Franklin Public Utilities District is looking at partnering with an energy company to develop a solar farm near Connell.

Tri-City leaders flooded the state capitol recently to rally lawmaker support for a number of priorities for the region.

Franklin Public Utility District’s general manager and CEO has retired after nearly six years with the PUD and an interim manager has been appointed.

Building industry advocates accuse the state’s building code council and others of dragging their feet to implement the voter-approved law protecting the installation of natural gas utilities in new construction and actively punishing projects that use natural gas. 

Utility officials cited the rising costs of materials, labor and power supply as the reason for the rate increase proposal, with some expenses growing by 200% or more since rates were last increased.

The research team’s findings could ultimately make it easier to harness hydrogen’s potential as a high energy and zero emissions fuel source. 

Two U.S. lawmakers have introduced new legislation to ensure the continued operation of the Lower Snake River dams to provide power and irrigation to the region. 

The company’s goal is to develop a nuclear supply chain campus with its own manufacturing facility as the anchor. That facility would come through a $3 billion investment while creating 1,000 direct jobs and another 3,000 that would support them.

As the Tri-Cities works to position itself as a clean energy hub, a new college program aims to help fill the workforce pipeline that’s necessary to turn this vision into a reality.