Idacorp chief executive officer LaMont Keen told the company’s annual stockholders meeting that it would continue to rely on coal to meet the state’s energy demands, according to the Idaho Statesman.

The company receives power from coal plants in Wyoming and Nevada and will continue to do so until it revisits that decision during its next two-year planning process.

"Without these coal plants, the air conditioners won't be on and the pumps won't be lifting the water onto the crops," Keen said.

Keen told stockholders that the company would ask the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to approve its decision to spend millions on required pollution-control upgrades on the Jim Bridger plants in Wyoming and said a contractor had analyzed upgrading coal plants against the cost of building a gas-fired plant.

According to the Idaho Statesman report, 10 people from the Sierra Club demonstrated outside of Idaho Power's headquarters before the meeting, urging the company to dump its coal to help customers invest in rooftop solar power.

One stockholder disrupted the meeting, saying Idaho Power misled stockholders about its planning discussions on solar.

Keen criticized people who bought stock just to ask questions or disrupt the stockholder meeting, pointing to five years of growth by the company.

"This should be a celebration for Idacorp," Keen said.

Keen told stockholders that the company has raised its goal for cutting carbon dioxide emissions in 2015 to 15% after a majority of stockholders in 2008 urged the utility to cut emissions.

The company then opted to spend up to $500 million for pollution-control equipment for two coal plants in Nevada and three in Wyoming. The company doesn't operate the plants but is a part owner in all five.

Idaho Power currently relies on coal for 40% of its power needs.