COMMON STOCK:

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Common Stock, Number of Shares, Par Value and Other Disclosures [Abstract]

Common Stock

COMMON STOCK

IDACORP Common Stock

During the six months ended June 30, 2019, IDACORP granted 70,419 restricted stock unit awards to employees and issued 6,396 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 used 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 June 30, 2019, the leverage ratios for IDACORP and Idaho Power were 43 percent and 45 percent, respectively. Based on these restrictions, IDACORP’s and Idaho Power’s dividends were limited to $1.4 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively, at June 30, 2019. 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 IDACORP and Idaho Power from any material subsidiary. At June 30, 2019, 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 June 30, 2019, Idaho Power's common equity capital was 55 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 Federal Power Act (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.