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COMMON STOCK:
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]  
Common Stock
COMMON STOCK
 
IDACORP Common Stock
 
During the three months ended March 31, 2018, IDACORP granted 75,761 restricted stock unit awards to employees and 12,950 shares of common stock to directors but made no original issuances of shares of common stock pursuant to the IDACORP, Inc. 2000 Long-Term Incentive and Compensation Plan. As directed by IDACORP, plan administrators of the IDACORP, Inc. Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan and Idaho Power Company Employee Savings Plan use market purchases of IDACORP common stock, as opposed to original issuance of common stock from IDACORP, to acquire shares of IDACORP common stock for the plans. However, IDACORP may determine at any time to use original issuances of common stock under those plans.

Restrictions on Dividends
 
Idaho Power’s ability to pay dividends on its common stock held by IDACORP and IDACORP’s ability to pay dividends on its common stock are limited to the extent payment of such dividends would violate the covenants in their respective credit facilities or Idaho Power’s Revised Code of Conduct. A covenant under IDACORP’s credit facility and Idaho Power’s credit facility requires IDACORP and Idaho Power to maintain leverage ratios of consolidated indebtedness to consolidated total capitalization, as defined therein, of no more than 65 percent at the end of each fiscal quarter. At March 31, 2018, the leverage ratios for IDACORP and Idaho Power were 46 percent and 48 percent, respectively. Based on these restrictions, IDACORP’s and Idaho Power’s dividends were limited to $1.2 billion and $1.0 billion, respectively, at March 31, 2018. There are additional facility covenants, subject to exceptions, that prohibit or restrict the sale or disposition of property without consent and any agreements restricting dividend payments to the company from any material subsidiary. At March 31, 2018, IDACORP and Idaho Power were in compliance with those financial covenants.
 
Idaho Power’s Revised Code of Conduct relating to transactions between and among Idaho Power, IDACORP, and other affiliates, which was approved by the IPUC in April 2008, provides that Idaho Power will not pay any dividends to IDACORP that will reduce Idaho Power’s common equity capital below 35 percent of its total adjusted capital without IPUC approval. At March 31, 2018, Idaho Power's common equity capital was 52 percent of its total adjusted capital. Further, Idaho Power must obtain approval from the OPUC before it can directly or indirectly loan funds or issue notes or give credit on its books to IDACORP.
 
Idaho Power’s articles of incorporation contain restrictions on the payment of dividends on its common stock if preferred stock dividends are in arrears. As of the date of this report, Idaho Power has no preferred stock outstanding.

In addition to contractual restrictions on the amount and payment of dividends, the FPA prohibits the payment of dividends from "capital accounts." The term "capital account" is undefined in the FPA or its regulations, but Idaho Power does not believe the restriction would limit Idaho Power's ability to pay dividends out of current year earnings or retained earnings.