conditions set forth in General Instructions H(1)(a) and (b) of Form 10-Q and is therefore filing this Form with the reduced disclosure format.



COMMONLY USED TERMS

AFDC

-

Allowance for Funds Used During Construction

Cal ISO

-

California Independent System Operator

CalPX

-

California Power Exchange

Energy Act

-

Energy Policy Act of 2005

EPS

-

Earnings per share

ESA

-

Endangered Species Act

FASB

-

Financial Accounting Standards Board

FERC

-

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

FIN

-

Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation

Fitch

-

Fitch Ratings

FPA

-

Federal Power Act

GAAP

-

Accounting Principles Generally Accepted in the United States of America

Ida-West

-

Ida-West Energy, a subsidiary of IDACORP, Inc.

IDWR

-

Idaho Department of Water Resources

IE

-

IDACORP Energy, a subsidiary of IDACORP, Inc.

IFS

-

IDACORP Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of IDACORP, Inc.

IPC

-

Idaho Power Company, a subsidiary of IDACORP, Inc.

IPUC

-

Idaho Public Utilities Commission

IRP

-

Integrated Resource Plan

ITI

-

IDACORP Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of IDACORP, Inc.

kW

-

Kilowatt

maf

-

Million acre-feet

MD&A

-

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of

Operations

Moody's

-

Moody's Investors Service

MW

-

Megawatt

MWh

-

Megawatt-hour

NEPA

-

National Environmental Policy Act of 1996

NOx

-

Nitrogen Oxide

OPUC

-

Oregon Public Utility Commission

PCA

-

Power Cost Adjustment

PM&E

-

Protection, Mitigation and Enhancement

PURPA

-

Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978

RFP

-

Request for Proposal

RTO

-

Regional Transmission Organization

S&P

-

Standard & Poor's Ratings Services

SFAS

-

Statement of Financial Accounting Standards

SO2

-

Sulfur Dioxide

Valmy

-

North Valmy Steam Electric Generating Plant

VIEs

-

Variable Interest Entities

 



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Part I.  Financial Information:

Item 1.  Financial Statements (unaudited)

IDACORP, Inc.:

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

1-2

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

3-4

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

5

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

6

Idaho Power Company:

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income

7-8

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

9-10

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Capitalization

11

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

12

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income

13

Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

14-33

Reports of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

34-35

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial

Condition and Results of Operations

36-63

Item 3.  Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

63-64

Item 4.  Controls and Procedures

64

Part II.  Other Information:

Item 1.  Legal Proceedings

64

Item 1A.  Risk Factors

65

Item 2.  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

65

Item 6.  Exhibits

65-71

Signatures

72

Exhibit Index

73-74

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This Form 10-Q contains "forward-looking statements" intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  Forward-looking statements should be read with the cautionary statements and important factors included in this Form 10-Q at Part I, Item 2,  "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Forward-Looking Information."  Forward-looking statements are all statements other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation those that are identified by the use of the words "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "projects," "may result," "may continue" and similar expressions.



Table of Contents

PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Item 1.  Financial Statements
IDACORP, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(unaudited)

Three months ended

September 30,

2006

2005

(thousands of dollars except

for per share amounts)

Operating Revenues:

Electric utility:

General business

$

179,411 

$

207,237 

Off-system sales

39,692 

34,105 

Other revenues

9,696 

2,890 

Total electric utility revenue

228,799 

244,232 

Other

1,733 

1,675 

Total operating revenues

230,532 

245,907 

Operating Expenses:

Electric utility:

Purchased power

98,926 

81,396 

Fuel expense

34,933 

28,018 

Power cost adjustment

(54,995)

(9,670)

Other operations and maintenance

62,395 

64,292 

Gain on sale of emission allowances

(22)

Depreciation

25,289 

25,726 

Taxes other than income taxes

4,057 

5,115 

Total electric utility operations

170,583 

194,877 

Other

3,293 

3,125 

Total operating expenses

173,876 

198,002 

Operating Income (Loss):

Electric utility

58,216 

49,355 

Other

(1,560)

(1,450)

Total operating income

56,656 

47,905 

Other Income

4,431 

3,610 

Income (Losses) of Unconsolidated Equity-method Investments

(444)

872 

Other Expenses

2,669 

1,759 

Interest Expense:

Interest on long-term debt

14,241 

14,317 

Other interest expense

549 

598 

Total interest expense

14,790 

14,915 

Income Before Income Taxes

43,184 

35,713 

Income Tax Expense

10,692 

9,752 

Income from Continuing Operations

32,492 

25,961 

Income (Losses) from Discontinued Operations (net of tax)

11,497 

(2,344)

Net Income

$

43,989 

$

23,617 

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding - Basic (000's)

42,678 

42,287 

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock (basic):

Income from Continuing Operations

$

0.76 

$

0.61 

Income (Losses) from Discontinued Operations

0.27 

(0.05)

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock  (basic)

$

1.03 

$

0.56 

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding - Diluted (000's)

42,863 

42,380 

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock (diluted):

Income from Continuing Operations

$

0.76 

$

0.61 

Income (Losses) from Discontinued Operations

0.27 

(0.05)

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock (diluted)

$

1.03 

$

0.56 

Dividends Paid Per Share of Common Stock

$

0.30 

$

0.30 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

1



Table of Contents

IDACORP, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(unaudited)

Nine months ended

September 30,

2006

2005

(thousands of dollars except

Operating Revenues:

for per share amounts)

Electric utility:

General business

$

500,803 

$

504,189 

Off-system sales

219,531 

105,189 

Other revenues

16,587 

25,429 

Total electric utility revenue

736,921 

634,807 

Other

4,586 

3,915 

Total operating revenues

741,507 

638,722 

Operating Expenses:

Electric utility:

Purchased power

229,659 

162,403 

Fuel expense

83,856 

77,483 

Power cost adjustment

(6,928)

(1,673)

Other operations and maintenance

193,909 

185,108 

Gain on sale of emission allowances

(8,258)

Depreciation

74,471 

75,838 

Taxes other than income taxes

15,957 

15,644 

Total electric utility operations

582,666 

514,803 

Other

10,157 

9,380 

Total operating expenses

592,823 

524,183 

Operating Income (Loss):

Electric utility

154,255 

120,004 

Other

(5,571)

(5,465)

Total operating income

148,684 

114,539 

Other Income

14,181 

10,978 

Income (Losses) of Unconsolidated Equity-method Investments

(2,703)

584 

Other Expenses

6,745 

4,055 

Interest Expense:

Interest on long-term debt

42,525 

42,683 

Other interest expense

2,753 

1,879 

Total interest expense

45,278 

44,562 

Income Before Income Taxes

108,139 

77,484 

Income Tax Expense

26,019 

13,287 

Income from Continuing Operations

82,120 

64,197 

Income (Losses) from Discontinued Operations (net of tax)

7,201 

(8,062)

Net income

$

89,321 

$

56,135 

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding - Basic (000's)

42,569 

42,245 

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock (basic):

Income from Continuing Operations

$

1.93 

$

1.52 

Income (Losses) from Discontinued Operations

0.17 

(0.19)

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock  (basic)

$

2.10 

$

1.33 

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding - Diluted (000's)

42,710 

42,318 

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock (diluted):

Income from Continuing Operations

$

1.92 

$

1.52 

Income (Losses) from Discontinued Operations

0.17 

(0.19)

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock (diluted)

$

2.09 

$

1.33 

Dividends Paid Per Share of Common Stock

$

0.90 

$

0.90 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

2



Table of Contents

IDACORP, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited)

September 30,

December 31,

2006

2005

Assets

(thousands of dollars)

Current Assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

$

8,366 

$

52,356 

Receivables:

Customer

62,907 

94,469 

Allowance for uncollectible accounts

(7,100)

(33,078)

Employee notes

2,668 

2,951 

Other

13,356 

21,377 

Energy marketing assets

11,590 

23,859 

Accrued unbilled revenues

27,668 

38,905 

Materials and supplies (at average cost)

37,011 

30,451 

Fuel stock (at average cost)

15,014 

11,739 

Deferred income taxes

26,399 

23,922 

Prepayments

14,454 

17,876 

Regulatory assets

881 

3,064 

Other

2,462 

2,956 

Assets held for sale

3,556 

6,673 

Total current assets

219,232 

297,520 

Investments

199,916 

191,593 

Property, Plant and Equipment:

Utility plant in service

3,568,485 

3,477,067 

Accumulated provision for depreciation

(1,410,615)

(1,364,640)

Utility plant in service - net

2,157,870 

2,112,427 

Construction work in progress

194,519 

149,814 

Utility plant held for future use

2,810 

2,906 

Other property, net of accumulated depreciation

28,776 

29,294 

Property, plant and equipment - net

2,383,975 

2,294,441 

Other Assets:

American Falls and Milner water rights

31,585 

31,585 

Company-owned life insurance

34,020 

35,401 

Energy marketing assets - long-term

2,768 

22,189 

Regulatory assets

371,026 

415,177 

Long-term receivable (net of allowance of $1,878)

3,832 

4,015 

Employee notes -long-term

2,454 

2,862 

Other

42,765 

43,377 

Assets held for sale

19,852 

25,966 

Total other assets

508,302 

580,572 

Total Assets

$

3,311,425 

$

3,364,126 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements

 

3



Table of Contents

IDACORP, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited)

September 30,

December 31,

2006

2005

Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity

(thousands of dollars)

Current Liabilities:

Current maturities of long-term debt

$

15,364 

$

16,307 

Notes payable

32,690 

60,100 

Accounts payable

66,448 

80,324 

Energy marketing liabilities

11,945 

24,093 

Taxes accrued

75,372 

72,652 

Interest accrued

20,675 

14,616 

Other

29,184 

19,577 

Liabilities held for sale

1,536 

5,916 

Total current liabilities

253,214 

293,585 

Other Liabilities:

Deferred income taxes

497,661 

519,563 

Energy marketing liabilities - long-term

2,829 

22,189 

Regulatory liabilities

316,807 

345,109 

Other

132,998 

124,833 

Liabilities held for sale

7,666 

10,051 

Total other liabilities

957,961 

1,021,745 

 

Long-Term Debt

1,013,692 

1,023,545 

 

Commitments and Contingencies (Note 5)

Shareholders' Equity:

Common stock, no par value (shares authorized 120,000,000;

43,003,714 and 42,656,393 shares issued, respectively)

604,823 

598,706 

Retained earnings

488,155 

437,284 

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

(4,178)

(3,425)

Treasury stock (71,570 and 24,063 shares at cost, respectively)

(2,242)

(998)

Unearned compensation

(6,316)

Total shareholders' equity

1,086,558 

1,025,251 

Total

$

3,311,425 

$

3,364,126 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

4



Table of Contents

IDACORP, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited)

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

2006

2005

Operating Activities:

(thousands of dollars)

Net income

$

89,321 

$

56,135 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by

operating activities:

Unrealized (gains) losses from energy marketing activities

(234)

71 

Depreciation and amortization

90,928 

93,069 

Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits

(16,467)

(8,030)

Changes in regulatory assets and liabilities

6,111 

2,974 

Undistributed earnings of subsidiaries

(7,944)

(12,027)

Provision for uncollectible accounts

42 

(167)

Gain on sale of assets

(25,242)

(1,490)

Other non-cash adjustments to net income

(2,400)

Change in:

Accounts receivable and prepayments

23,569 

(8,875)

Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities

(14,252)

(31,518)

Taxes accrued

2,720 

19,774 

Other current assets

1,241 

(3,535)

Other current liabilities

14,779 

9,715 

Other assets

889 

(4,455)

Other liabilities

6,787 

9,542 

Net cash provided by operating activities

169,848 

121,183 

Investing Activities:

Additions to property, plant and equipment

(168,185)

(132,974)

Sale of ITI

21,469 

Investments in affordable housing

(3,752)

Sale of emission allowances

11,323 

Investments in unconsolidated affiliates

(15,370)

Purchase of available-for-sale securities

(14,358)

(81,693)

Sale of available-for-sale securities

16,404 

116,079 

Purchase of held-to-maturity securities

(2,730)

(1,369)

Maturity of held-to-maturity securities

4,647 

2,789 

Other assets

617 

395 

Net cash used in investing activities

(146,183)

(100,525)

Financing Activities:

Issuance of long-term debt

64,992 

Retirement of long-term debt

(10,993)

(76,166)

Dividends on common stock

(38,449)

(38,001)

Change in short-term borrowings

(27,410)

19,330 

Issuance of common stock

9,174 

3,661 

Acquisition of treasury stock

(213)

Other assets

(14)

(4,388)

Other liabilities

250 

(176)

Net cash used in financing activities

(67,655)

(30,748)

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(43,990)

(10,090)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

52,356 

23,403 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

8,366 

$

13,313 

Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:

Cash paid during the period for:

Income taxes

$

43,022 

$

2,718 

Interest (net of amount capitalized)

$

35,520 

$

36,361 

Non-cash investing activities

Additions to property, plant and equipment

$

9,226 

$

12,757 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

 

 

 

5



Table of Contents

IDACORP, Inc.
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(unaudited)

Three Months Ended

September 30,

2006

2005

(thousands of dollars)

Net Income

$

43,989 

$

23,617 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):

Unrealized gains (losses) on securities:

Unrealized holding gains arising during the period,

net of tax of $673 and $196

1,141 

214 

Reclassification adjustment for gains included

in net income, net of tax of  ($326) and ($321)

(508)

(500)

Net unrealized gains (losses)

633 

(286)

Total Comprehensive Income

$

44,622 

$

23,331 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

2006

2005

(thousands of dollars)

Net Income

$

89,321 

$

56,135 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):

Unrealized gains (losses) on securities:

Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the period,

net of tax of $608 and ($393)

893 

(929)

Reclassification adjustment for gains included

in net income, net of tax of  ($1,057) and ($714)

(1,646)

(1,111)

Net unrealized gains (losses)

(753)

(2,040)

Total Comprehensive Income

$

88,568 

$

54,095 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

6



Table of Contents

Idaho Power Company
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(unaudited)

Three months ended

September 30,

2006

2005

(thousands of dollars)

Operating Revenues:

General business

$

179,411 

$

207,237 

Off-system sales

39,692 

34,105 

Other revenues

9,696 

2,161 

Total operating revenues

228,799 

243,503 

Operating Expenses:

Operation:

Purchased power

98,926 

81,396 

Fuel expense

34,933 

28,018 

Power cost adjustment

(54,995)

(9,670)

Other

46,999 

50,486 

Gain on sales of emission allowances

(22)

Maintenance

15,396 

13,173 

Depreciation

25,289 

25,726 

Taxes other than income taxes

4,057 

5,115 

Total operating expenses

170,583 

194,244 

Income from Operations

58,216 

49,259 

Other Income (Expense):

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

1,711 

1,158 

Earnings of unconsolidated equity-method investments

2,191 

2,937 

Other income

2,460 

3,069 

Other expense

(2,577)

(2,462)

Total other income

3,785 

4,702 

Interest Expense:

Interest on long-term debt

13,548 

13,427 

Other interest

1,263 

704 

Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

(998)

(668)

Total interest expense

13,813 

13,463 

Income Before Income Taxes

48,188 

40,498 

Income Tax Expense

17,799 

19,529 

Net Income

$

30,389 

$

20,969 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

7



Table of Contents

Idaho Power Company
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income
(unaudited)

Nine months ended

September 30,

2006

2005

(thousands of dollars)

Operating Revenues:

General business

$

500,803 

$

504,189 

Off-system sales

219,531 

105,189 

Other revenues

16,587 

23,473 

Total operating revenues

736,921 

632,851 

Operating Expenses:

Operation:

Purchased power

229,659 

162,403 

Fuel expense

83,856 

77,483 

Power cost adjustment

(6,928)

(1,673)

Other

143,079 

137,119 

Gain on sales of emission allowances

(8,258)

Maintenance

50,830 

46,133 

Depreciation

74,471 

75,838 

Taxes other than income taxes

15,957 

15,644 

Total operating expenses

582,666 

512,947 

Income from Operations

154,255 

119,904 

Other Income (Expense):

Allowance for equity funds used during construction

4,821 

3,702 

Earnings of unconsolidated equity-method investments

5,995 

8,127 

Other income

8,376 

8,691 

Other expense

(6,834)

(6,191)

Total other income

12,358 

14,329 

Interest Expense:

Interest on long-term debt

40,479 

39,982 

Other interest

3,727 

2,593 

Allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

(2,784)

(2,060)

Total interest expense

41,422 

40,515 

Income Before Income Taxes

125,191 

93,718 

Income Tax Expense

48,169 

38,364 

Net Income

$

77,022 

$

55,354 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

8



Table of Contents

Idaho Power Company
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited)

 

September 30,

December 31,

2006

2005

Assets

(thousands of dollars)

 

 

Electric Plant:

In service (at original cost)

$

3,568,485 

$

3,477,067 

Accumulated provision for depreciation

(1,410,615)

(1,364,640)

In service - net

2,157,870 

2,112,427 

Construction work in progress

194,519 

149,814 

Held for future use

2,810 

2,906 

 

Electric plant - net

2,355,199 

2,265,147 

Investments and Other Property

88,709 

68,049 

Current Assets:

Cash and cash equivalents

4,406 

49,335 

Receivables:

Customer

55,849 

49,830 

Allowance for uncollectible accounts

(900)

(833)

Notes

3,115 

3,273 

Employee notes

2,668 

2,951 

Related parties

733 

637 

Other

9,372 

7,399 

Accrued unbilled revenue

27,668 

38,905 

Materials and supplies (at average cost)

37,011 

30,451 

Fuel stock (at average cost)

15,014 

11,739 

Prepayments

14,199 

17,532 

Regulatory assets

881 

3,064 

Total current assets

170,016 

214,283 

Deferred Debits:

American Falls and Milner water rights

31,585 

31,585 

Company-owned life insurance

34,020 

35,401 

Regulatory assets

371,026 

415,177 

Employee notes

2,454 

2,862 

Other

41,631 

42,187 

 

Total deferred debits

480,716 

527,212 

 

Total

$

3,094,640 

$

3,074,691 

 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

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Table of Contents

Idaho Power Company
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(unaudited)

 

September 30,

December 31,

2006

2005

Capitalization and Liabilities

(thousands of dollars)

 

 

Capitalization:

 

 

Common stock equity:

 

 

Common stock, $2.50 par value (50,000,000 shares

 

 

authorized; 39,150,812 shares outstanding)

$

97,877 

$

97,877 

Premium on capital stock

483,707 

483,707 

Capital stock expense

(2,097)

(2,097)

Retained earnings

399,989 

361,256 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(4,178)

(3,425)

Total common stock equity

975,298 

937,318 

Long-term debt

982,827 

983,720 

Total capitalization

1,958,125 

1,921,038 

Current Liabilities:

Long-term debt due within one year

1,064 

Notes payable

27,190 

Accounts payable

65,039 

79,433 

Notes and accounts payable to related parties

1,251 

153 

Taxes accrued

68,918 

72,994 

Interest accrued

20,166 

14,105 

Deferred income taxes

526 

3,064 

Other

28,968 

19,182 

 

Total current liabilities

213,122 

188,931 

 

Deferred Credits:

Deferred income taxes

485,771 

507,880 

Regulatory liabilities

316,807 

345,109 

Other

120,815 

111,733 

Total deferred credits

923,393 

964,722 

 

Commitments and Contingencies (Note 5)

Total

$

3,094,640 

$

3,074,691 

 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

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Table of Contents

Idaho Power Company
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Capitalization
(unaudited)

 

September 30,

 

December 31,

 

2006

%

2005

%

(thousands of dollars)

Common Stock Equity:

 

 

 

 

Common stock

$

97,877 

$

97,877 

Premium on capital stock

483,707 

483,707 

Capital stock expense

(2,097)

(2,097)

Retained earnings

399,989 

361,256 

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

(4,178)

(3,425)

Total common stock equity

975,298 

50 

937,318 

49 

 

Long-Term Debt:

First mortgage bonds:

7.38% Series due 2007

80,000 

80,000 

7.20% Series due 2009

80,000 

80,000 

6.60% Series due 2011

120,000 

120,000 

4.75% Series due 2012

100,000 

100,000 

4.25% Series due 2013

70,000 

70,000 

6    % Series due 2032

100,000 

100,000 

5.50% Series due 2033

70,000 

70,000 

5.50% Series due 2034

50,000 

50,000 

5.875% Series due 2034

55,000 

55,000 

5.30% Series due 2035

60,000 

60,000 

Total first mortgage bonds

785,000 

785,000 

 

Pollution control revenue bonds:

Variable Auction Rate Series 2003 due 2024

49,800 

49,800 

6.05% Series 1996A due 2026

68,100 

68,100 

Variable Rate Series 1996B due 2026

24,200 

24,200 

Variable Rate Series 1996C due 2026

24,000 

24,000 

Variable Rate Series 2000 due 2027

4,360 

4,360 

Total pollution control revenue bonds

170,460 

170,460 

American Falls bond guarantee

19,885 

19,885 

Milner Dam note guarantee

11,700 

11,700 

Note guarantee due within one year

(1,064)

Unamortized premium/discount - net

(3,154)

(3,325)

 

Total long-term debt

982,827 

50 

983,720 

51 

 

Total Capitalization

$

1,958,125 

100 

$

1,921,038 

100 

 

 The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

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Table of Contents

Idaho Power Company
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(unaudited)

 

Nine Months Ended

 

September 30,

 

2006

2005

Operating Activities:

(thousands of dollars)

Net income

$

77,022 

$

55,354 

Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by

  

operating activities:

Depreciation and amortization

77,596 

80,917 

Deferred income taxes and investment tax credits

(15,882)

(8,406)

Changes in regulatory assets and liabilities

6,111 

2,974 

Undistributed earnings of subsidiary

(5,995)

(10,982)

Provision for uncollectible accounts

42 

(167)

Other non-cash adjustments to net income

(4,802)

Gain on sale of assets

(10,979)

Change in:

Accounts receivables and prepayments

2,552 

3,085 

Accounts payable

(13,889)

(29,768)

Taxes accrued

(4,076)

24,801 

Other current assets

1,158 

(3,192)

Other current liabilities

15,729 

9,986 

Other assets

923 

(4,760)

Other liabilities

8,016 

6,340 

Net cash provided by operating activities

133,526 

126,182 

Investing Activities:

Additions to utility plant

(166,309)

(127,983)

Purchase of available-for-sale securities

(14,358)

(81,693)

Sale of available-for-sale securities

16,404 

116,078 

Sale of emission allowances

11,323 

Investments in unconsolidated affiliate

(15,370)

Other assets

525 

532 

Net cash used in investing activities

(167,785)

(93,066)

Financing Activities:

Issuance of long-term debt

60,000 

Retirement of long-term debt

(60,000)

Dividends on common stock

(38,289)

(38,001)

Change in short term borrowings

27,190 

Other assets

(14)

(4,389)

Other liabilities

443 

Net cash used in financing activities

(10,670)

(42,390)

Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents

(44,929)

(9,274)

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

49,335 

17,679 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

4,406 

$

8,405 

Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information:

Cash paid during the period for:

Income taxes paid to parent

$

70,037 

$

27,244 

Interest (net of amount capitalized)

$

33,717 

$

32,377 

Non-cash investing activities:

Additions to utility plant

$

9,226 

$

12,757 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

 

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Table of Contents

Idaho Power Company
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income
(unaudited)

Three Months Ended

September 30,

2006

2005

(thousands of dollars)

Net Income

$

30,389 

$

20,969 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):

Unrealized gains (losses) on securities:

Unrealized holding gains arising during the period,

net of tax of $673 and $196

1,141 

214 

Reclassification adjustment for gains included

in net income, net of tax of  ($326) and ($321)

(508)

(500)

Net unrealized gains (losses)

633 

(286)

Total Comprehensive Income

$

31,022 

$

20,683 

Nine Months Ended

September 30,

2006 

2005 

(thousands of dollars)

Net Income

$

77,022 

$

55,354 

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss):

Unrealized gains (losses) on securities:

Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the period,

net of tax of $608 and ($393)

893 

(929)

Reclassification adjustment for gains included

in net income, net of tax of  ($1,057) and ($714)

(1,646)

(1,111)

Net unrealized gains (losses)

(753)

(2,040)

Total Comprehensive Income

$

76,269 

$

53,314 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these statements.

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Table of Contents

IDACORP, INC. AND IDAHO POWER COMPANY
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(unaudited)

1.  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES:

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is a combined report of IDACORP, Inc. (IDACORP) and Idaho Power Company (IPC).  These Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements apply to both IDACORP and IPC.  However, IPC makes no representation as to the information relating to IDACORP's other operations.

Nature of Business
IDACORP is a holding company formed in 1998 whose principal operating subsidiary is IPC.  IDACORP is subject to the provisions of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, which provides certain access to books and records to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and state utility regulatory commissions and imposes certain record retention and reporting requirements on IDACORP.

IPC is an electric utility with a service territory covering approximately 24,000 square miles in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.  IPC is regulated by the FERC and the state regulatory commissions of Idaho and Oregon.  IPC is the parent of Idaho Energy Resources Co., a joint venturer in Bridger Coal Company, which supplies coal to the Jim Bridger generating plant owned in part by IPC.

At September 30, 2006, IDACORP's other subsidiaries included:

In the second quarter of 2006, IDACORP management designated the operations of IDACORP Technologies, Inc. (ITI) and IDACOMM as assets held for sale, as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144.  IDACORP's condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the reclassification of the results of these businesses as discontinued operations for all periods presented.  Discontinued operations are discussed in more detail in Note 10.

On July 20, 2006, IDACORP completed the sale of all of the outstanding common stock of ITI to IdaTech UK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Investec Group Investments (UK) Limited.

On October 12, 2006, IDACORP entered into an agreement to sell all of the outstanding common stock of IDACOMM to American Fiber Systems, Inc.  IDACORP expects to complete the sale as early as the end of the fourth quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory approvals.  IDACORP does not expect the sale to have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Principles of Consolidation
The condensed consolidated financial statements of IDACORP and IPC include the accounts of each company and those variable interest entities (VIEs) for which the companies are the primary beneficiaries.  All significant intercompany balances have been eliminated in consolidation.  Investments in business entities in which IDACORP and IPC are not the primary beneficiaries, but have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies, are accounted for using the equity method.

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Table of Contents

Through IFS, IDACORP also holds significant variable interests in VIEs for which it is not the primary beneficiary.  These VIEs are historic rehabilitation and affordable housing developments in which IFS holds limited partnership interests ranging from five to 99 percent.  These investments were acquired between 1996 and 2005.  IFS' maximum exposure to loss in these developments was $89 million at September 30, 2006.
Financial Statements
In the opinion of IDACORP and IPC, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly their consolidated financial positions as of September 30, 2006, and consolidated results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, and consolidated cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005.  These adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature.  These financial statements do not contain the complete detail or footnote disclosure concerning accounting policies and other matters that would be included in full-year financial statements and therefore they should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in IDACORP's and IPC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005.  The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

Stock-Based Compensation
Effective January 1, 2006, IDACORP and IPC adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 123 (revised 2004), "Share-Based Payment" (SFAS 123R) using the modified prospective application method.  SFAS 123R changes measurement, timing and disclosure rules relating to share-based payments, requiring that the fair value of all share-based payments be expensed.  The adoption of SFAS 123R did not have a material impact on IDACORP's or IPC's financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006.

IDACORP's and IPC's Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2005 do not reflect any changes from the adoption of SFAS 123R.  The following table illustrates what net income and earnings per share would have been had the fair value recognition provisions of SFAS 123 been applied to stock-based employee compensation in 2005 (in thousands of dollars, except for per share amounts):

 

Three months

 

Nine months

 

ended

 

ended

 

September 30, 2005

 

September 30, 2005

IDACORP:

 

Net income, as reported

$

23,617

$

56,135

Add: Stock-based employee compensation expense included in

reported net income, net of related tax effects

275

597

Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined

under fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax effects

495

1,250

Pro forma net income

$

23,397

$

55,482

Earnings per share of common stock:

Basic and diluted - as reported

$

0.56

$

1.33

Basic and diluted - pro forma

0.56

1.31

 

 

IPC:

 

 

 

Net income, as reported

$

20,969

$

55,354

Add: Stock-based employee compensation expense included in

reported net income, net of related tax effects

167

311

Deduct: Total stock-based employee compensation expense determined

under fair value based method for all awards, net of related tax effects

313

660

Pro forma net income

$

20,823

$

55,005

For purposes of these 2005 pro forma calculations, the estimated fair value of the options, restricted stock and performance shares is amortized to expense over the vesting period.  The fair value of the restricted stock and performance shares was the market price of the stock on the date of grant.  The fair value of an option award was estimated at the date of grant using a binomial option-pricing model.  Expenses related to forfeited awards were reversed in the period in which the forfeiture occurred.

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Table of Contents

Earnings Per Share
The computation of diluted earnings per share (EPS) differs from basic EPS only due to the inclusion of potentially dilutive shares related to stock-based compensation awards.

The following table presents the computation of IDACORP's basic and diluted earnings per share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006 and 2005 (in thousands, except for per share amounts):

 

 

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

 

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Numerator:

Income from continuing operations

$

32,492

$

25,961

$

82,120

$

64,197

Denominator:

Weighted-average common shares

outstanding - basic*

42,678

42,287

42,569

42,245

Effect of dilutive securities:

Options

125

69

87

51

Restricted Stock

60

24

54

22

Weighted-average common shares

outstanding - diluted

42,863

42,380

42,710

42,318

Basic earnings per share from continuing operations

$

0.76

$

0.61

$

1.93

$

1.52

Diluted earnings per share from continuing operations

$

0.76

$

0.61

$

1.92

$

1.52

*Weighted average shares outstanding excludes non-vested shares issued under stock compensation plans.

The diluted EPS computation excluded 463,600 and 643,600 common stock options for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006, respectively, because the options' exercise prices were greater than the average market price of the common stock during those periods.  For the same periods in 2005, there were 824,500 and 1,014,437 options excluded from the diluted EPS computation for the same reason.  In total, 1,156,296 options were outstanding at September 30, 2006, with expiration dates between 2010 and 2015.

Reclassifications
Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.  Net income and shareholders' equity were not affected by these reclassifications.

New Accounting Pronouncements
FIN 48:  In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation No. 48, "Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes - an interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109" (FIN 48), which clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in tax positions.  FIN 48 requires that IDACORP and IPC recognize in their financial statements the impact of a tax position if that position will more likely than not be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. The provisions of FIN 48 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2006, with the cumulative effect of the change in accounting principle recorded as an adjustment to opening retained earnings.  IDACORP and IPC are currently evaluating the impact of adopting FIN 48 on their financial statements.

SFAS 157:  In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS 157, "Fair Value Measurements."  SFAS 157 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.  SFAS 157 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal years.  IDACORP and IPC are currently evaluating the impact of adopting SFAS 157 on their financial statements.

 

 

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Table of Contents

SFAS 158:  In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS 158, "Employers' Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Plans - an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106, and 132(R)."  SFAS 158 requires an employer that is a business entity and sponsors one or more single-employer defined benefit plans to:

IDACORP is required to initially recognize the funded status of its defined benefit postretirement plan and to provide the required disclosures in its December 31, 2006, financial statements.  The requirement to measure plan assets and benefit obligations as of the date of the employer's fiscal year-end statement of financial position is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2008.  When adopted in the fourth quarter of 2006, the provisions of SFAS 158 will increase IDACORP's and IPC's liabilities and reduce each company's common equity by approximately $80 million as of January 1, 2006, which is the amount by which the plans' benefit obligations exceeded the plans' assets.  IPC's common equity balance is one factor used in the determination of retail rates.  The decrease in common equity resulting from the adoption of SFAS 158 would decrease rates, absent special ratemaking treatment.  IPC expects to pursue such treatment from the IPUC and OPUC, and if received, the adoption of SFAS 158 is not expected to have a material effect on IDACORP's or IPC's results of operations or cash flows.

SAB 108: In September 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108, "Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements When Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements" (SAB 108), in September 2006.  SAB 108 provides guidance on how the effects of the carryover or reversal of prior year financial statement misstatements should be considered in quantifying a current year misstatement.  Prior practice allowed the evaluation of materiality on the basis of (1) the error quantified as the amount by which the current year income statement was misstated (rollover method) or (2) the cumulative error quantified as the cumulative amount by which the current year balance sheet was misstated (iron curtain method).  Reliance on either method in prior years could have resulted in misstatement of the financial statements.  The guidance provided in SAB 108 requires both methods to be used in evaluating materiality.  Immaterial prior year errors may be corrected with the first filing of prior year financial statements after adoption.  The cumulative effect of the correction would be reflected in the opening balance sheet with appropriate disclosure of the nature and amount of each individual error corrected in the cumulative adjustment, as well as a disclosure of the cause of the error and that the error had been deemed to be immaterial in the past.  SAB 108 is effective for IDACORP's and IPC's opening balance sheet in 2007.  IDACORP and IPC are currently evaluating the impact SAB 108 might have on their financial position or results of operations.

2.  INCOME TAXES:

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Income tax rate
In accordance with interim reporting requirements, IDACORP and IPC use an estimated annual effective tax rate for computing their provisions for income taxes.  IDACORP's effective rate on continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, was 24.1 percent, compared to 17.1 percent for the nine months ended September 30, 2005.  IPC's effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, was 38.5 percent, compared to 40.9 percent for the nine months ended September 30, 2005.

The differences in estimated annual effective tax rates are primarily due to the increase in pre-tax earnings at IDACORP and IPC, the loss of IPC's simplified service cost method tax deduction in 2005 and the adoption of a new uniform capitalization method in 2006, timing and amount of IPC's regulatory flow-through tax adjustments, settlement of a Bridger Coal Company partnership audit at IPC (discussed below), and slightly lower tax credits from IFS.

Status of audit proceedings
In March 2005, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began its examination of IDACORP's 2001-2003 tax years.  On October 13, 2006, the IRS issued its examination report and assessment for those years.  With the exception of IPC's capitalized overhead costs method, discussed below, the IRS and IDACORP were able to settle all issues.  The federal tax assessment for the settled issues will be paid in November 2006.  It is expected that associated interest charges and state income taxes will be paid during 2007.  Settlement of the agreed issues will not have a material impact on IDACORP's 2006 results of operations or cash flows.

The IRS disallowed IPC's capitalized overhead cost method for uniform capitalization (the simplified service cost method) on the basis that IPC's self-constructed assets were not produced on a "routine and repetitive" basis as defined by Rev. Rul. 2005-53.  The disallowance resulted in a federal tax assessment of $45 million.  IDACORP disagrees with this conclusion and will appeal the issue.  Accordingly, in November, 2006 IDACORP will file its formal protest, make a deposit of the disputed tax with the IRS to stop the accrual of interest, and enter the appeals process.  Management cannot predict the timing or outcome of this process, but believes that an adequate provision for income taxes and related interest charges has been made for this issue.

The simplified service cost method was also used for IPC's 2004 tax year.  While 2004 is not currently under examination, it is likely the IRS will take the same position for 2004 as it did for 2001-2003; however, it is not likely that this position will result in a federal income tax assessment primarily due to the mitigating effect of accelerated tax depreciation.

On July 7, 2006, the IRS issued its examination report for Bridger Coal Company's 2001-2003 tax years.  Bridger Coal is a partnership investment owned one-third by IPC.  The audit resulted in net favorable adjustments to Bridger Coal's tax returns for those years.  IPC's third quarter income tax expense decreased by $1.3 million as a result of the settlement.

Capitalized overhead costs
Generally, section 263A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, requires the capitalization of all direct costs and indirect costs, including mixed service costs, which directly benefit or are incurred by reason of the production of property by a taxpayer.  The simplified service cost method, a "safe harbor" method, is one of the methods provided by the section 263A treasury regulations for the calculation of mixed service cost capitalization.  IPC adopted the simplified service cost method for both the self-construction of utility plant and production of electricity beginning with its 2001 federal income tax return.

On August 2, 2005, the IRS and the Treasury Department issued guidance interpreting the meaning of "routine and repetitive" for purposes of the simplified service cost and simplified production methods of the Internal Revenue Code section 263A uniform capitalization rules.  The guidance was issued in the form of a revenue ruling (Rev. Rul. 2005-53) which is effective for all open tax years ending prior to August 2, 2005, and proposed and temporary regulations (the "Temporary Regulations") which are effective for tax years ending on or after August 2, 2005.  Both pieces of guidance take a more restrictive view of the definition of self-constructed assets produced by a taxpayer on a "routine and repetitive" basis than did treasury regulations in effect at the time IPC changed to the simplified service cost method.

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Table of Contents

For IPC, the simplified service cost method produced a current tax deduction for costs capitalized to electricity production that are capitalized into fixed assets for financial accounting purposes.  Deferred income tax expense had not been provided for this deduction because the prescribed regulatory tax accounting treatment does not allow for inclusion of such deferred tax expense in current rates.  Rate regulated enterprises are required to recognize such adjustments as regulatory assets if it is probable that such amounts will be recovered from customers in future rates.
As discussed in "Status of Audit Proceedings" above, the IRS has disallowed IPC's use of the simplified service cost method for the tax years 2001-2003 on the basis of Rev. Rul. 2005-53.  As a result, the IRS has assessed a $45 million tax liability.  IDACORP will appeal the IRS's assessment.  Because of the nature of the issue, IDACORP's exposure with respect to this matter may be less than the tax assessed plus applicable interest charges.  The resolution of this matter could result in a one time charge to earnings; however, at this time IDACORP is not in a position to quantify such amount.  Additionally, after resolution IDACORP will likely amend its 2005 federal income tax return and its 2005 method change application to account for the effects that such resolution has on IPC's new uniform capitalization method (discussed below).  This amendment is not expected to have a negative impact on IDACORP's or IPC's consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

With respect to tax year 2005 and future tax years, the Temporary Regulations, as drafted, preclude IPC from using the simplified service cost method for its self-constructed assets.  Under the Temporary Regulations, IPC is required to use another allowable section 263A method for its indirect costs, including mixed service costs.  As a result of the Temporary Regulations, IPC made changes to its overall section 263A uniform capitalization method of accounting.  In September 2006, the changes were adopted with an automatic method change request included in IDACORP's 2005 federal income tax return.  The uniform capitalization methodology adopted for 2005 and subsequent years involves the use of the specific identification, burden rate, and step-allocation methods of accounting.  The methods used are allowable under both the final and temporary section 263A regulations.

As with the simplified service cost method, the new uniform capitalization methodology produces an annual tax deduction for costs that are not required to be capitalized under section 263A as well as costs capitalized into the production of electricity.  The method, while producing a beneficial result, is not as favorable as the simplified service cost method.  Changing the uniform capitalization method will result in a net charge to IPC's 2006 income tax expense of $6.1 million, with $5.4 million being recorded in the third quarter.  The estimated 2006 tax deduction produces a $3.3 million tax benefit for the year, $2.5 million of which was recorded at IPC in the third quarter.  The change in method is not expected to have a material effect on IDACORP's or IPC's 2006 cash flows.  The accounting and regulatory treatment for the new method is the same as previously used for the simplified service cost method.

3.  COMMON STOCK:

During the nine months ended September 30, 2006, IDACORP entered into the following transactions involving its common stock:

On January 1, 2006, IDACORP adopted SFAS 123R.  SFAS 123R requires that any amounts of unearned stock-based compensation be charged against common equity.  Prior to January 1, 2006, IDACORP had aggregated its unearned compensation balances with treasury stock on its consolidated balance sheets.

 

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Table of Contents

4.  FINANCING:

The following table summarizes IDACORP's long-term debt (in thousands of dollars):

September 30,

 

December 31,

2006

 

2005

First mortgage bonds:

7.38%    Series due 2007

$

80,000 

$

80,000 

7.20%    Series due 2009

80,000 

80,000 

6.60%    Series due 2011

120,000 

120,000 

4.75%    Series due 2012

100,000 

100,000 

4.25%    Series due 2013

70,000 

70,000 

6%         Series due 2032

100,000 

100,000 

5.50%    Series due 2033

70,000 

70,000 

5.50%    Series due 2034

50,000 

50,000 

5.875%  Series due 2034

55,000 

55,000 

5.30%    Series due 2035

60,000 

60,000 

Total first mortgage bonds

785,000 

785,000 

Pollution control revenue bonds:

Variable Auction Rate Series 2003 due 2024 (a)

49,800 

49,800 

6.05%    Series 1996A due 2026

68,100 

68,100 

Variable Rate Series 1996B due 2026

24,200 

24,200 

Variable Rate Series 1996C due 2026

24,000 

24,000 

Variable Rate Series 2000 due 2027

4,360 

4,360 

Total pollution control revenue bonds

170,460 

170,460 

American Falls bond guarantee

19,885 

19,885 

Milner Dam note guarantee

11,700 

11,700 

Unamortized premium (discount) - net

(3,154)

(3,325)

Debt related to investments in affordable housing

37,632 

48,481 

Other subsidiary debt

7,542 

7,686 

Less: Liabilities held for sale

(9)

(35)

Total

1,029,056 

1,039,852 

Current maturities of long-term debt

(15,364)

(16,307)

Total long-term debt

$

1,013,692 

$

1,023,545 

(a)

Humboldt County Pollution Control Revenue bonds are secured by first mortgage bonds, bringing the total first mortgage bonds outstanding at September 30, 2006, to $834.8 million.

 

Long-Term Financing
IDACORP currently has $679 million remaining on two shelf registration statements that can be used for the issuance of unsecured debt (including medium-term notes) and preferred or common stock.  IPC currently has in place a registration statement that can be used for the issuance of an aggregate principal amount of $240 million of first mortgage bonds (including medium-term notes) and unsecured debt.

The amount of first mortgage bonds issuable by IPC is limited to a maximum of $1.1 billion and by property, earnings and other provisions of the mortgage and supplemental indentures thereto.  IPC may amend the indenture and increase this amount without consent of the holders of the first mortgage bonds.  The indenture requires that IPC's net earnings must be at least twice the annual interest requirements on all outstanding debt of equal or prior rank, including the bonds that IPC may propose to issue.  Under certain circumstances, the net earnings test does not apply, including the issuance of refunding bonds to retire outstanding bonds that mature in less than two years or that are of an equal or higher interest rate, or prior lien bonds.

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As of September 30, 2006, IPC could issue under the mortgage approximately $452 million of additional first mortgage bonds based on retired first mortgage bonds and $670 million of additional first mortgage bonds based on unfunded property additions.  As of September 30, 2006, unfunded property additions were approximately $1.1 billion.  Property additions consist of electric or gas property, or property used in connection therewith.  Property additions exclude securities, contracts or choses in action, merchandise and equipment for consumption or resale, materials and supplies, property used principally for production or gathering of natural gas and any power sites and uncompleted works under Idaho state permits.  In determining net property additions, IPC deducts all retired funded property from gross property additions except to the extent of certain credits for released funded property.

The mortgage requires IPC to spend or appropriate 15 percent of its annual gross operating revenues for maintenance, retirement or amortization of its properties.  IPC may, however, anticipate or make up these expenditures or appropriations within the five years that immediately follow or precede a particular year.

The mortgage secures all bonds issued under the indenture equally and ratably, without preference, priority or distinction.  IPC may issue additional first mortgage bonds in the future, and those first mortgage bonds will also be secured by the mortgage.  The lien of the indenture constitutes a first mortgage on all the properties of IPC, subject only to certain limited exceptions including liens for taxes and assessments that are not delinquent and minor excepted encumbrances.  Certain of the properties of IPC are subject to easements, leases, contracts, covenants, workmen's compensation awards and similar encumbrances and minor defects and clouds common to properties.  The mortgage does not create a lien on revenues or profits, or notes or accounts receivable, contracts or choses in action, except as permitted by law during a completed default, securities or cash, except when pledged, or merchandise or equipment manufactured or acquired for resale.  The mortgage creates a lien on the interest of IPC in property subsequently acquired, other than excepted property, subject to limitations in the case of consolidation, merger or sale of all or substantially all of the assets of IPC.

At September 30, 2006, IFS had $38 million of debt related to investments in affordable housing with interest rates ranging from 3.65 percent to 8.38 percent, due between 2006 and 2010.  The investments in affordable housing developments that collateralize this debt had a net book value of $62 million at September 30, 2006.  IFS' $13 million Series 2003-1 tax credit note is non-recourse to both IFS and IDACORP.  The $7 million Series 2003-2 tax credit note and other outstanding debt are recourse only to IFS.

On October 3, 2006, IPC completed a tax-exempt bond financing in which Sweetwater County, Wyoming issued and sold $116,300,000 aggregate principal amount of its Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 2006.  The bonds will mature on July 15, 2026.  The $116.3 million proceeds were loaned by Sweetwater County to IPC pursuant to a Loan Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2006, between Sweetwater County and IPC (the Loan Agreement)  On October 10, 2006, the proceeds of the new bonds, together with certain other moneys of IPC, were used to refund Sweetwater County's (i) Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 1996A that were outstanding in the aggregate principal amount of $68,100,000, (ii) Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 1996B that were outstanding in the aggregate principal amount of $24,200,000 and (iii) Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 1996C that were outstanding in the aggregate principal amount of $24,000,000.  The regularly scheduled principal and interest payments on the bonds, and principal and interest payments on the bonds upon mandatory redemption on determination of taxability, are insured by a financial guaranty insurance policy issued by AMBAC Assurance Corporation.  IPC and AMBAC have entered into an Insurance Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2006, pursuant to which IPC has agreed, among other things, to pay certain premiums to AMBAC and to reimburse AMBAC for any payments made under the policy.

In order to secure IPC's obligation to make principal and interest payments on the loan made to IPC, IPC issued and delivered to a trustee IPC's First Mortgage Bonds, Pollution Control Series C, in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of the new bonds.

Credit Facilities
IDACORP has a $150 million five-year credit facility that expires on March 31, 2010.  At September 30, 2006, no loans were outstanding on IDACORP's credit facility and $6 million of commercial paper was outstanding.

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At September 30, 2006, IPC had regulatory authority to incur up to $250 million of short-term indebtedness.  IPC has a $200 million five-year credit facility that expires on March 31, 2010.  At September 30, 2006, no loans were outstanding on IPC's credit facility and $26 million of commercial paper and $1 million of notes (outside of the credit facility) were outstanding.

5.  COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES:

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
The federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 and similar state statutes establish operational, reclamation and closure standards that must be met during and upon completion of mining activities.  These obligations mandate that mine property be restored consistent with specific standards and the approved reclamation plan.  The mining operations at the Bridger Coal Company are subject to these reclamation and closure requirements.  IPC has agreed to guarantee the performance of reclamation activities at Bridger Coal Company, of which Idaho Energy Resources Co., a subsidiary of IPC, owns a one-third interest.  This guarantee, which is renewed each December, was $60 million at September 30, 2006.  Bridger Coal has a reclamation trust fund set aside specifically for the purpose of paying these reclamation costs and expects that the fund will be sufficient to cover all such costs.  Because of the existence of the fund, the estimated fair value of this guarantee is minimal.

Regional Transmission Organization
Over the last several years, IPC has spent funds supporting the development of Grid West, a Northwest regional transmission organization (RTO).  As of September 30, 2006, IPC had recorded $1.1 million of loans to Grid West and $2.3 million of deferred internal costs from participating in the development effort.  These amounts were initially deferred anticipating future recovery through Grid West tariffs.  IPC ceased funding Grid West after the first quarter of 2006 and Grid West was dissolved on April 11, 2006.  IPC no longer expects reimbursement of either amount from Grid West.  IPC's accumulation of Grid West development costs in a deferred expense account is consistent with a 2004 accounting order that IPC received from the FERC.

Grid West Deferral in Oregon:  On April 4, 2006, IPC filed a request for an accounting order from the OPUC addressing the deferral of costs related to the development of Grid West.  On August 22, 2006, the OPUC granted IPC's request for the deferral of the costs of unrecoverable Grid West loans; however, the OPUC denied IPC's request to defer an immaterial amount of internal costs incurred directly in the development of Grid West.

Grid West Deferral in Idaho:  On April 4, 2006, IPC filed a request for an accounting order from the IPUC addressing the deferral of costs related to the development of Grid West.  The total deferral request was $3.4 million.  On June 29, 2006, the IPUC determined that the case would be processed by modified procedure.  IPC argued that it should be allowed deferral of the principal and interest on the RTO loan amounts, a carrying charge on the deferred balance and recovery of the incremental internal costs it identified in its application.  On October 24, 2006, the IPUC issued an order granting $1.1 million related to the principal of the RTO loans over a five-year amortization beginning January 1, 2007 and denying recovery of the remaining items.  IPC has until November 14, 2006, to petition the IPUC for reconsideration.  Following a final decision from the IPUC, IPC will make a filing with the FERC for recovery of Grid West costs.

If IPC is unsuccessful with either the IPUC or with the FERC, some or all of the remaining costs will be expensed.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

Reference is made to IDACORP's and IPC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2006, and June 30, 2006, for a discussion of all material pending legal proceedings to which IDACORP and IPC and their subsidiaries are parties.  The following discussion provides a summary of material developments that occurred in those proceedings during the period covered by this report and of any new material proceedings instituted during the period covered by this report.

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Proceedings Relating to the Western Power Markets
IDACORP, IPC and/or IE are involved in a number of proceedings which relate to the western power markets.

Public Utility District No. 1 of Grays Harbor County, Washington
On July 25, 2006, the case was dismissed with prejudice by the Honorable Robert H. Whaley, sitting by designation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, pursuant to an agreed resolution of the matter between Grays Harbor and IDACORP, IPC and IE. The settlement did not have a material adverse effect on IDACORP's consolidated financial position, results of operation or cash flows.

Port of Seattle
On March 7, 2006, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit heard argument on the Port of Seattle's appeal of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California's dismissal of its complaint with prejudice.  On March 30, 2006, the Ninth Circuit issued an order denying the Port of Seattle's appeal and affirming the dismissal of the entire case.  The dismissal of the case, with prejudice, became final on June 28, 2006, when the Port of Seattle elected not to file a certiorari petition to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Wah Chang
Following the October 18, 2005, consolidation of Wah Chang's appeal of the dismissal order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit with an identical order in Wah Chang v. Duke Energy Trading and Marketing, IDACORP, IPC and IE filed an answering brief on November 30, 2005.  Wah Chang filed its reply brief on January 6, 2006.  Wah Chang's appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has now been fully briefed; however, no date has yet been set for oral argument.  IDACORP, IPC and IE intend to vigorously defend their position in this proceeding and believe this matter will not have a material adverse effect on their consolidated financial positions, results of operations or cash flows.

City of Tacoma
The City of Tacoma's March 10, 2005, appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit of the dismissal of the case by Judge Whaley has been fully briefed; however, no date has yet been set for oral argument.  IDACORP, IPC and IE intend to vigorously defend their position in this proceeding and believe this matter will not have a material adverse effect on their consolidated financial positions, results of operations or cash flows.

Wholesale Electricity Antitrust Cases I & II
In April 2002, several subsidiaries of Reliant Energy, Inc. (Reliant) and Duke Energy Corporation (Duke) filed cross-complaints against IE and IPC and numerous other participants in the California energy market.  The cross-complaints sought indemnification for any liability that may arise from original complaints filed against Reliant and Duke with respect to charges of unlawful and unfair business practices in the California energy markets under California law.  On November 9, 2005, both Duke and Reliant submitted to the California Superior Court stipulations with IE and IPC to conditionally dismiss, with prejudice, the cross-complaints, subject to reinstatement if proposed settlements between Duke and Reliant and the plaintiffs of the underlying actions were not approved by the court.  Neither IE nor IPC paid any amount to Duke or to Reliant to obtain these dismissals.

On December 14, 2005, the court granted final approval of the Duke settlement with the plaintiffs.  The Court's order granting final approval of the Duke settlement became final on March 14, 2006.  On January 6, 2006, the court granted preliminary approval of the Reliant settlement.  On March 30, 2006, oppositions and objections to the Reliant settlement were filed by certain parties under the Eggers case caption, including by the States of Montana and Idaho.  Neither IPC nor IE is a party to the Eggers case, which seeks to recover damages on behalf of consumers in western states other than California.  A hearing on final approval of the Reliant settlement was held on April 28, 2006.  At the hearing, the court ruled that the California class settlement would receive final approval contingent on a satisfactory showing that the notice to those class members was adequate.  As for the Eggers case, the court set a briefing schedule to provide evidence and oral argument regarding the State of Montana's treatment by its class representative and Montana's connection to the California energy market.

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On May 30, 2006, the court signed and approved the Judgment, Final Order, and Decree Granting Final Approval to the Reliant settlement.  The court also signed and approved the Order Granting Reliant's Motion for Good Faith Settlement Determination.  The order approving the Reliant settlement became final on July 31, 2006.  On July 14, 2006, the court held a separate hearing to consider approval of the settlement of the Eggers action, and thereafter signed and approved the Judgment, Final Order and Decree Granting Final Approval to the Class Action Settlement in the Eggers case.  All appeal periods have now expired.

California Refund
On February 17, 2006, IE and IPC jointly filed with the California Parties (Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Southern California Edison, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Electricity Oversight Board, the California Department of Water Resources and the California Attorney General) an Offer of Settlement at the FERC.  Other parties had until March 9, 2006, to elect to become an additional settling party.  The majority of other parties chose to opt out of the settlement.  After consideration of comments, the FERC approved the settlement on May 22, 2006.  Under the terms of the settlement, IE and IPC assigned $24.25 million of the rights to accounts receivable from the California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO) and California Power Exchange (CalPX) to the California Parties to pay into an escrow account for refunds to settling parties.  Amounts from that escrow not used for settling parties and $1.5 million of the remaining IE and IPC receivables that are to be retained by the CalPX are available to fund, at least partially, payment of the claims of any non-settling parties if they prevail in the remaining litigation of this matter.  Any excess funds remaining at the end of the case are to be returned to IDACORP.  Approximately $10.25 million of the remaining IE and IPC receivables was paid to IE and IPC under the Settlement.

On June 21, 2006, the Port of Seattle, Washington filed a request for rehearing of the FERC order approving the Settlement.  On July 10, 2006, IDACORP and the California Parties filed a response to Port of Seattle's request for rehearing.  On October 5, 2006, the FERC issued an order denying the Port of Seattle's request for rehearing.  The time for seeking review of the FERC's Order will not expire until December 4, 2006.  IDACORP is unable to predict at this time if any person will seek such review or, if such review is sought, what the eventual outcome will be.

For some time the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held in abeyance consolidated petitions for review (in excess of 100) of FERC orders related to the California Refund proceeding.  On September 21, 2004, the Ninth Circuit convened case management proceedings on these petitions and on October 22, 2004, severed a subset of issues for briefing related to: (1) which parties are subject to the FERC's refund jurisdiction under section 201(f) of the Federal Power Act; (2) the temporal scope of refunds under section 206 of the Federal Power Act; and (3) which categories of transaction are subject to refunds.  Oral argument was held on April 12-13, 2005.  On September 6, 2005, the Ninth Circuit issued a decision on the jurisdictional issues concluding that the FERC lacked refund authority over wholesale electric energy sales made by governmental entities and non-public utilities.  On August 2, 2006, the Ninth Circuit issued its decision on the appropriate temporal reach and the type of transactions subject to the FERC refund orders and concluded, among other things, that all transactions at issue in the case that occurred within or as a result of the CalPX and the Cal ISO were the proper subject of refund proceedings; refused to expand the refund proceedings into the bilateral markets including transactions with the California Department of Water Resources; approved the refund effective date as October 2, 2000, but also required the FERC to consider whether refunds, including possibly market-wide refunds, should be required for an earlier time due to claims that some market participants had violated governing tariff obligations (although the decision did not specify when that time would start, the California Parties generally had sought further refunds starting May 1, 2000); and effectively expanded the scope of the refund proceeding to transactions within the CalPX and Cal ISO markets outside the 24-hour spot market and energy exchange transactions.

IDACORP believes that these decisions should have no material effect on IDACORP under the terms of the IDACORP Settlement with the California Parties approved by the FERC on May 22, 2006.

California Power Exchange Chargeback
Based upon the Offer of Settlement filed with the FERC on February 17, 2006, between the California Parties and IE and IPC and discussed above in "California Refund", the California Parties supported a motion filed by IE and IPC with the FERC seeking an Order Directing Return of Chargeback Amounts currently held by the CalPX totaling $2.27 million.  In the May 22, 2006, Order approving the Settlement, the FERC granted the IE and IPC motion for return of chargeback funds held by the CalPX.  On June 1, 2006, IE received approximately $2.5 million from the CalPX representing the return of $2.27 million in chargeback funds plus interest.

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Market Manipulation
Pursuant to the Offer of Settlement filed with the FERC on February 17, 2006, between the California Parties and IE and IPC and discussed above in "California Refund", the requests for rehearing of the California Parties and other settling parties of the FERC's approval of an earlier settlement with the FERC staff regarding allegations of "gaming" are deemed to be withdrawn.  On May 22, 2006, the FERC issued an order approving the February 17, 2006, Offer of Settlement.  On October 11, 2006, the FERC issued an Order denying rehearing of its earlier approval of the "gaming" allegations, thereby effectively terminating the FERC investigations as to IPC and IE regarding bidding behavior, physical withholding of power and "gaming" without finding of wrongdoing.  The time for seeking review of the FERC's Order will not expire until December 11, 2006.  IPC and IE are unable to predict at this time if any person will seek such review or, if such review is sought, what the eventual outcome will be.

Pacific Northwest Refund
On September 24, 2001, the FERC Administrative Law Judge submitted recommendations and findings to the FERC finding that prices in the Pacific Northwest during the December 25, 2000, through June 20, 2001, time period should be governed by the Mobile-Sierra standard of public interest rather than the just and reasonable standard, that the Pacific Northwest spot markets were competitive and that no refunds should be allowed.  The FERC approved these recommendations on June 25, 2003, and multiple parties then appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  IE and IPC were parties in the FERC proceeding and are participating in the appeal.  Briefing on the appeal was completed on May 25, 2005, and oral argument has been scheduled for January 8, 2007.  The Settlement approved by the FERC on May 22, 2006, resolves all claims the California Parties have against IE and IPC in the Pacific Northwest Refund proceeding.  The settlement with Grays Harbor resolves all claims Grays Harbor has against IE and IPC in this proceeding.  IE and IPC are unable to predict the outcome as to all other parties in this proceeding.

Other Litigation

Shareholder Lawsuit
On March 29, 2006, the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho (Judge Edward J. Lodge) issued an Order in this case (Powell v. IDACORP) adopting the Report and Recommendation of Magistrate Judge Williams issued on September 14, 2005, granting the defendants' (IDACORP and certain of its officers and directors) motion to dismiss because plaintiffs failed to satisfy the pleading requirements for loss causation.  However, Judge Lodge modified the Report and Recommendation and ruled that plaintiffs had until May 1, 2006, to file an amended complaint only as to the loss causation element.  On May 1, 2006, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint.  The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on June 16, 2006, asserting that the amended complaint still failed to satisfy the pleading requirements for loss causation.  Briefing on this most recent motion to dismiss was completed on August 28, 2006.  IDACORP and the other defendants intend to defend themselves vigorously against the allegations.  IDACORP cannot, however, predict the outcome of these matters.

Western Shoshone National Council
On April 10, 2006, the Western Shoshone National Council (which purports to be the governing body of the Western Shoshone Nation) and certain of its individual tribal members filed a First Amended Complaint and Demand for Jury Trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, naming IPC and other unrelated entities as defendants.

Plaintiffs allege that IPC's ownership interest in certain land, minerals, water or other resources was converted and fraudulently conveyed from lands in which the plaintiffs had historical ownership rights and Indian title dating back to the 1860's or before.  Although it is unclear from the complaint, it appears plaintiffs' claims relate primarily to lands within the state of Nevada.  Plaintiffs seek a judgment declaring their title to land and other resources, disgorgement of profits from the sale or use of the land and resources, a decree declaring a constructive trust in favor of the plaintiffs of IPC's assets connected to the lands or resources, an accounting of money or things of value received from the sale or use of the lands or resources, monetary damages in an unspecified amount for waste and trespass and a judgment declaring that IPC has no right to possess or use the lands or resources.

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On May 1, 2006, IPC filed an Answer to plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint denying all liability to the plaintiffs and asserting certain affirmative defenses including collateral estoppel and res judicata, preemption, impossibility and impracticability, failure to join all real and necessary parties, and various defenses based on untimeliness.  On June 19, 2006, IPC filed a motion to dismiss plaintiffs' First Amended Complaint, asserting, among other things, that the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction and that plaintiffs failed to join an indispensable party (namely, the United States government).  Briefing on the motion to dismiss was completed on September 28, 2006.  IPC intends to vigorously defend its position in this proceeding, but is unable to predict the outcome of this matter.

6.  REGULATORY MATTERS:

General Rate Cases
Oregon: 
On September 21, 2004, IPC filed an application with the OPUC to increase general rates an average of 17.5 percent or approximately $4.4 million annually.  A partial settlement resolved most issues in a manner consistent with the results of the corresponding Idaho general rate case.  The most significant issue in this proceeding was the appropriate quantification of net power supply expenses for purposes of setting rates.  The OPUC staff proposed that net power supply expenses for IPC be set at a negative number - meaning that IPC should be able to sell enough surplus energy to pay for all fuel and purchased power expenses and still have revenue left over to offset other costs.  The bulk of IPC's rebuttal was directed at this position.  A hearing was conducted on May 23, 2005.  The OPUC issued its order in July 2005 authorizing an increase of $0.6 million in annual revenues for an average of 2.37 percent.  The OPUC adopted the OPUC staff's argument for the negative net power supply costs, thus reducing IPC's initial rate request of $4.4 million by $2.4 million with this one adjustment.

On September 26, 2005, IPC filed a complaint with the Circuit Court of Marion County, Oregon asking the court to reverse the portion of the OPUC's general rate case order related to the determination of net power supply costs.  Following a full review of the matter, the court denied IPC's reversal request on August 29, 2006.  IPC has until November 13, 2006, to file an appeal with the Oregon Court of Appeals.

Deferred (Accrued) Net Power Supply Costs
IPC's deferred (accrued) net power supply costs consisted of the following (in thousands of dollars):

 

September 30,

 

December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

Idaho PCA current year:

Deferral for the 2006-2007 rate year

$

$

3,684

Deferral for the 2007-2008 rate year *

3,872

-

Idaho PCA true-up awaiting recovery (refund):

Authorized May 2005

28,567

Authorized May 2006

(15,161)

-

Oregon deferral:

2001 costs

7,108 

8,411

2005 costs

2,833 

2,880

Total deferral (accrual)

$

(1,348)

$

43,542

* includes a $42.1 million credit for excess SO2 emission allowance sales allocated to customers

 

Idaho:  IPC has a Power Cost Adjustment (PCA) mechanism that provides for annual adjustments to the rates charged to its Idaho retail customers.  These adjustments are based on forecasts of net power supply costs, which are fuel and purchased power less off-system sales, and the true-up of the prior year's forecast.  During the year, 90 percent of the difference between the actual and forecasted costs is deferred with interest.  The ending balance of this deferral, called the true-up for the current year's portion and the true-up of the true-up for the prior years' unrecovered portion, is then included in the calculation of the next year's PCA.

On May 25, 2006, the IPUC approved IPC's 2006-2007 PCA filing with an effective date of June 1, 2006.  The filing reduced the PCA component of customers' rates from the existing level, which was recovering $76.7 million above then-existing base rates, to a level that is $46.8 million below those base rates, a decrease of approximately $123.5 million.

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On April 13, 2006, IPC filed testimony requesting review of one component of the PCA referred to as the load growth adjustment rate, as agreed to in the stipulation of the parties settling the 2005 general rate case.  The load growth adjustment rate provides a reduction to power supply expenses for PCA purposes when loads grow from levels included in IPC's base rates.  IPC maintains that this reduction to expenses should be equal to the relative increase in revenues received as a result of load growth.  The IPUC Staff and other parties to the proceeding filed testimony on September 15, 2006, advocating load growth adjustment rates above both the existing rate and IPC's proposal.  A hearing was held on October 30, 2006.  The dollar impact of load growth adjustment rates is significant and increasing, based on continuing growth within IPC's territory.  Any increase in the load growth adjustment rate as a result of this proceeding would magnify the impact.  In its rebuttal testimony, IPC estimated that the IPUC Staff proposal, if implemented last year, would have resulted in $20 million of power supply expense attributable to load growth from April 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006, that would not have been recoverable by IPC when compared to IPC's proposal for full recovery of power supply expense attributable to load growth.

On June 1, 2005, IPC implemented the 2005-2006 PCA, which held the PCA component of customers' rates at the existing level, recovering $71 million above base rates.  By IPUC order, the PCA included $12 million in lost revenues and $2 million in related interest resulting from IPC's Irrigation Load Reduction Program that was in place in 2001.  The PCA deferred recovery of approximately $28 million of power supply costs, or 4.75 percent, for one year to help mitigate the impacts of other rate increases.  The $28 million was included in the 2006-2007 PCA filing, and IPC earned a two percent carrying charge on the balance.

Oregon:  On April 28, 2006, IPC filed for an accounting order with the OPUC to defer net power supply costs for the period of May 1, 2006, through April 30, 2007, in anticipation of higher than "normal" power supply expenses.  In the Oregon general rate case discussed above, "normal" power supply expenses were set at a negative number (meaning that under normal water conditions IPC should be able to sell enough surplus energy to pay for all fuel and purchased power expenses and still have revenue left over to offset other costs).  The forecasted system net power supply expenses included in this deferral filing were $64 million, which is $65.9 million higher than the normalized power supply expenses established in the Oregon general rate case.  IPC requested authorization to defer an estimated $3.3 million, the Oregon jurisdictional share of the $65.9 million.  IPC also requested that it earn its Oregon authorized rate of return on the deferred balance and recover the amount through rates in future years, as approved by the OPUC.  The parties met on September 20, 2006, and began negotiating for a PCA mechanism for IPC's Oregon jurisdiction, and agreed to suspend discussion of the deferral application while the PCA negotiations are ongoing.  The parties believe that any agreement regarding a PCA mechanism may impact resolution of IPC's deferral application. The parties are planning to meet again in early November 2006.

On March 2, 2005, IPC filed for an accounting order with the OPUC to defer net power supply costs for the period of March 2, 2005 through February 28, 2006, in anticipation of continued low water conditions.  The forecasted net power supply costs included in this filing were $169 million, of which $3 million related to the Oregon jurisdiction.  IPC proposed to use the same methodology for this deferral filing that was accepted in 2002 for Oregon's share of IPC's 2001 net power supply expenses.  On July 1, 2005, IPC, the OPUC staff, and the Citizen's Utility Board entered into a stipulation requesting that the OPUC accept IPC's proposed methodology.  Under this methodology, IPC will earn its Oregon authorized rate of return on the deferred balance and will recover the amount through rates in future years, as approved by the OPUC.  The OPUC issued Order 05-870 on July 28, 2005, approving the stipulation.  On April 19, 2006, IPC filed a request for review and acknowledgement of its deferred net power supply costs for the period of March 2, 2005, through February 28, 2006.  The deferral amount was quantified by IPC to be $2.7 million.  On June 14, 2006, a settlement conference was held; however, settlement is pending further staff review.

The timing of future recovery of Oregon power supply cost deferrals is subject to an Oregon statute that specifically limits rate amortizations of deferred costs to six percent per year.  IPC is currently amortizing through rates power supply costs associated with the western energy situation of 2001.  Full recovery of the 2001 deferral is not expected until 2009, at which time the rate amortization of the 2005-2006 deferral could begin.  A 2006-2007 deferral would have to be amortized sequentially following the full recovery of the authorized 2005-2006 deferral.

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Emission Allowances
In June 2005, IPC filed applications with the IPUC and OPUC requesting blanket authorization for the sale of excess SO2 emission allowances and an accounting order.  The IPUC issued Order 29852 on August 22, 2005, authorizing the sale and interim accounting treatment.  The OPUC issued Order 05-983 on September 13, 2005, stating that IPC did not need a blanket order to sell emission allowances and approved the interim accounting treatment.

As of September 30, 2006, IPC has sold 78,000 SO2 emission allowances for approximately $81.6 million (before income taxes and expenses) on the open market.  After subtracting transaction fees, the total amount of sales proceeds to be allocated to the Idaho jurisdiction is approximately $76.8 million ($46.8 million net of tax, assuming a tax rate of approximately 39 percent).  Through allowance year 2006, IPC has approximately 32,000 excess allowances remaining.

Pursuant to the IPUC order, the IPUC staff held several workshops and settlement discussions.  On May 12, 2006, the IPUC approved a stipulation filed in April 2006 by IPC on behalf of several parties.  The stipulation allows IPC to retain ten percent, or approximately $4.7 million after tax, of the emission allowance net proceeds as a shareholder benefit.  The remaining 90 percent of the sales proceeds ($69.1 million) plus a carrying charge will be recorded as a customer benefit and included as a line-item in the PCA true-up.  The carrying charge will be calculated on $42.1 million, the net-of-tax amount allocable to Idaho jurisdiction customers.  This customer benefit is included in IPC's PCA calculations as a credit to the PCA true-up balance and will be reflected in PCA rates during the June 1, 2007 through May 31, 2008 PCA rate year.

There is no current OPUC proceeding with respect to SO2 emission allowances, and IPC cannot predict the outcome of any future OPUC ratemaking proceeding relating to this issue.

7.  INDUSTRY SEGMENT INFORMATION:

IDACORP has identified two reportable segments: utility operations and IFS.  ITI and IDACOMM, which had previously been identified as reportable segments, are now reported as discontinued operations (see Note 10).

The utility operations segment's primary sources of revenue are the regulated operations of IPC.  IPC's regulated operations include the generation, transmission, distribution, purchase and sale of electricity.  This segment also includes income from Bridger Coal Company, an unconsolidated joint venture also subject to regulation.  The IFS segment represents that subsidiary's investments in affordable housing developments and historic rehabilitation projects.  Operating segments not included above are below the quantitative thresholds for reportable segments and are included in the "All Other" category.  This category is comprised of Ida-West's joint venture investments in small hydroelectric generation projects, the remaining activities of energy marketer IE, which wound down its operations in 2003, and IDACORP's holding company expenses.

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The following table summarizes the segment information for IDACORP's utility operations and IFS and the total of all other segments, and reconciles this information to total enterprise amounts (in thousands of dollars):

Utility

 

 

 

All

 

 

 

Consolidated

Operations

IFS

 

 

Other

 

Eliminations 1

 

Total

Three months ended September 30, 2006:

Revenues

$

228,799

$

339

$

1,394 

$

$

230,532

  Income (loss) from                              
     continuing                              

   operations

30,389

2,116

(13)

32,492

Three months ended                              

    September 30, 2005:

Revenues

$

244,232

$

343

$

1,332 

$

$

245,907

  Income from                              
      continuing                              

    operations

20,969

2,687

2,305 

25,961

Total assets at                              

   September 30, 2006

$

3,094,640

$

134,981

$

101,469 

$

(19,665)

$

3,311,425

Nine months ended                              

   September 30, 2006:

Revenues

$

736,921

$

1,038

$

3,548 

$

$

741,507

  Income (loss) from                              
     continuing                              

   operations

7,022

6,347

(1,249)

82,120

Nine months ended                              

   September 30, 2005:

Revenues

$

634,807

$

1,032

$

2,883 

$

$

638,722

  Income from                              
     continuing                              

   operations

55,354

7,777

1,066 

64,197

Total assets at December                              

    31, 2005

$

3,074,691

$

139,306

$

188,891  

$

(38,762)

$

3,364,126

 1 Includes assets of ITI and IDACOMM which are presented as assets held for sale.

 

 

8.  BENEFIT PLANS:

The following table shows the components of net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended September 30 (in thousands of dollars):

 

Deferred

Postretirement

Pension Plan

Compensation Plan

Benefits

2006

2005

2006

2005

2006

2005

Service cost

$

3,334 

$

3,282 

$

368

$

292

$

345 

$

331 

Interest cost

5,145 

5,282 

582

538

809 

804 

Expected return on plan assets

(7,097)

(7,423)

-

(596)

(591)

Amortization of net

obligation at transition

(32)

-

78

482 

485 

Amortization of prior service cost

153 

193 

61

57

(126)

(127)

Amortization of net loss

29 

211

172

192 

179 

Net periodic benefit cost

$

1,564 

$

1,302 

$

1,222

$

1,137

$

1,106 

$

1,081 

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The following table shows the components of net periodic benefit costs for the nine months ended September 30 (in thousands of dollars):

 

Deferred

Postretirement

Pension Plan

Compensation Plan

Benefits

2006

2005

2006

2005

2006

2005

Service cost

$

10,857 

$

9,846 

$

1,105

$

877

$

1,097 

$

1,044 

Interest cost

16,755 

15,844 

1,745

1,613

2,569 

2,536 

Expected return on plan                        

     assets

(23,113)

(22,267)

-

(1,892)

(1,864)

Amortization of net

obligation at transition

-

(94)

-

233

1,530 

1,530 

Amortization of prior                        

    service cost

498 

578 

184

171

(401)

(401)

Amortization of net loss

97 

633

517

609 

565 

Net periodic benefit

cost

$

5,094 

$

3,907 

$

3,667

$

3,411

$

3,512 

$

3,410 

IDACORP and IPC have not contributed and do not expect to contribute to their pension plan in 2006.

9.  STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION:

IDACORP has three share-based compensation plans.  IDACORP's employee plans are the 2000 Long-Term Incentive and Compensation Plan (LTICP) and the 1994 Restricted Stock Plan (RSP).  These plans are intended to align employee and shareholder objectives related to IDACORP's long-term growth.  IDACORP also has one non-employee plan, the Director Stock Plan (DSP).  The purpose of the DSP is to increase directors' stock ownership through stock-based compensation.

The LTICP for officers, key employees and directors permits the grant of nonqualified stock options, incentive stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, performance shares and other awards.  The RSP permits only the grant of restricted stock or performance-based restricted stock.  At September 30, 2006, the maximum number of shares available under the LTICP and RSP were 1,688,562 and 104,325, respectively.  The following table shows the compensation cost recognized in income and the tax benefits resulting from these plans, as well as the amounts allocated to IPC for those costs associated with IPC's employees (in thousands of dollars):

IDACORP

IPC

Nine months ended

Nine months ended

September 30,

September 30,

2006

2005

2006

2005

Compensation cost

$

2,124

$

981

$

1,016

$

511

Income tax benefit

$

830

$

384

$

397

$

200

No equity compensation costs have been capitalized.

Stock awards:  Restricted stock awards have vesting periods of up to four years.  Restricted stock awards entitle the recipients to dividends and voting rights, and unvested shares are restricted to disposition and subject to forfeiture under certain circumstances.  The fair value of restricted stock awards is measured based on the market price of the underlying common stock on the date of grant and charged to compensation expense over the vesting period based on the number of shares expected to vest.

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Performance-based restricted stock awards have vesting periods of three years.  Performance awards entitle the recipients to voting rights, and unvested shares are restricted to disposition, subject to forfeiture under certain circumstances, and subject to meeting specific performance conditions.  Based on the attainment of the performance conditions, the ultimate award can range from zero to 150 percent of the target award.  For awards granted prior to 2006, dividends were paid to recipients at the time they were paid on the common stock.  Beginning with the 2006 awards, dividends are accumulated and will be paid out only on shares that eventually vest.

The performance goals for the 2006 awards are independent of each other and equally weighted, and are based on two metrics, cumulative earnings per share (CEPS) and total shareholder return (TSR) relative to a peer group.  The fair value of the CEPS portion is based on the market value at the date of grant, reduced by the loss in time-value of the estimated future dividend payments, using an expected quarterly dividend of $0.30.  The fair value of the TSR portion is estimated using a statistical model that incorporates the probability of meeting performance targets based on historical returns relative to the peer group.  Both performance goals are measured over the three-year vesting period and are charged to compensation expense over the vesting period based on the number of shares expected to vest.

A summary of the status of nonvested share awards as of September 30, 2006, and changes during the nine months ended September 30, 2006, is presented below.  IPC share amounts represent the portion of IDACORP amounts related to IPC employees:

 

IDACORP

 

IPC

 

 

 

Weighted-

 

 

 

Weighted-

 

 

 

average

 

 

 

average

 

 

 

Grant date

 

 

 

Grant date

 

Shares

 

Fair value

 

Shares

 

Fair value

Nonvested shares at January 1, 2006

214,851 

$

29.71

182,888 

$

29.78

Shares granted

124,126 

25.90

112,146 

25.91

Shares forfeited

(115,569)

26.48

(91,538)

26.14

Shares vested

(19,200)

30.39

(19,200)

30.39

Nonvested shares at September 30, 2006

204,208 

$

29.16

184,296 

$

29.17

At September 30, 2006, IDACORP had $2.2 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested share-based compensation that was expected to vest.  IPC's share of this amount was $1.7 million.  These costs are expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.93 years.  IDACORP uses original issue and/or treasury shares for these awards.

Stock options:  Stock option awards are granted with exercise prices equal to the market value of the stock on the date of grant.  The options have a term of 10 years from the grant date and vest over a five-year period.  Upon adoption of SFAS 123R on January 1, 2006, the fair value of each option is amortized into compensation expense using graded-vesting.  Beginning in 2006, stock options are not a significant component of share-based compensation awards under the LTICP.

The fair values of all stock option awards have been estimated as of the date of the grant by applying a binomial option pricing model.  The application of this model involves assumptions that are judgmental and sensitive in the determination of compensation expense.  The key assumptions used in determining the fair value of options granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2006, were:

Dividend yield, based on current dividend and stock price on grant date

3.7%

Expected stock price volatility, based on IDACORP historical volatility

18%

Risk-free interest rate based on U.S. Treasury composite rate

4.92%

Expected term based on the SEC "simplified" method

6.50 years

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Stock option activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2006, was as follows:

 

 

 

Weighted

 

 

 

Weighted-

Average

Aggregate

 

Number

Average

Remaining

Intrinsic

 

of

Exercise

Contractual

Value

 

Shares

Price

Term

(000s)

IDACORP

 

 

 

 

Outstanding at January 1, 2006

1,421,914 

$

32.24

Granted

9,905 

31.86

Exercised

(91,215)

27.08

Forfeited

(162,632)

28.43

Expired

(21,676)

34.31

Outstanding at September 30, 2006

1,156,296 

$

33.14

5.66

$

6,119

Exercisable at September 30, 2006

894,972 

$

34.31

5.59

$

5,279

IPC

 

 

 

 

Outstanding at January 1, 2006

1,094,137 

$

32.03

Granted

-

Exercised

(14,690)

24.54

Forfeited

(142,625)

28.51

Expired

(11,600)

39.89

Outstanding at September 30, 2006

925,222 

$

32.60

5.68

$

5,445

Exercisable at September 30, 2006

713,957 

$

33.71

5.38

$

3,801

The following table presents information about options granted and exercised during the nine months ended September 30 (in thousands of dollars, except for weighted-average amounts):

 

IDACORP

 

IPC

 

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Weighted-average grant-date fair value

$

9.96

$

8.84

$

-

$

8.81

Fair value of options vested

2,191

1,865

1,275

1,390

Intrinsic value of options exercised

888

-

146

-

Cash received from exercise

2,470

-

361

-

Tax benefits realized from exercise

346

-

57

-

As of September 30, 2006, there was $0.5 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to stock options.  These costs are expected to be recognized over a weighted average period of 1.95 years.  IDACORP uses original issue and/or treasury shares to satisfy exercised options.

10. DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS:

In the second quarter of 2006, IDACORP decided to seek buyers for its fuel cell technology subsidiary ITI and its telecommunications subsidiary IDACOMM.  IDACORP had been reviewing strategic alternatives for ITI and IDACOMM in order to focus on its core utility business.  The planned disposals of these businesses meet the criteria established for reporting them as assets held for sale as defined by SFAS 144.  SFAS 144 requires that a long-lived asset classified as held for sale be measured at the lower of its carrying amount or fair value, less costs to sell, and requires the holder to cease depreciation and amortization.  Based on an analysis of the fair value of each subsidiary, no adjustments to the carrying values were required.

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On July 20, 2006, IDACORP completed the sale of all of the outstanding common stock of ITI to IdaTech UK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Investec Group Investments (UK) Limited.  IDACORP recorded a gain of $11.8 million, net of tax, or $0.27 per diluted share from this transaction in the third quarter of 2006.
On October 12, 2006, IDACORP entered into an agreement to sell all of the outstanding common stock of IDACOMM to American Fiber Systems, Inc.  IDACORP expects to complete the sale as early as the end of the fourth quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory approvals.  IDACORP does not expect the sale to have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

The operating results of these businesses have been separately classified and reported as discontinued operations on IDACORP's condensed consolidated statements of income.  A summary of discontinued operations is as follows (in thousands of dollars):

 

 

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

 

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Revenues

$

2,036 

$

3,235 

$

10,740 

$

12,073 

Operating expenses

(2,969)

(7,928)

(18,416)

(24,658)

Other income (expense)

(61)

142 

(128)

412 

Gain on disposal

14,476 

14,476 

Pre-tax income (losses)

13,482 

(4,551)

6,672 

(12,173)

Income tax (expense) benefit

(1,985)

2,207 

529 

4,111 

Income (losses) from discontinued operations

$

11,497 

$

(2,344)

$

7,201 

$

(8,062)

 

The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006, do not include depreciation expense of approximately $0.5 million and $0.7 million, respectively, that would be recorded if the related assets were classified as held and used.

The assets and liabilities of IDACOMM and ITI have been classified as held for sale on IDACORP's balance sheets at September 30, 2006, and December 31, 2005.  A summary of the components of assets and liabilities held for sale on IDACORP's Consolidated Balance Sheets is as follows (in thousands of dollars):

 

September 30,

 

December 31,

 

2006

 

2005

Assets

Current assets

$

3,556

$

6,673

Property and investments

19,630

19,848

Other assets

222

6,118

Total assets

$

23,408

$

32,639

Liabilities

Current liabilities

$

1,536

$

5,916

Other liabilities

7,657

10,016

Long-term debt

9

35

Total liabilities

$

9,202

$

15,967

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Shareholders of IDACORP, Inc.
Boise, Idaho

We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet of IDACORP, Inc. and subsidiaries (the "Company") as of September 30, 2006, and the related condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005.  These interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management.

We conducted our reviews in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters.  It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole.  Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.

Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet of IDACORP, Inc. and subsidiaries as of December 31, 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, shareholders' equity, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 6, 2006, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.  In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2005 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet from which it has been derived.

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Boise, Idaho
November 1, 2006

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REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

To the Board of Directors and Shareholder of Idaho Power Company
Boise, Idaho

We have reviewed the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet and statement of capitalization of Idaho Power Company and subsidiary (the "Company") as of September 30, 2006, and the related condensed consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income for the three-month and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005, and the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2006 and 2005.  These interim financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management.

We conducted our reviews in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States).  A review of interim financial information consists principally of applying analytical procedures and making inquiries of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters.  It is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the objective of which is the expression of an opinion regarding the financial statements taken as a whole.  Accordingly, we do not express such an opinion.

Based on our reviews, we are not aware of any material modifications that should be made to such condensed consolidated interim financial statements for them to be in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

We have previously audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheet and statement of capitalization of Idaho Power Company and subsidiary as of December 31, 2005, and the related consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, retained earnings, and cash flows for the year then ended (not presented herein); and in our report dated March 6, 2006, we expressed an unqualified opinion on those consolidated financial statements.  In our opinion, the information set forth in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet and statement of capitalization as of December 31, 2005 is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the consolidated balance sheet and statement of capitalization from which it has been derived.

DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Boise, Idaho
November 1, 2006

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ITEM 2.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

(Dollar amounts and megawatt-hours (MWh) are in thousands unless otherwise indicated.)

INTRODUCTION:

In Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (MD&A), the general financial condition and results of operations for IDACORP, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, IDACORP) and Idaho Power Company and its subsidiary (collectively, IPC) are discussed.

IDACORP is a holding company formed in 1998 whose principal operating subsidiary is IPC.  IDACORP is subject to the provisions of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, which provides certain access to books and records to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and state utility regulatory commissions and imposes certain record retention and reporting requirements on IDACORP.

IPC is an electric utility with a service territory covering approximately 24,000 square miles in southern Idaho and eastern Oregon.  IPC is regulated by the FERC and the state regulatory commissions of Idaho and Oregon.  IPC is the parent of Idaho Energy Resources Co., a joint venturer in Bridger Coal Company, which supplies coal to the Jim Bridger generating plant owned in part by IPC.

At September 30, 2006, IDACORP's other subsidiaries included:

In the second quarter of 2006, IDACORP management designated the operations of IDACORP Technologies, Inc. (ITI) and IDACOMM as assets held for sale, as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144.  IDACORP's condensed consolidated financial statements reflect the reclassification of the results of these businesses as discontinued operations for all periods presented.  Discontinued operations are discussed in more detail in Note 10 to IDACORP's and IPC's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and later in the MD&A.

On July 20, 2006, IDACORP completed the sale of all of the outstanding common stock of ITI to IdaTech UK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Investec Group Investments (UK) Limited.
On October 12, 2006, IDACORP entered into an agreement to sell all of the outstanding common stock of IDACOMM to American Fiber Systems, Inc.  IDACORP expects to complete the sale as early as the end of the fourth quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory approvals.  IDACORP does not expect the sale to have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

This MD&A should be read in conjunction with the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.  This discussion updates the MD&A included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2006, and June 30, 2006, and should be read in conjunction with the discussions in those reports.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION:

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In connection with the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (Reform Act), IDACORP and IPC are hereby filing cautionary statements identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements (as such term is defined in the Reform Act) made by or on behalf of IDACORP or IPC in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, in presentations, in response to questions or otherwise.  Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "predicts," "projects," "may result," "may continue" or similar expressions) are not statements of historical facts and may be forward-looking.  Forward-looking statements involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, and are accompanied by, the following important factors, which are difficult to predict, contain uncertainties, are beyond IDACORP's or IPC's control and may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements:

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Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made.  New factors emerge from time to time and it is not possible for management to predict all such factors, nor can it assess the impact of any such factor on the business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement.

EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW:

Third quarter 2006 financial results
IDACORP's earnings for the quarter were $44 million, a $20 million increase over the same period in 2005.  Basic and diluted earnings per share were $1.03 in the third quarter of 2006 and $0.56 in the same period of 2005.  The gain on the sale of ITI and improved results at IPC were the key drivers of IDACORP's increase.  IDACORP recorded a gain of $11.8 million, net of tax, or $0.27 per diluted share for the sale of ITI. 

IPC's earnings increased from $21 million in 2005 to $30 million in 2006, mainly due to customer growth and increased electricity usage.  Key components of the increase in earnings include the following:

IDACORP's non-regulated subsidiaries and the holding company contributed earnings of $0.32 per diluted share, compared to $0.06 per diluted share in the third quarter of 2005.  The increase is primarily a result of the gain on the sale of ITI.

Power Cost Adjustment
On June 1, 2006, IPC implemented its annual Power Cost Adjustment (PCA), resulting in a $123.5 million reduction in the rates of Idaho customers.  The reduction in rates comes as a direct benefit of the above-average snow pack in the mountains upstream of Brownlee Reservoir and lower-than-forecasted power supply costs in the 2005-2006 PCA year.  In years when water is plentiful and IPC can fully utilize its extensive hydroelectric system, power production costs are lower and IPC can pass those benefits to its customers in the form of rate reductions.  When water is in short supply, as it was from 2000 through 2005, the higher costs of supplying power by other means also are shared with IPC's customers.

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General rate case settlement
On June 1, 2006, IPC implemented a 3.2 percent ($18 million annual) increase to its Idaho retail base rates.  IPC had filed a general rate case with the IPUC in October 2005, and the IPUC approved a settlement agreement in May 2006.  Base rates primarily reflect IPC's cost of providing electrical service to its customers, including equipment, vehicles and infrastructure.  IPC's overall allowed rate of return in Idaho increased from 7.85 percent to 8.1 percent.

IRS audit proceedings
On October 13, 2006, the Internal Revenue Service issued its examination report and assessment for IDACORP's 2001-2003 tax years.  The IRS and IDACORP were able to settle all issues, with the exception of IPC's capitalized overhead cost method.  The federal tax assessment for the settled issues will be paid in November 2006 and will not have a material impact on IDACORP's 2006 results of operations or cash flows.  The disallowance of IPC's capitalized overhead cost method for uniform capitalization (the simplified service cost method) resulted in a federal tax assessment of $45 million.  IDACORP disagrees with this conclusion and will appeal the issue.  In November 2006, IDACORP will file its formal protest, make a deposit of the disputed tax with the IRS to stop the accrual of interest, and enter the appeals process.  Management cannot predict the timing or outcome of this process, but believes that an adequate provision for income taxes and related interest charges has been made for this issue (see "Income Taxes" for a more detailed discussion).

June and July 2006 high temperatures
IPC's service territory, along with much of the western United States, experienced above-normal temperatures during the months of June and July 2006.  New records were set for cooling degree-days, a measure of temperature impact on customer demand.  Due to these above-normal conditions, a new summer peak of 3,050 MW was first set on June 27, 2006, and was subsequently surpassed on July 24, 2006, when a new summer peak of 3,084 MW was recorded.  Since June 27, the previous system peak of 2,983 MW, which was set in 2002, has been met or exceeded 11 times.  IPC was able to meet all of its load requirements during these periods of increased demand through its system generation and by increasing the amount of its purchased power.

Integrated Resource Plan
IPC filed its 2006 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) with the IPUC in September 2006 and with the OPUC in October 2006.  The 2006 IRP previewed IPC's load and resource situation for the next twenty years, analyzed potential supply-side and demand-side options and identified near-term and long-term actions.  IPC is reviewing the potential impact of implementing the IRP on future construction expenditures and expects estimated total construction expenditures for the years 2007 through 2009 to exceed the 2006 through 2008 estimate.  Variations in the timing and amounts of capital expenditures will result from regulatory and environmental factors, load growth and other resource acquisition needs, including relicensing expenditures.  See "REGULATORY ISSUES - Integrated Resource Plan" for a discussion of IPC's 2006 IRP.

CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES AND ESTIMATES:

IDACORP's and IPC's discussion and analysis of their financial condition and results of operations are based upon their condensed consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with GAAP.  The preparation of these financial statements requires IDACORP and IPC to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.  On an ongoing basis, IDACORP and IPC evaluate these estimates including those estimates related to rate regulation, benefit costs, contingencies, litigation, impairment of assets, income taxes, restructuring costs and bad debt.  These estimates are based on historical experience and on other assumptions and factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, and are the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources.  IDACORP and IPC, based on their ongoing reviews, make adjustments when facts and circumstances dictate.

IDACORP's and IPC's critical accounting policies are reviewed by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors.  These policies are discussed in more detail in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and have not changed materially from that discussion.

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RESULTS OF OPERATIONS:

This section of the MD&A takes a closer look at the significant factors that affected IDACORP's and IPC's earnings during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2006.  In this analysis, the results for 2006 are compared to the same period in 2005.

The following table presents the earnings (losses) for IDACORP's segments as well as the holding company:

 

Three Months Ended

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

2006

 

 

2005

 

 

2006

 

2005

Continuing operations:

IPC - Utility operations

$

30,389 

$

20,969 

$

77,022 

$

55,354 

IDACORP Financial Services

2,116 

2,687 

6,347 

7,777 

Ida-West Energy

1,079 

888 

2,441 

1,714 

IDACORP Energy

(54)

(84)

(166)

(607)

Holding Company

(1,038)

1,501 

(3,524)

(41) 

Income from continuing operations

32,492 

25,961 

82,120 

64,197 

Income (losses) from discontinued operations

11,497 

(2,344)

7,201 

(8,062)

Net income

$

43,989 

$

23,617 

$

89,321 

$

56,135 

Average common shares outstanding (diluted)

42,863 

42,380 

42,710 

42,318 

Diluted earnings (loss) per share:

Income from continuing operations

$

0.76 

$

0.61 

$

1.92 

$

1.52 

  Income (losses) from discontinued                      

    operations

$

0.27 

$

(0.05)

$

0.17 

$

(0.19)

Diluted earnings per share

$

1.03 

$

0.56 

$

2.09 

$

1.33 

Utility Operations

Operating environment:
IPC is one of the nation's few investor-owned utilities with a predominantly hydroelectric generating base.  Because of its reliance on hydroelectric generation, IPC's generation operations can be significantly affected by weather conditions.  The availability of hydroelectric power depends on the amount of snow pack in the mountains upstream of IPC's hydroelectric facilities, springtime snow pack run-off, rainfall and other weather and stream flow management considerations.  During low water years, when stream flows into IPC's hydroelectric projects are reduced, IPC's hydroelectric generation is reduced.  This results in less generation from IPC's resource portfolio (hydroelectric, coal-fired and gas-fired) available for off-system sales and, most likely, an increased use of typically more expensive purchased power to meet load requirements.  Both of these situations - a reduction in profitable off-system sales and an increased use of more expensive purchased power - result in increased net power supply costs.  During high water years, increased off-system sales and the decreased need for purchased power reduce net power supply costs.

Operations plans are developed during the year to provide guidance for generation resource utilization and energy market activities (off-system sales and power purchases).  The plans incorporate forecasts for generation unit availability, reservoir storage and stream flows, gas and coal prices, customer loads, energy market prices and other pertinent inputs.  Consideration is given to when to use IPC's available resources to meet forecast loads and when to transact in the energy market.  The allocation of hydroelectric generation between heavy-load and light-load hours or calendar periods is considered in development of the operating plans.  This allocation is intended to utilize the flexibility of the hydroelectric system to shift generation to high value periods, while operating within the constraints imposed on the system.  IPC's energy risk management policy, unit operating requirements and other obligations provide the framework for the plans.

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The following table presents IPC's power supply for the three and nine month periods ended September 30:

 

 

MWh

 

 

Hydroelectric

 

Thermal

 

Total system

 

Purchased

 

 

 

 

Generation

 

Generation

 

Generation

 

Power

 

Total

Three months ended:

September 30, 2006

1,821

2,082

3,903

1,427

5,330

September 30, 2005

1,494

2,070

3,564

1,420

4,984

Nine months ended:

September 30, 2006

7,687

5,020

12,707

4,130

16,837

September 30, 2005

4,818

5,409

10,227

3,104

13,331

The observed streamflow data released on August 1, 2006, by the National Weather Service's Northwest River Forecast Center indicates that Brownlee reservoir inflow for April through July 2006 was 8.95 million acre-feet (maf), or 142 percent of average.  Storage in selected federal reservoirs upstream of Brownlee as of October 29, 2006, was 126 percent of average.  With current and forecasted stream flow conditions, IPC expects to generate between 9.0 and 9.2 million MWh from its hydroelectric facilities in 2006, compared to 6.2 million MWh in 2005.

Generation from thermal plants during 2006 has been lower than 2005 due primarily to an unanticipated outage at the Boardman plant, of which IPC owns a ten percent interest.  The unit returned to service in late June 2006.  Additionally, the Bennett Mountain combustion turbine suffered a mechanical failure on July 11, 2006.  IPC's investigation has revealed that during construction a bolt was negligently installed by a third party.  The bolt came loose, causing extensive mechanical damage.  The plant was down from July 12 through September 6, 2006.  Total repair costs are estimated to be approximately $16 million.  IPC anticipates that insurance proceeds and recovery from the party or parties responsible for the failure will result in substantial reimbursement of these costs.  IPC expects to generate approximately 6.9 million MWh from its thermal facilities in 2006, compared to 7.3 million MWh in 2005.

IPC's system load peaks in the summer and winter, with the larger peak demand occurring in the summer.  IPC's record system peak of 3,084 MW occurred on July 24, 2006.  IPC was able to meet system load requirements and off-system sales requirements and had sufficient system reserves in place.

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General business revenue:  The following table presents IPC's general business revenues, MWh sales, average number of customers and Boise, Idaho weather conditions for the three and nine months ended September 30:

 

 

Three Months Ended September 30,

 

Nine Months Ended

 September 30,

 

 

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Revenue

Residential

$

72,550

$

76,131

$

224,992

$

215,506

Commercial

41,700

48,115

125,241

129,547

Industrial

24,055

31,780

80,947

86,893

Irrigation

41,106

51,211

69,623

72,243

Total

$

179,411

$

207,237

$

500,803

$

504,189

MWh

Residential

1,249

1,141

3,689

3,424

Commercial

1,009

965

2,794

2,719

Industrial

875

880

2,597

2,548

Irrigation

987

1,012

1,593

1,386

Total

4,120

3,998

10,673

10,077

Customers (average, in thousands)

Residential

389,379

375,359

386,122

371,585

Commercial

59,202

57,327

58,727

56,892

Industrial

131

130

132

128

Irrigation

18,219

18,013

18,093

17,930

Total

466,931

450,829

463,074

446,535

Heating degree-days

114

107

3,115

3,182

Cooling degree-days

940

855

1,209

963

Precipitation (inches)

0.42

0.34

8.62

8.14

Heating and cooling degree-days are a common measure used in the utility industry to analyze the demand for electricity and indicate when a customer would use electricity for heating and air conditioning.  A degree-day measures how much the average daily temperature varies from 65 degrees.  Each degree of temperature above 65 degrees is counted as one cooling degree-day, and each degree of temperature below 65 degrees is counted as one heating degree-day.

General business revenue decreased $28 million for the quarter, due primarily to:

General business revenues decreased $3 million year-to-date, due primarily to:

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Off-system sales:  Off-system sales consist primarily of long-term sales contracts and opportunity sales of surplus system energy.  The following table presents IPC's off-system sales for the three and nine months ended September 30:

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

September 30,

 

September 30,

2006

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Revenue

$

39,692

$

34,105

$

219,531

$

105,189

MWh sold

790

587

5,077

2,269

Revenue per MWh

$

50.22

$

58.12

$

43.24

$

46.36

Improved streamflow conditions increased total system generation and electricity available for surplus sales.  Revenues from higher sales volumes were moderated by lower prices caused by abundant energy in the region.  Additional sales activities are the result of conforming to IPC's risk management policy, managing IPC's energy portfolio to meet customer load, and reacting to changes in market conditions to minimize net power supply costs.

Other revenues:  The following table presents the components of other revenues for the three and nine months ended September 30:

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

2006

 

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Transmission services and property rental

$

10,210 

$

9,951 

$

27,639 

$

28,503 

Rate case tax settlement

100 

(3,602)

(4,745)

(134)

Irrigation load reduction

118 

(4,188)

(5,400)

(5,296)

Provision for rate refund

(732)

(907)

400 

Total

$

9,696 

$

2,161 

$

16,587 

$

23,473 

From June 2005 to May 2006 IPC was collecting and recording in general business revenues, with a corresponding reduction to other revenues, amounts related to a 2003 Idaho general rate case tax settlement and amounts related to an irrigation load reduction program.  Revenues for the rate case tax settlement were accrued from September 2004 to May 2005.  The increase in other revenues as compared to the third quarter of 2005 is due primarily to the completed recovery of these amounts during the second quarter of 2006.  Partially offsetting the increase is a provision for rate refund associated with a revised Open Access Transmission Tariff (OATT) filing with the FERC requesting an increase in transmission rates (see "Regulatory Matters" for a more detailed discussion of the OATT filing).

Purchased power:  The following table presents IPC's purchased power for the three and nine months ended September 30:

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Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

2006

 

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Purchases

$

98,926

$

81,396

$

229,659

$

162,403

MWh purchased

1,427

1,420

4,130

3,104

Cost per MWh purchased

$

69.33

$

57.32

$

55.61

$

52.32

The increase in purchased power in the third quarter of 2006 was due primarily to record high temperatures and electricity demand in July 2006, which led to increased purchases during a period of high market prices.  The year-to-date increase was also impacted by early water year indications suggesting continued drought conditions for 2006, which prompted IPC to make forward purchases in conformance with its risk management policy.  Additional purchase activities were the result of managing IPC's energy portfolio to meet customer load and reacting to changes in market conditions to minimize net power supply costs.

Fuel expense:  The following table presents IPC's fuel expenses and generation at its thermal generating plants for the three and nine months ended September 30:

 

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

2006

 

 

2005

 

2006

 

2005

Fuel expense

$

34,933

$

28,018

$

83,856

$

77,483

Thermal MWh generated

2,082

2,070

5,020

5,409

Cost per MWh

$

16.78

$

13.53

$

16.70

$

14.32

The increase in fuel expense is due primarily to a $4 million increase in expense from higher coal and rail transportation costs.  The increased cost of coal is due primarily to higher market demand, and the increased rail transportation costs are primarily driven by higher diesel fuel costs, including an adjustable fuel surcharge.  Higher natural gas costs of $2 million also contributed to the increase.  Natural gas costs in the third quarter of 2005 were abnormally low as a result of credits received for the sale-back of natural gas to the supplier at market price, which was greater than the price as purchased for use at IPC's gas-fired plants.

PCA:  PCA expense represents the effects of IPC's PCA regulatory mechanism and Oregon deferrals of net power supply costs, which are discussed in more detail below in "REGULATORY MATTERS - Deferred (Accrued) Net Power Supply Costs."

In the third quarter of 2006, higher electricity purchase prices, particularly in July, coupled with increased coal and natural gas prices, caused a significant increase in net power supply costs (fuel and purchased power less off-system sales) over the amounts in the annual PCA forecasts.  This increase in net power supply costs was partially offset by increased hydroelectric generation in the first half of 2006, resulting in the deferral of costs which will be recovered in subsequent rate years.  As the deferred costs are recovered in rates, the deferred balances are amortized.

The following table presents the components of PCA expense for the three and nine months ended September 30:

Three months ended

 

Nine months ended

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

2006

 

 

2005

 

2006

2005

Current year power supply cost deferral

$

(51,216)

$

(12,833)

$

(7,499)

$

(25,378)

Amortization of prior year authorized balances

(3,779)

3,163 

571 

23,705 

Total power cost adjustment

$

(54,995)

$

(9,670)

$

(6,928)

$

(1,673)

 

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Other operating and maintenance expenses:  O&M expenses decreased $2 million for the quarter and increased $9 million year-to-date, compared to 2005.  The third quarter decrease was primarily attributable to a $3 million reversal of accrued FERC fees.  IPC and several other utilities contested whether certain federal agency charges could be passed on to utilities through FERC fees.  A judgment in favor of IPC and the other utilities was finalized in September.  The year-to-date increase primarily resulted from a $4 million increase in labor-related expenses, a $4 million increase in electricity transmission expenses, a $2 million increase in thermal plant expenses and a $1 million increase in electricity generation expenses.  These increases were partially offset by the reversal of accrued FERC fees recorded in the third quarter of 2006.  Total O&M expenses in 2006 are expected to be between $250 and $260 million.
Non-utility operations

IFS
IFS contributed $2.1 million in the third quarter of 2006, compared to $2.7 million in the third quarter of 2005.  IFS' income is derived principally from the generation of federal income tax credits and accelerated tax depreciation benefits related to its investments in affordable housing and historic rehabilitation developments.  IFS generated $4.6 million of tax credits in the third quarter of 2006 ($13.8 million year-to-date) and expects to continue delivering tax benefits at a level commensurate with the ongoing needs of IDACORP.

Discontinued Operations
In the second quarter of 2006, IDACORP management designated the operations of ITI and IDACOMM as assets held for sale, as defined by Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144.  The operations of these entities are presented as discontinued operations in IDACORP's financial statements.

On July 20, 2006, IDACORP completed the sale of all of the outstanding common stock of ITI to IdaTech UK Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Investec Group Investments (UK) Limited.  IDACORP recorded a gain of $11.8 million, net of tax, or $0.27 per diluted share from this transaction in the third quarter of 2006.

On October 12, 2006, IDACORP entered into an agreement to sell all of the outstanding common stock of IDACOMM to American Fiber Systems, Inc.  IDACORP expects to complete the sale as early as the end of the fourth quarter of 2006, subject to regulatory approvals.  IDACORP does not expect the sale to have a material effect on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

ITI lost $0.2 million in the third quarter of 2006 and $3.6 million year-to-date, compared to losses of $2.5 million and $6.9 million for the same periods in 2005.  IDACOMM lost $0.2 million in the third quarter of 2006 and $0.6 million year-to-date, compared to losses of $0.7 million and $1.0 million for the same periods in 2005.

INCOME TAXES:

Income tax rate
In accordance with interim reporting requirements, IDACORP and IPC use an estimated annual effective tax rate for computing their provisions for income taxes.  IDACORP's effective rate on continuing operations for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, was 24.1 percent, compared to 17.1 percent for the nine months ended September 30, 2005.  IPC's effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, was 38.5 percent, compared to 40.9 percent for the nine months ended September 30, 2005.

The differences in estimated annual effective tax rates are primarily due to the increase in pre-tax earnings at IDACORP and IPC, the loss of IPC's simplified service cost method tax deduction in 2005 and the adoption of a new uniform capitalization method in 2006, timing and amount of IPC's regulatory flow-through tax adjustments, settlement of a Bridger Coal Company partnership audit at IPC (discussed below), and slightly lower tax credits from IFS.

Status of audit proceedings
In March 2005, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began its examination of IDACORP's 2001-2003 tax years.  On October 13, 2006, the IRS issued its examination report and assessment for those years.  With the exception of IPC's capitalized overhead costs method, discussed below, the IRS and IDACORP were able to settle all issues.  The federal tax assessment for the settled issues will be paid in November 2006.  It is expected that associated interest charges and state income taxes will be paid during 2007.  Settlement of the agreed issues will not have a material impact on IDACORP's 2006 results of operations or cash flows.

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Table of Contents

The IRS disallowed IPC's capitalized overhead cost method for uniform capitalization (the simplified service cost method) on the basis that IPC's self-constructed assets were not produced on a "routine and repetitive" basis as defined by Rev. Rul. 2005-53.  The disallowance resulted in a federal tax assessment of $45 million.  IDACORP disagrees with this conclusion and will appeal the issue.  Accordingly, in November, 2006 IDACORP will file its formal protest, make a deposit of the disputed tax with the IRS to stop the accrual of interest, and enter the appeals process.  Management cannot predict the timing or outcome of this process, but believes that an adequate provision for income taxes and related interest charges has been made for this issue.

The simplified service cost method was also used for IPC's 2004 tax year.  While 2004 is not currently under examination, it is likely the IRS will take the same position for 2004 as it did for 2001-2003; however, it is not likely that this position will result in a federal income tax assessment primarily due to the mitigating effect of accelerated tax depreciation.

On July 7, 2006, the IRS issued its examination report for Bridger Coal Company's 2001-2003 tax years.  Bridger Coal is a partnership investment owned one-third by IPC.  The audit resulted in net favorable adjustments to Bridger Coal's tax returns for those years.  IPC's third quarter income tax expense decreased by $1.3 million as a result of the settlement.

IDACORP intends to vigorously defend its tax positions.  It is possible that material differences in actual outcomes, costs and exposures relative to current estimates, or material changes in such estimates, could have a material adverse effect on IDACORP's and IPC's consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Capitalized overhead costs
Generally, section 263A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, requires the capitalization of all direct costs and indirect costs, including mixed service costs, which directly benefit or are incurred by reason of the production of property by a taxpayer.  The simplified service cost method, a "safe harbor" method, is one of the methods provided by the section 263A treasury regulations for the calculation of mixed service cost capitalization.  IPC adopted the simplified service cost method for both the self-construction of utility plant and production of electricity beginning with its 2001 federal income tax return.

On August 2, 2005, the IRS and the Treasury Department issued guidance interpreting the meaning of "routine and repetitive" for purposes of the simplified service cost and simplified production methods of the Internal Revenue Code section 263A uniform capitalization rules.  The guidance was issued in the form of a revenue ruling (Rev. Rul. 2005-53) which is effective for all open tax years ending prior to August 2, 2005, and proposed and temporary regulations (the "Temporary Regulations") which are effective for tax years ending on or after August 2, 2005.  Both pieces of guidance take a more restrictive view of the definition of self-constructed assets produced by a taxpayer on a "routine and repetitive" basis than did treasury regulations in effect at the time IPC changed to the simplified service cost method.

For IPC, the simplified service cost method produced a current tax deduction for costs capitalized to electricity production that are capitalized into fixed assets for financial accounting purposes.  Deferred income tax expense had not been provided for this deduction because the prescribed regulatory tax accounting treatment does not allow for inclusion of such deferred tax expense in current rates.  Rate regulated enterprises are required to recognize such adjustments as regulatory assets if it is probable that such amounts will be recovered from customers in future rates.

As discussed in "Status of Audit Proceedings" above, the IRS has disallowed IPC's use of the simplified service cost method for the tax years 2001-2003 on the basis of Rev. Rul. 2005-53.  As a result, the IRS has assessed a $45 million tax liability.  IDACORP will appeal the IRS's assessment.  Because of the nature of the issue, IDACORP's exposure with respect to this matter may be less than the tax assessed plus applicable interest charges.  The resolution of this matter could result in a one time charge to earnings; however, at this time IDACORP is not in a position to quantify such amount.  Additionally, after resolution IDACORP will likely amend its 2005 federal income tax return and its 2005 method change application to account for the effects that such resolution has on IPC's new uniform capitalization method (discussed below).  This amendment is not expected to have a negative impact on IDACORP's or IPC's consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

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With respect to tax year 2005 and future tax years, the Temporary Regulations, as drafted, preclude IPC from using the simplified service cost method for its self-constructed assets.  Under the Temporary Regulations, IPC is required to use another allowable section 263A method for its indirect costs, including mixed service costs.  As a result of the Temporary Regulations, IPC made changes to its overall section 263A uniform capitalization method of accounting.  In September 2006, the changes were adopted with an automatic method change request included in IDACORP's 2005 federal income tax return.  The uniform capitalization methodology adopted for 2005 and subsequent years involves the use of the specific identification, burden rate, and step-allocation methods of accounting.  The methods used are allowable under both the final and temporary section 263A regulations.

As with the simplified service cost method, the new uniform capitalization methodology produces an annual tax deduction for costs that are not required to be capitalized under section 263A as well as costs capitalized into the production of electricity.  The method, while producing a beneficial result, is not as favorable as the simplified service cost method.  Changing the uniform capitalization method will result in a net charge to IPC's 2006 income tax expense of $6.1 million, with $5.4 million being recorded in the third quarter.  The estimated 2006 tax deduction produces a $3.3 million tax benefit for the year, $2.5 million of which was recorded at IPC in the third quarter.  The change in method is not expected to have a material effect on IDACORP's or IPC's 2006 cash flows.  The accounting and regulatory treatment for the new method is the same as previously used for the simplified service cost method.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES:

Operating cash flows
IDACORP's and IPC's operating cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, were $170 million and $134 million, respectively.

IDACORP's and IPC's operating cash flows increased $49 million and $8 million, respectively, compared to 2005.  The increase in IDACORP's operating cash flows was primarily the result of activities at IE.  IE collected $12 million of accounts receivable in 2006 resulting from the settlement of legal matters, and a $10 million margin deposit made in 2005 was returned by the counterparty in 2006.  The remaining increase in cash flows resulted primarily from normal fluctuations in working capital items.

In 2006 and 2007, net cash provided by operating activities will continue to be driven by IPC, where general business revenues, sales of excess energy to wholesale customers, and costs to supply power to general business customers have the greatest impact on operating cash flows.  Additionally, in the fourth quarter of 2006, IDACORP expects to make a $45 million federal tax deposit relating to the assessment by the IRS on IPC's 2001 through 2003 federal income tax returns.  IDACORP disagrees with this assessment but is making the tax deposit to stop the accrual of interest charges.  See "INCOME TAXES - Status of audit proceedings" for a discussion of this assessment.

Contractual obligations
There have been no material changes in contractual obligations, outside of the ordinary course of business, since December 31, 2005.

Credit ratings
Access to capital markets at a reasonable cost is determined in large part by credit quality.  The following table outlines the current S&P, Moody's and Fitch ratings of IDACORP's and IPC's securities:

 

S&P

Moody's

Fitch

 

IPC

IDACORP

IPC

IDACORP

IPC

IDACORP

Corporate Credit Rating

BBB+

BBB+

Baa 1

Baa 2

None

None

Senior Secured Debt

A-

None

A3

None

A-

None

Senior Unsecured Debt

BBB

BBB

Baa 1

Baa 2

BBB+

BBB

(prelim)

(prelim)

Short-Term Tax-Exempt Debt

BBB/A-2

None

Baa 1/

None

None

None

VMIG-2

Commercial Paper

A-2

A-2

P-2

P-2

F-2

F-2

Credit Facility

None

None

Baa 1

Baa 2

None

None

Rating Outlook

Negative

Negative

Stable

Stable

Stable

Stable

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These security ratings reflect the views of the rating agencies.  An explanation of the significance of these ratings may be obtained from each rating agency.  Such ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities.  Any rating can be revised upward or downward or withdrawn at any time by a rating agency if it decides that the circumstances warrant the change.  Each rating should be evaluated independently of any other rating.

Capital requirements
IDACORP's internal cash generation after dividends is expected to provide less than the full amount of total capital requirements for 2006 through 2008.  The contribution from internal cash generation is dependent primarily upon IPC's cash flows from operations, which are subject to risks and uncertainties relating to weather and water conditions, and IPC's ability to obtain rate relief to cover its operating costs.

IDACORP's internally generated cash after dividends is expected to provide approximately 44 percent of 2006 capital requirements, where capital requirements are defined as utility construction expenditures, excluding Allowance for Funds Used During Construction (AFDC), plus other regulated and non-regulated investments.  This excludes mandatory or optional principal payments on debt obligations.  IDACORP and IPC expect to continue financing the utility construction program and other capital requirements with internally generated funds and externally financed capital.

The current expectation of approximately 44 percent of 2006 capital requirements is a decrease from the 58 percent projected in IDACORP's and IPC's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.  This decrease is primarily due to a projected $45 million tax deposit that will be made with the IRS pending settlement of prior year tax returns.  Both the current and prior quarter estimates for 2006 also include $28 million in income taxes paid by IPC in the first quarter of 2006 from the sale of excess SO2 emission allowances in 2005.  These tax payments total $73 million and reduced IDACORP's 2006 forecast for internally generated cash.  Excluding these tax payments, IDACORP's internally generated cash after dividends would have provided approximately 83 percent of 2006 capital requirements.

Utility construction program:  Utility construction expenditures were $166 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2006, compared to $128 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2005 due primarily to increases in transmission and distribution construction.  IPC's total construction expenditures are expected to be $720 million, excluding AFDC, from 2006 through 2008.  IPC has recently issued its 2006 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) and is reviewing the potential impact on its future construction expenditures.  It is expected that estimated total construction expenditures for the years 2007 through 2009 will exceed the 2006 through 2008 estimate as a result of implementing the IRP.  See "REGULATORY ISSUES - Integrated Resource Plan" for a discussion of IPC's 2006 IRP.  Variations in the timing and amounts of capital expenditures will result from regulatory and environmental factors, load growth and other resource acquisition needs, including relicensing expenditures.

Other capital requirements:  Most of IDACORP's non-regulated capital expenditures relate to IFS' investments in affordable housing developments that help lower IDACORP's income tax liability.

Financing Programs
Credit facilities:
  IDACORP has a $150 million five-year credit agreement with various lenders (IDACORP Facility), which is used for general corporate purposes and commercial paper back-up and will terminate on March 31, 2010.  The IDACORP

Facility provides for the issuance of loans and standby letters of credit not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of $150 million, provided that the aggregate amount of the standby letters of credit may not exceed $75 million.

IPC has a $200 million five-year credit agreement with various lenders (IPC Facility), which is used for general corporate purposes and commercial paper back-up and will terminate on March 31, 2010.  The IPC Facility provides for the issuance of loans and standby letters of credit not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of $200 million, provided that the aggregate amount of the standby letters of credit may not exceed $100 million.

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At September 30, 2006, no loans were outstanding under the IDACORP Facility or IPC Facility.
The IDACORP Facility and the IPC Facility both contain a covenant requiring each company to maintain a leverage ratio of consolidated indebtedness to consolidated total capitalization of no more than 65 percent as of the end of each fiscal quarter.  At September 30, 2006, the leverage ratios for both IDACORP and IPC were 49 and 51 percent, respectively.  At September 30, 2006, IDACORP was in compliance with all other covenants of the IDACORP Facility and IPC was in compliance with all other covenants of the IPC Facility.

See "LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES - Financing Programs - Credit Facilities" in IDACORP's and IPC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, for a discussion of the terms of the IDACORP Facility and the IPC Facility.

Long-term financings:  In April 2005, with the goal of adding additional common equity to its capital structure, IDACORP began using original issue common stock in its Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan, rather than purchasing this stock on the open market.  Beginning in August 2005, IDACORP also began using original issue common stock for its 401(k) plan.  In the third quarter of 2006, IDACORP issued 56,548 shares.

On October 3, 2006, IPC completed a tax-exempt bond financing in which Sweetwater County, Wyoming issued and sold $116,300,000 aggregate principal amount of its Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 2006.  The bonds will mature on July 15, 2026.  The $116.3 million proceeds were loaned by Sweetwater County to IPC pursuant to a Loan Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2006, between Sweetwater County and IPC (the Loan Agreement)  On October 10, 2006, the proceeds of the new bonds, together with certain other moneys of IPC, were used to refund Sweetwater County's (i) Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 1996A that were outstanding in the aggregate principal amount of $68,100,000, (ii) Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 1996B that were outstanding in the aggregate principal amount of $24,200,000 and (iii) Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds (Idaho Power Company Project) Series 1996C that were outstanding in the aggregate principal amount of $24,000,000.  The regularly scheduled principal and interest payments on the bonds, and principal and interest payments on the bonds upon mandatory redemption on determination of taxability, are insured by a financial guaranty insurance policy issued by AMBAC Assurance Corporation.  IPC and AMBAC have entered into an Insurance Agreement, dated as of October 3, 2006, pursuant to which IPC has agreed, among other things, to pay certain premiums to AMBAC and to reimburse AMBAC for any payments made under the policy.

In order to secure IPC's obligation to make principal and interest payments on the loan made to IPC, IPC issued and delivered to a trustee IPC's First Mortgage Bonds, Pollution Control Series C, in a principal amount equal to the principal amount of the new bonds.

LEGAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:

Legal and Other Proceedings

Reference is made to IDACORP's and IPC's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2005, and Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2006, and June 30, 2006, for a discussion of all material pending legal proceedings to which IDACORP and IPC and their subsidiaries are parties.  The following discussion provides a summary of material developments that occurred in those proceedings during the period covered by this report and of any new material proceedings instituted during the period covered by this report.

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Shareholder Lawsuit:  On March 29, 2006, the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho (Judge Edward J. Lodge) issued an Order in this case (Powell v. IDACORP) adopting the Report and Recommendation of Magistrate Judge Williams issued on September 14, 2005, granting the defendants' (IDACORP and certain of its officers and directors) motion to dismiss because plaintiffs failed to satisfy the pleading requirements for loss causation.  However, Judge Lodge modified the Report and Recommendation and ruled that plaintiffs had until May 1, 2006, to file an amended complaint only as to the loss causation element.  On May 1, 2006, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint.  The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on June 16, 2006, asserting that the amended complaint still failed to satisfy the pleading requirements for loss causation.  Briefing on this most recent motion to dismiss was completed on August 28, 2006.  IDACORP and the other defendants intend to defend themselves vigorously against the allegations.  IDACORP cannot, however, predict the outcome of these matters.

Wah Chang:  Following the October 18, 2005 consolidation of Wah Chang's appeal of the dismissal order to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit with an identical order in Wah Chang v. Duke Energy Trading and Marketing, IDACORP, IPC and IE filed an answering brief on November 30, 2005. Wah Chang filed its reply brief on January 6, 2006.  Wah Chang's appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has now been fully briefed; however, no date has yet been set for oral argument.  IDACORP, IPC and IE intend to vigorously defend their position in this proceeding and believe this matter will not have a material adverse effect on their consolidated financial positions, results of operations or cash flows.

City of Tacoma:  The City of Tacoma's March 10, 2005, appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit of the dismissal of the case by Judge Whaley has been fully briefed; however, no date has yet been set for oral argument.  IDACORP, IPC and IE intend to vigorously defend their position in this proceeding and believe this matter will not have a material adverse effect on their consolidated financial positions, results of operations or cash flows.

Wholesale Electricity Antitrust Cases I & II:  In April 2002, several subsidiaries of Reliant Energy, Inc. (Reliant) and Duke Energy Corporation (Duke) filed cross-complaints against IE and IPC and numerous other participants in the California energy market.  The cross-complaints sought indemnification for any liability that may arise from original complaints filed against Reliant and Duke with respect to charges of unlawful and unfair business practices in the California energy markets under California law.  On November 9, 2005, both Duke and Reliant submitted to the California Superior Court stipulations with IE and IPC to conditionally dismiss, with prejudice, the cross-complaints, subject to reinstatement if proposed settlements between Duke and Reliant and the plaintiffs of the underlying actions were not approved by the court.  Neither IE nor IPC paid any amount to Duke or to Reliant to obtain these dismissals.

On December 14, 2005, the court granted final approval of the Duke settlement with the plaintiffs.  The court's order granting final approval of the Duke settlement became final on March 14, 2006.  On January 6, 2006, the court granted preliminary approval of the Reliant settlement.  On March 30, 2006, oppositions and objections to the Reliant settlement were filed by certain parties under the Eggers case caption, including by the States of Montana and Idaho.  Neither IPC nor IE is a party to the Eggers case, which seeks to recover damages on behalf of consumers in western states other than California.  A hearing on final approval of the Reliant settlement was held on April 28, 2006.  At the hearing, the court ruled that the California class settlement would receive final approval contingent on a satisfactory showing that the notice to those class members was adequate.  As for the Eggers case, the court set a briefing schedule to provide evidence and oral argument regarding the State of Montana's treatment by its class representative and Montana's connection to the California energy market.

On May 30, 2006, the Court signed and approved the Judgment, Final Order, and Decree Granting Final Approval to the Reliant settlement.  The Court also signed and approved the Order Granting Reliant's Motion for Good Faith Settlement Determination.  The order approving the Reliant settlement became final on July 31, 2006.  On July 14, 2006, the Court held a separate hearing to consider approval of the settlement of the Eggers action, and thereafter signed and approved the Judgment, Final Order and Decree Granting Final Approval to the Class Action Settlement in the Eggers case.  All appeal periods have now expired.

Western Energy Proceedings at the FERC

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1.  California Refund
On February 17, 2006, IE and IPC jointly filed with the California Parties (Pacific Gas & Electric Company, San Diego Gas & Electric Company, Southern California Edison, the California Public Utilities Commission, the California Electricity Oversight Board, the California Department of Water Resources and the California Attorney General) an Offer of Settlement at the FERC.  Other parties had until March 9, 2006, to elect to become an additional settling party.  The majority of other parties chose to opt out of the Settlement.  After consideration of comments, on May 22, 2006, the FERC approved the settlement.  Under the terms of the settlement, IE and IPC assigned $24.25 million of the rights to accounts receivable from the California Independent System Operator (Cal ISO) and California Power Exchange (CalPX) to the California Parties to pay into an escrow account for refunds to settling parties.  Amounts from that escrow not used for settling parties and $1.5 million of the remaining IE and IPC receivables which are to be retained by the CalPX are available to fund, at least partially, payment of the claims of any non-settling parties if they prevail in the remaining litigation of this matter.  Any excess funds remaining at the conclusion of the case are to be returned to IDACORP.  Approximately $10.25 million of the remaining IE and IPC receivables was paid to IE and IPC under the Settlement.

On May 22, 2006, the FERC issued an order approving, with certain conditions, the Offer of Settlement.  On June 21, 2006, the Port of Seattle, Washington filed a request for rehearing of the FERC order approving the Settlement.  On July 10, 2006, IDACORP and the California Parties filed a response to Port of Seattle's request for rehearing.  On October 5, 2006, the FERC issued an order denying the Port of Seattle's request for rehearing.  The time for seeking review of the FERC's Order will not expire until December 4, 2006.  IDACORP is unable to predict at this time if any person will seek such review or, if such review is sought, what the eventual outcome will be.

For some time the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held in abeyance consolidated petitions for review (in excess of 100) of FERC orders related to the California Refund proceeding.  On September 21, 2004, the Ninth Circuit convened case management proceedings on these petitions and on October 22, 2004, severed a subset of issues for briefing related to: (1) which parties are subject to the FERC's refund jurisdiction under section 201(f) of the Federal Power Act; (2) the temporal scope of refunds under section 206 of the Federal Power Act; and (3) which categories of transaction are subject to refunds.  Oral argument was held on April 12-13, 2005.  On September 6, 2005, the Ninth Circuit issued a decision on the jurisdictional issues concluding that the FERC lacked refund authority over wholesale electric energy sales made by governmental entities and non-public utilities.  On August 2, 2006, the Ninth Circuit issued its decision on the appropriate temporal reach and the type of transactions subject to the FERC refund orders and concluded, among other things, that all transactions at issue in the case that occurred within or as a result of the CalPX and the Cal ISO were the proper subject of refund proceedings; refused to expand the refund proceedings into the bilateral markets including transactions with the California Department of Water Resources; approved the refund effective date as October 2, 2000, but also re