Power positions announced for Idaho Falls utility director, city councilman

Bear Prairie

Bear Prairie, general manager of Idaho Falls Power, has been elected to serve as chairman of the Utah Associated Municipal Power Systems (UAMPS) Carbon Free Power Project (CFPP), and City Councilman John Radford has been appointed as a member of the American Public Power Association’s (APPA) Policy Makers Council. Both will serve three year terms.

Prairie was elected by the representatives of the 34 participating UAMPS utilities and will serve as chair of the project committee that represents UAMPS participation in NuScale Power's small modular reactor (SMR) proposed for development on Idaho National Laboratory land west of Idaho Falls.

“This is an important time for Idaho Falls Power and for UAMPS,” he said. “The project is very important for us to be able to maintain our low-cost, carbon-free energy portfolio, not to mention what it means for SMR development and the nation’s ability to supply power clean, affordable energy throughout the world.”

John Radford

The committee leads the effort to oversee the SMR project as it relates to meeting key milestones for the project timeline and cost competitiveness with other generation resources, as well as key targets for success.  The committee ultimately determines whether or not UAMPS and its members proceed with participation in the project.

Radford, who sits on the Idaho Falls Power board, was selected by the APPA to serve on the Policy Maker’s Council (PMC), which is made up of 45 locally elected and appointed officials from public power entities across the country.

In this capacity, Radford will assist the APPA in promoting legislation that is important to public power communities across the nation. He will assist the PMC and APPA with legislative issues by attending key meetings for the group in Washington, D.C. along with representing and championing the value of locally owned power utilities at the federal level.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for Councilman Radford to represent Idaho Falls on the PMC,” said Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper.  “John has worked very closely with Idaho Falls Power as their council liaison and will do an excellent job representing our city and region with the APPA.”