Oregon Public Broadcasting

A group of shareholders in Idaho Power wants the utility to create specific plans to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Those shareholders will present their request Thursday at the company’s annual stockholder meeting in Boise.  Correspondent Doug Nadvornick reports.

The request comes from a coalition of self-proclaimed socially responsible investors. One of them is the Trillium Asset Management company, based in Boise.

The firm’s Lauren McLean says, together, these groups own more than 300,000 shares in Idaho Power.

They’re hoping to use that economic leverage to pressure the utility’s managers to reduce the utility’s carbon footprint.

Lauren McLean: “As investors, we’re very concerned about the risks posed by impending climate legislation and look to companies that we invest in to managing the risks well.”

McLean says Idaho Power’s managers oppose the request. Even if the majority of shareholders vote it down, she says Trillium will continue to keep the pressure on.

Idaho Power’s energy portfolio includes 17 hydroelectric dams, but also carbon-emitting plants that burn coal, natural gas and diesel.