IDACORP INC
S-8 POS, 1998-10-01
ELECTRIC SERVICES
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    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 1, 1998.

                                                       Registration No. 33-56071


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                    --------

                                 POST-EFFECTIVE

                                 AMENDMENT NO. 1

                                       TO

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      UNDER

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                  ------------

                                  IDACORP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                  Idaho                                     82-0505802
     (State or other jurisdiction of                     (I.R.S. Employer
      incorporation or organization)                    Identification No.)

                 1221 West Idaho Street, Boise, Idaho 83702-5627
           (Address of principal executive office, including zip code)
                               ------------------

                    Idaho Power Company Employee Savings Plan
                            (Full title of the plan)
                               ------------------

       Joseph W. Marshall                            J. LaMont Keen
   Chairman of the Board and                 Vice President, Chief Financial
    Chief Executive Officer                       Officer and Treasurer
         IDACORP, Inc.                                IDACORP, Inc.
     1221 West Idaho Street                       1221 West Idaho Street
    Boise, Idaho 83702-5627                      Boise, Idaho 83702-5627
          208-388-2200                                 208-388-2200

    Robert W. Stahman, Esq.                     Elizabeth W. Powers, Esq.
Vice President, General Counsel           LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.
         and Secretary                            125 West 55th Street
         IDACORP, Inc.                          New York, New York 10019
     1221 West Idaho Street                           212-424-8000
    Boise, Idaho 83702-5627
          208-388-2200

         (Names, addresses and telephone numbers, including area codes,
                             of agents for service)

                               ------------------

     Pursuant to Rule  414(d)  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  IDACORP,  as
successor to Idaho Power Company, hereby adopts as its own Idaho Power Company's
registration  statement  on Form S-8  (File  No.  33-56071)  and any  amendments
thereto,  for all  purposes  of the  Securities  Act of 1933 and the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

     The following documents are incorporated by reference:

     1. Idaho  Power  Company's  Annual  Report on Form 10-K  for the year ended
December 31, 1997.

     2. Idaho Power  Company's  Quarterly  Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters
ended March 31, 1998 and June 30, 1998.

     3. Idaho Power Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, dated October 1, 1998.

     4. The  description  of  IDACORP's  Common  Stock  contained  in the  Proxy
Statement  and  Prospectus  and  Registration  Statement  on Form S-4,  File No.
333-48031.

     5. The  description  of the Preferred  Share Purchase  Rights  contained in
IDACORP's Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated September 15, 1998.

     6.  IDACORP's  Current  Reports on Form 8-K,  dated  September 15, 1998 and
October 1, 1998.

     7. The Idaho Power Company Employee Savings Plan Annual Report on Form 11-K
for the year ended December 31, 1997.

     All documents filed by IDACORP and the Plan under Section 13(a),  13(c), 14
or  15(d)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  before  IDACORP  files a
post-effective amendment that indicates all securities offered have been sold or
that deregisters all securities that having not been sold, shall be incorporated
by reference  and will be a part of this filing from the date that  document was
filed.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

     Robert W. Stahman,  Esq., Vice President,  General Counsel and Secretary of
the  Company,  and  LeBoeuf,  Lamb,  Greene & MacRae,  L.L.P.  have given  their
opinions on the legality of the Common Stock and the  Preferred  Share  Purchase
Rights offered pursuant to this registration statement.  LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene &
MacRae,  L.L.P.  relied upon the  opinion of Mr.  Stahman as to matters of Idaho
law.

     As of October 1, 1998,  Mr.  Stahman owned 17,457 shares of IDACORP  Common
Stock.

Item 6.  Indemnification of Officers and Directors.

     Sections 30-1-850 et seq. of the Idaho Business Corporation Act (the "Act")
provide for indemnification of the Company's directors and officers in a variety
of circumstances.

     Article VIII of the Company's  Restated Articles of Incorporation  provides
that the Company shall  indemnify its directors and officers  against  liability
and  expenses  and shall  advance  expenses  to its  directors  and  officers in
connection with any proceeding to the fullest extent permitted by the Act as now
in effect or as it may be amended or substituted  from time to time.  Article VI
of the Amended  Bylaws of the Company  provides  that the Company shall have the
power to purchase  insurance  on behalf of any  director,  officer,  employee or
agent against  liability and expenses in connection with any proceeding,  to the
extent  permitted  under  applicable law.  Article VI further  provides that the
Company may enter into  indemnification  agreements with any director,  officer,
employee or agent to the extent permitted under any applicable law.

     The Company has liability  insurance  protecting its directors and officers
against liability by reason of their being or having been directors or officers.
In addition,  the Company intends to enter into indemnification  agreements with
its directors and officers to provide for  indemnification to the maximum extent
permitted by law.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

Exhibit   File Number     As Exhibit
- -------   -----------     ----------
*2        333-48031       2            -Agreement and Plan of Exchange,
                                       dated as of February 2, 1998.

*3(a)     333-48031       3(a)         -Restated Articles of
                                       Incorporation of IDACORP, Inc.

*3(b)     333-00139       3(b)         -Articles of Amendment to
                                       Restated Articles of
                                       Incorporation creating A Series
                                       Preferred Stock, without par
                                       value, as filed with the
                                       Secretary of State of Idaho on
                                       September 17, 1998.

*3(c)     333-48031       3(c)         -Amended Bylaws of IDACORP,
                                       Inc., as of September 10, 1998.

3(d)                                   -Articles of Share Exchange, as
                                       filed with the Secretary of
                                       State of Idaho on September 29,
                                       1998.

*4        Form 8-K        4            -Rights Agreement, dated as of
          dated                        September 10, 1998, between
          September 15,                IDACORP, Inc. and The Bank of
          1998                         New York, as Rights Agent.

5(a)                                   -Opinion and consent of Robert
                                       W. Stahman, Esq.

5(b)                                   -Opinion and consent of LeBoeuf,
                                       Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.

15                                     -Letter from Deloitte & Touche
                                       LLP regarding unaudited interim
                                       financial information.

23                                     -Consent of Deloitte & Touche
                                       LLP.

24                                     -Power of Attorney (included on
                                       the signature page hereof).

- ------------------------------------
* Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference.

     The Company  undertakes  that it will submit or has  submitted the Plan and
any amendments  thereto to the Internal  Revenue Service (the "IRS") in a timely
manner  and has made or will make all  changes  required  by the IRS in order to
qualify the Plan under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Item 9.  Undertakings.

     The Company hereby undertakes:

     (1) To file,  during any period in which  offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

          (i) To include  any  prospectus  required  by Section  10(a)(3) of the
     Securities Act of 1933;

          (ii) To reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising after
     the  effective  date of the  Registration  Statement  (or the  most  recent
     post-effective amendment thereof) which,  individually or in the aggregate,
     represent  a  fundamental  change  in  the  information  set  forth  in the
     Registration  Statement.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  any increase or
     decrease  in volume of  securities  offered (if the total  dollar  value of
     securities  offered  would not exceed  that which was  registered)  and any
     deviation from the low or high end of the estimated  maximum offering range
     may be  reflected  in the form of  prospectus  filed  with  the  Commission
     pursuant  to Rule  424(b) if, in the  aggregate,  the changes in volume and
     price  represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum  aggregate
     offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration  Fee" table in
     the effective registration statement;

          (iii) To include any material  information with respect to the plan of
     distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration  Statement or any
     material change to such information in the Registration Statement;

provided,  however,  that  paragraphs  (1)(i)  and  (1)(ii)  do not apply if the
Registration  Statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3 and the information
required to be included in a  post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs  is
contained in periodic  reports  filed with or furnished  to the  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission  by the Company  pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of
the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 that are  incorporated  by reference in the
Registration Statement.

     (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933,  each  such  post-effective  amendment  shall be deemed to be a new
Registration  Statement  relating to the  securities  offered  therein,  and the
offering of such  securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

     (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective  amendment any
of the securities  being registered that remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.

     (4) That,  for purposes of determining  any liability  under the Securities
Act of 1933,  each filing of the  Company's  annual  report  pursuant to Section
13(a) or Section 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934 (and each filing
of an employee  benefit  plan's annual  report  pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934)  that is  incorporated  by  reference  in the
Registration  Statement  shall  be  deemed  to be a new  Registration  Statement
relating to the securities offered therein,  and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

     Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors,  officers and controlling  persons of the
Company  pursuant to the provisions  described under Item 6 above, or otherwise,
the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against  such  liabilities  (other  than the  payment by the Company of expenses
incurred or paid by a director,  officer or controlling person of the Company in
the  successful  defense of any action,  suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director,  officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered,  the Company  will,  unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been  settled by  controlling  precedent,  submit to a court of  appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such  indemnification  by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     Each director  and/or officer of the issuer whose  signature  appears below
hereby authorizes any agent for service named in this  Post-Effective  Amendment
to the Registration Statement to execute in the name of each such person, and to
file  with the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission,  any and all  amendments,
including post-effective amendments, to the Registration Statement, and appoints
any  such  agent  for  service  as   attorney-in-fact  to  sign  in  his  behalf
individually  and in each capacity  stated below and file any such amendments to
the Registration Statement,  and the issuer and the Idaho Power Company Employee
Savings Plan hereby confer like authority to sign and file on their behalf.


                                   SIGNATURES

     The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933,
the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the  requirements  for  filing  on  Form  S-8 and has  duly  caused  this
Post-Effective  Amendment  to the  Registration  Statement  to be  signed on its
behalf by the undersigned,  thereunto duly authorized,  in the City of Boise and
State of Idaho, on the 30th day of September, 1998.

                                          IDACORP, Inc.


                                          By /s/ Joseph W. Marshall
                                             ---------------------------
                                             Joseph W. Marshall
                                             Chairman of the Board
                                             and Chief Executive Officer

     Pursuant  to  the   requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  this
Post-Effective  Amendment to the  Registration  Statement has been signed by the
following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature                        Title                       Date
- ---------                        -----                       ----

/s/ Joseph W. Marshall           Chairman of the             September 30, 1998
- ----------------------           Board and Chief
(Joseph W. Marshall)             Executive Officer

/s/ Jan B. Packwood              President, Chief            September 30, 1998
- ----------------------           Operating Officer
(Jan B. Packwood)                and Director

/s/ J. LaMont Keen               Vice President,             September 30, 1998
- ----------------------           Chief Financial
(J. LaMont Keen)                 Officer and Treasurer
                                 (Principal Financial and
                                 Accounting Officer)

                                 Director
- ----------------------
(Robert D. Bolinder)

/s/ Roger L. Breezley            Director                    September 30, 1998
- ----------------------
(Roger L. Breezley)

                                 Director
- ----------------------
(John B. Carley)

/s/ Peter T. Johnson             Director                    September 30, 1998
- ----------------------
(Peter T. Johnson)

                                 Director
- ----------------------
(Jack K. Lemley)

/s/ Evelyn Loveless              Director                    September 30, 1998
- ----------------------
(Evelyn Loveless)

/s/ Jon H. Miller                Director                    September 30, 1998
- ----------------------
(Jon H. Miller)

/s/ Peter S. O'Neill             Director                    September 30, 1998
- ----------------------
(Peter S. O'Neill)

/s/ Gene C. Rose                 Director                    September 30, 1998
- ----------------------
(Gene C. Rose)

/s/ Phil Soulen                  Director                    September 30, 1998
- ----------------------
(Phil Soulen)


     The Plan.  Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Act of 1933, Idaho
Power  Company as the Plan  Administrator  of the Idaho Power  Company  Employee
Savings  Plan  discharges  its  responsibilities  through  the  actions  of  its
Executive Officers (1) the Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer and
(2) the President and Chief Operating Officer, and the Chairman of the Board and
Chief  Executive  Officer  has signed  this  Post-  Effective  Amendment  to the
Registration   Statement  on  behalf  of  the  Company  as  Plan  Administrator,
thereunder duly authorized, in the City of Boise and State of Idaho, on the 30th
day of September, 1998.

                                          IDAHO POWER COMPANY
                                          EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN


                                          By /s/ Joseph W. Marshall
                                             ---------------------------------
                                               Executive Officer - Chairman of
                                               the Board and Chief Executive
                                               Officer


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit   File Number     As Exhibit                                       Page
- -------   -----------     ----------                                       ----
*2        333-48031       2            -Agreement and Plan of Exchange,
                                       dated as of February 2, 1998.

*3(a)     333-48031       3(a)         -Restated Articles of
                                       Incorporation of IDACORP, Inc.

*3(b)     333-00139       3(b)         -Articles of Amendment to
                                       Restated Articles of
                                       Incorporation creating A Series
                                       Preferred Stock, without par
                                       value, as filed with the
                                       Secretary of State of Idaho on
                                       September 17, 1998.

*3(c)     333-48031       3(c)         -Amended Bylaws of IDACORP,
                                       Inc., as of September 10, 1998.

3(d)                                   -Articles of Share Exchange, as
                                       filed with the Secretary of
                                       State of Idaho on September 29,
                                       1998.

*4        Form 8-K        4            -Rights Agreement, dated as of
          dated                        September 10, 1998, between
          September 15,                IDACORP, Inc. and The Bank of
          1998                         New York, as Rights Agent.

5(a)                                   -Opinion and consent of Robert
                                       W. Stahman, Esq.

5(b)                                   -Opinion and consent of LeBoeuf,
                                       Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.

15                                     -Letter from Deloitte & Touche
                                       LLP regarding unaudited interim
                                       financial information.

23                                     -Consent of Deloitte & Touche
                                       LLP.

24                                     -Power of Attorney (included on
                                       the signature page hereof).

- ------------------------------------
* Previously filed and incorporated herein by reference.

                                  IDACORP, Inc.
                           Articles of Share Exchange

     1. Attached hereto as Exhibit A and made a part hereof is the Agreement and
Plan of Exchange  ("Plan of  Exchange"),  dated as of February 2, 1998,  between
Idaho Power Company (Idaho Power), an Idaho corporation,  and IDACORP,  Inc., an
Idaho corporation.  The Plan of Exchange sets forth the information  required by
Section 30-1-1102.

     2. The Board of Directors of Idaho Power  submitted the Plan of Exchange to
those  shareholders  entitled  to vote on the matter at its annual  shareholders
meeting on May 6, 1998. Idaho Power duly notified each  shareholder,  whether or
not  entitled to vote,  of the annual  shareholders  meeting and  provided  each
shareholder with notice of the Plan of Exchange. The shareholders voted in favor
of the Plan of Exchange, as set forth below.

                                               Number of          Number of
Name of                Designation             Outstanding        Votes Entitled
Corporation            of Class                Shares             to be Cast
- -----------            -----------             -----------        --------------
Idaho Power Company    Common Stock            37,612,351         37,612,351

                       4% Preferred Stock         166,407          3,328,140
                       7.68% Preferred Stock      150,000            150,000

Number                 Number Voted                               Broker
Voted For              Against                 Number Abstain     Non-Votes
- ---------              ------------            --------------     ---------
22,486,080                403,789                 376,847         5,749,326
 1,674,620                 84,660                  62,600           302,820
    91,132                    668                   1,039            40,175
- ----------             ----------              ----------         ---------
24,251,832                489,117                 440,486         6,092,321

     3. These Articles of Share Exchange shall become effective at 12:01 a.m. on
October 1, 1998.

                                          IDACORP, Inc.


                                          By: /s/ Robert W. Stahman
                                              ----------------------------
                                              Robert W. Stahman
                                              Vice President, General
                                              Counsel and Secretary

Date:  September 29, 1998


                                                                       Exhibit A

                         AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF EXCHANGE

     This  AGREEMENT  AND  PLAN OF  EXCHANGE  (this  "Agreement"),  dated  as of
February 2, 1998,  is between IDAHO POWER  COMPANY,  an Idaho  corporation  (the
"Company") , the company whose shares will be acquired  pursuant to the Exchange
described  herein,  and  IDAHO  POWER  HOLDING  COMPANY,  an  Idaho  corporation
("IPHC"),  the acquiring company.  The Company and IPHC are hereinafter referred
to, collectively, as the "Companies".

                                   WITNESSETH:

     WHEREAS,  the  authorized  capital  stock of the  Company  consists  of (a)
50,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $2.50 par value ("Company Common Stock"),  of
which  37,612,351  shares are issued and  outstanding,  (b) 215,000 shares of 4%
Preferred  Stock,  $100 par  value,  of which  166,972  shares  are  issued  and
outstanding,  (c) 150,000 shares of Serial Preferred  Stock,  $100 par value, of
which 150,000  shares are issued and  outstanding  and (d)  3,000,000  shares of
Serial  Preferred  Stock,  without par value, of which 500,500 shares are issued
and  outstanding;  the number of shares of Company Common Stock being subject to
increase to the extent that shares reserved for issuance are issued prior to the
Effective Time, as hereinafter defined.

     WHEREAS,  IPHC is a wholly-owned  subsidiary of the Company with authorized
capital stock consisting of (a) 120,000,000 shares of Common Stock,  without par
value ("IPHC Common Stock"),  of which 100 shares are issued and outstanding and
owned of record by the Company and (b)  20,000,000  shares of  Preferred  Stock,
without par value ("IPHC Preferred Stock"),  none of which shares are issued and
outstanding;

     WHEREAS,  the  Boards of  Directors  of the  respective  Companies  deem it
desirable and in the best interests of the Companies and the shareholders of the
Company that each share of Company Common Stock be exchanged for a share of IPHC
Common  Stock with the result  that IPHC  becomes  the owner of all  outstanding
Company  Common Stock and that each holder of Company  Common Stock  becomes the
owner of an equal  number of shares of IPHC Common  Stock,  all on the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth; and

     WHEREAS,  the Boards of Directors of the  Companies  have each approved and
adopted this Agreement and the Board of Directors of the Company has recommended
that its  shareholders  approve this  Agreement  pursuant to the Idaho  Business
Corporation Act (the "Act");

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in consideration of the premises,  and of the agreements,
covenants and  conditions  hereafter  contained,  the parties  hereto agree with
respect  to the  exchange  provided  for  herein  (the  "Exchange")  that at the
Effective  Time (as  hereinafter  defined)  each share of Company  Common  Stock
issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will be exchanged
for one share of IPHC Common  Stock,  and that the terms and  conditions  of the
Exchange and the method of carrying the same into effect shall be as follows:

                                    ARTICLE I

     This  Agreement  shall be  submitted  to the  shareholders  of the  Company
entitled to vote with respect thereto for approval as provided by the Act.

                                   ARTICLE II

     Subject to the  satisfaction  of the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement  and to the  provisions  of Article  VI,  IPHC agrees to file with the
Secretary of State of the State of Idaho (the "Secretary of State")  Articles of
Share Exchange (the "Articles")  with respect to the Exchange,  and the Exchange
shall take effect upon the  effective  date as specified  in the  Articles  (the
"Effective Time")

                                   ARTICLE III

     A.  At the Effective Time:

     (1) each share of Company Common Stock issued and  outstanding  immediately
prior to the Effective  Time shall be  automatically  exchanged for one share of
IPHC  Common   Stock,   which   shares   shall   thereupon  be  fully  paid  and
non-assessable;

     (2) PHC shall  acquire  and become the owner and holder of each  issued and
outstanding share of Company Common Stock so exchanged;

     (3) each share of IPHC  Common  Stock  issued and  outstanding  immediately
prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled and shall thereupon  constitute an
authorized and unissued share of IPHC Common Stock;

     (4) each share of Company Common Stock held under the Dividend Reinvestment
and Stock Purchase Plan, the Employee Savings Plan and the 1994 Restricted Stock
Plan (including  fractional and uncertificated  shares) immediately prior to the
Effective  Time shall be  automatically  exchanged  for a like  number of shares
(including  fractional and  uncertificated  shares) of IPHC Common Stock,  which
shares shall be held under the Dividend  Reinvestment  and Stock  Purchase Plan,
the Employee  Savings Plan and the 1994  Restricted  Stock Plan, as the case may
be; and

     (5) the former  owners of Company  Common  Stock shall be entitled  only to
receive shares of IPHC Common Stock as provided herein.

     B. Subject to dissenters' rights as set forth in Part 13 of the Act for the
4% Preferred  Stock,  $100 par value and the Serial  Preferred  Stock,  $100 par
value,  shares of the  Company's  4%  Preferred  Stock,  $100 par value,  Serial
Preferred Stock, $100 par value, and Serial Preferred Stock,  without par value,
shall not be  exchanged or otherwise  affected in  connection  with the Exchange
and, to the extent  issued and  outstanding  immediately  prior to the Effective
Time,  shall  continue to be issued and  outstanding  following  the Exchange as
shares of the Company of the applicable series designation.

     C.  As  of  the  Effective   Time,  IPHC  shall  succeed  to  the  Dividend
Reinvestment  and  Stock  Purchase  Plan as in effect  immediately  prior to the
Effective Time, and the Dividend  Reinvestment  and Stock Purchase Plan shall be
appropriately  amended to provide for the  issuance  and delivery of IPHC Common
Stock on and after the Effective Time.

     D. As of the  Effective  Time,  the  Employee  Savings  Plan  and the  1994
Restricted Stock Plan shall be appropriately amended to provide for the issuance
and delivery of IPHC Common Stock on and after the Effective Time.

                                   ARTICLE IV

     The filing of the Articles with the Secretary of State and the consummation
of the  Exchange are subject to the  satisfaction  of the  following  conditions
precedent:

     (1) the approval by the shareholders of the Company, to the extent required
by the Act, of this Agreement;

     (2) the approval for listing,  upon official notice of issuance, by the New
York Stock Exchange, of IPHC Common Stock to be issued and reserved for issuance
pursuant to the Exchange;

     (3) the receipt of such orders,  authorizations,  approvals or waivers from
the Idaho Public Utilities Commission and all other regulatory bodies, boards or
agencies  as are  required  in  connection  with  the  Exchange,  which  orders,
authorizations,  approvals or waivers remain in full force and effect and do not
include,  in the  sole  judgment  of the  Board  of  Directors  of the  Company,
unacceptable conditions; and

     (4) the receipt by the Company of a tax opinion of LeBoeuf,  Lamb, Greene &
MacRae  L.L.P.  satisfactory  to the Board of  Directors  of the  Company to the
effect that (a) common shareholders of the Company (i) will recognize no gain or
loss in  connection  with the  Exchange,  (ii) will have the same basis in their
IPHC Common Stock after the Exchange as they had in their  Company  Common Stock
before the  Exchange  and (iii) will be entitled to include any period that they
held  Company  Common Stock before the  Exchange  when  determining  any holding
period with respect to IPHC Common  Stock  received in the Exchange and (b) IPHC
will  recognize no gain or loss upon its receipt of Company  Common Stock in the
Exchange.

                                    ARTICLE V

     Following the Effective Time, each holder of an outstanding  certificate or
certificates  theretofore  representing  shares of Company Common Stock may, but
shall  not be  required  to,  surrender  the same to IPHC for  cancellation  and
reissuance of a new  certificate  or  certificates  in such holder's name or for
cancellation  and transfer,  and each holder or  transferee  will be entitled to
receive a certificate or certificates  representing the same number of shares of
IPHC Common Stock as the shares of Company Common Stock  previously  represented
by  the  certificate  or  certificates  surrendered.  Until  so  surrendered  or
presented for transfer, each outstanding certificate which, immediately prior to
the Effective Time, represented Company Common Stock shall be deemed and treated
for all  corporate  purposes to  represent  the  ownership of the same number of
shares of IPHC Common  Stock as though such  surrender  or transfer and exchange
had taken place. The holders of Company Common Stock at the Effective Time shall
have no right to have their shares of Company  Common Stock  transferred  on the
stock  transfer  books of the Company,  and such stock  transfer  books shall be
deemed to be closed for this purpose at the Effective Time.

                                   ARTICLE VI

     This Agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented, or compliance with
any  provision or  condition  hereof may be waived,  at any time,  by the mutual
consent  of the  Boards  of  Directors  of the  Company  and of IPHC;  provided,
however,  that no such  amendment,  modification,  supplement or waiver shall be
made or effected, if such amendment,  modification,  supplement or waiver would,
in the  judgment  of the  Board of  Directors  of the  Company,  materially  and
adversely affect the shareholders of the Company.

     Notwithstanding  shareholder approval of this Agreement, this Agreement may
be terminated  and the Exchange and related  transactions  abandoned at any time
prior to the time the  Articles are filed with the  Secretary  of State,  if the
Board of  Directors  of the Company  determines,  in its sole  discretion,  that
consummation  of the Exchange  would be inadvisable or not in the best interests
of the Company or its shareholders.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Company and IPHC, pursuant to authorization
and approval  given by its Board of Directors,  has caused this  Agreement to be
executed as of the date first above written.

                                          IDAHO POWER COMPANY


                                          By: /s/ Jan B. Packwood
                                              -------------------------
                                          Name:  Jan B. Packwood
                                          Title: President


                                          IDAHO POWER HOLDING COMPANY


                                          By: /s/ Joseph W. Marshall
                                              -------------------------
                                          Name:  Joseph W. Marshall
                                          Title: Chairman of the Board
                                                   and Chief Executive Officer

                                                                    Exhibit 5(a)


                             Robert W. Stahman, Esq.
                                 General Counsel
                                  IDACORP, Inc.
                             1221 West Idaho Street
                             Boise, Idaho 83702-5627


                                          October 1, 1998


IDACORP, Inc.
1221 West Idaho Street
Boise, Idaho  83702-5627

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I  am  General  Counsel  to  IDACORP,   Inc.,  an  Idaho  corporation  (the
"Company"),  and have acted as such in connection with Post-Effective  Amendment
No. 1 (the  "Post-Effective  Amendment") to the Idaho Power Company Registration
Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 33-56071), which the Company proposes to file on
or shortly  after the date hereof  pursuant to Rule 414(d) under the  Securities
Act of 1933,  as amended (the  "Act").  The Company is the  successor  issuer to
Idaho  Power  Company,  an Idaho  corporation  ("Idaho  Power"),  pursuant  to a
statutory share exchange ("Share Exchange") effected on October 1, 1998 pursuant
to an Agreement and Plan of Exchange dated as of February 2, 1998 (the "Exchange
Agreement") between Idaho Power and the Company, for the purpose of establishing
the Company as a holding company over Idaho Power.

     The  aforesaid  Registration  Statement,  as amended by the  Post-Effective
Amendment, relates to the issuance and sale by the Company of 321,389 additional
shares of its Common Stock,  without par value (the "Stock"),  and the Preferred
Share Purchase  Rights  attached  thereto (the  "Rights"),  which Rights will be
issued as a dividend by the Company on October 1, 1998 to shareholders of record
at the close of  business  on that date and will be  distributed  by the Company
with all  Common  Stock  issued  thereafter  (until the  expiration  date of the
Rights)  (the Stock and the Rights  collectively  referred  to as the  "Shares")
pursuant Idaho Power Company's Employee Savings Plan (the "Plan").

     For  purposes  of  this  opinion,  I have  examined  originals  or  copies,
certified  or  otherwise  identified  to my  satisfaction,  of (i) the  Exchange
Agreement; (ii) the Post-Effective Amendment;  (iii) the Rights Agreement, dated
as of September 10, 1998 between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agreement");  (iv) the Restated Articles of Incorporation and
Amended Bylaws of the Company; (v) resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
of the Company relating to the Share Exchange, the Post-Effective Amendment, the
Rights  Agreement and the issuance and delivery of the Shares in connection with
the  Share  Exchange  and the  Post-Effective  Amendment;  and (vi)  such  other
documents,  certificates  and records as I have deemed necessary or appropriate.
In such  examination  I have  assumed the  genuineness  of all  signatures,  the
authenticity  of all documents  submitted to me as originals,  the conformity to
the  original  documents  of all  documents  submitted  to me as copies  and the
authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. As to any facts material
to my opinion,  I have, when relevant facts were not independently  established,
relied upon the aforesaid  agreements,  instruments,  records,  certificates and
documents.

     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations
herein expressed, I am of the opinion that:

     (1)  The Company is a corporation  duly organized,  validly existing and in
          good standing under the laws of the State of Idaho;

     (2)  The Stock will be validly issued,  fully paid and  non-assessable  and
          the Rights  will be validly  issued when (i) the Stock shall have been
          issued,  sold and delivered for the consideration  contemplated in the
          Post-Effective   Amendment   and  in   accordance   with  the  actions
          hereinabove  mentioned  and (i1) the Rights  shall have been issued in
          accordance  with the terms of the Rights  Agreement  and in accordance
          with the actions hereinabove mentioned; and

     (3)  The Stock to be purchased in the open market is validly issued,  fully
          paid and non-assessable,  and the Rights attached thereto on and after
          the close of  business  on  October  1, 1998 are  validly  issued  and
          outstanding.

     The matters  relating to the Shares are governed by the law of the State of
Idaho. In regard to the Rights, I note that Section 30-1610 of the Idaho Control
Share Acquisition Law and Section 30-1706 of the Idaho Business  Combination Law
each  provides  that  nothing  contained  in  either  the  Idaho  Control  Share
Acquisition  Law  (Sections  30-1601  through  30-1614)  or the  Idaho  Business
Combination Law (Sections 30-1701 through 30-1710), respectively, is intended to
limit the corporate  powers or authority of an "issuing public  corporation" (as
defined in such  statutes),  such as the  Company,  to take  actions  "which the
directors may appropriately  determine to be in furtherance of the protection of
the  interests  of the  corporation  and  its  shareholders,  including  without
limitation  the authority to . . . enter into . . .  arrangements",  such as the
Rights Agreement, that "deny rights . . . to the holder or holders of at least a
specified  number of shares or percentage of share  ownership or voting power in
certain circumstances."

     Because I am not aware of any court decision  applying the law of the State
of Idaho that addresses the effect of these statutory provisions or the validity
of plans similar to the Rights Agreement, it is difficult to predict how a court
applying  the law of the State of Idaho  would  rule with  respect to the issues
relating to the Rights.  Nevertheless,  I am able to advise you of my conclusion
concerning  how a court applying the law of the State of Idaho  (including,  but
not limited to, Section 30- 1610 of the Idaho Control Share  Acquisition Law and
Section 30- 1706 of the Idaho  Business  Combination  Law) likely  would rule. I
have  conferred  with LeBoeuf,  Lamb,  Greene & MacRae,  L.L.P.,  counsel to the
Company, for purposes of rendering this opinion. LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae,
L.L.P. and I have concluded that a court applying the law of the State of Idaho,
when presented with novel questions  concerning  takeover  matters,  such as the
effect of the statutory  provisions  cited above and the adoption by the Company
of the Rights Agreement,  most likely would apply the corporate law of the State
of  Delaware,  the most  fully  developed  body of  corporate  law in the United
States.  Accordingly,  in rendering  this opinion,  I have assumed that Delaware
corporate  law,  with  which  I am  familiar,  provides  an  indication  of what
standards a court would apply if it were  required to apply the law of the State
of Idaho considering the matters relating to the Rights.

     With respect to this opinion,  I do not hold myself out as an expert on the
laws of any state other than the State of Idaho. My opinions expressed above are
limited to the laws of the State of Idaho,  the General  Corporation  Law of the
State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United States.

     I hereby  consent  to the  filing  of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Post-Effective Amendment and to the references to me contained therein under the
heading "Interests of Named Experts and Counsel."

                                          Very truly yours,


                                          Robert W. Stahman

                                                                    Exhibit 5(b)


                     LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.
                              125 West 55th Street
                            New York, New York 10019


                                          October 1, 1998


IDACORP, Inc.
1221 West Idaho Street
Boise, Idaho  83702-5627

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have  acted as counsel  to  IDACORP,  Inc.,  an Idaho  corporation  (the
"Company"),   in   connection   with   Post-Effective   Amendment   No.  1  (the
"Post-Effective Amendment") to the Idaho Power Company Registration Statement on
Form S-8 (File No.  33-56071),  which the Company proposes to file on or shortly
after the date hereof  pursuant to Rule 414(d) under the Securities Act of 1933,
as amended (the "Act").  The Company is successor issuer to Idaho Power Company,
an Idaho  corporation  ("Idaho  Power"),  pursuant to a statutory share exchange
("Share  Exchange")  effected on October 1, 1998,  pursuant to an Agreement  and
Plan of Exchange dated as of February 2, 1998 (the "Exchange Agreement") between
Idaho Power and the Company,  for the purpose of  establishing  the Company as a
holding company over Idaho Power.

     The  aforesaid  Registration  Statement,  as amended by the  Post-Effective
Amendment, relates to the issuance and sale by the Company of 321,389 additional
shares of its Common Stock,  without par value (the "Stock"),  and the Preferred
Share Purchase  Rights  attached  thereto (the  "Rights"),  which Rights will be
issued as a dividend by the Company on October 1, 1998 to shareholders of record
at the close of  business  on that date and will be  distributed  by the Company
with all  Common  Stock  issued  thereafter  (until the  expiration  date of the
Rights)  (the Stock and the Rights  collectively  referred  to as the  "Shares")
pursuant to Idaho Power Company's Employee Savings Plan (the "Plan").

     For  purposes  of this  opinion,  we have  examined  originals  or  copies,
certified  or  otherwise  identified  to our  satisfaction,  of (i) the Exchange
Agreement; (ii) the Post- Effective Amendment; (iii) the Rights Agreement, dated
as of September 10, 1998 between the Company and The Bank of New York, as Rights
Agent (the "Rights Agreement");  (iv) the Restated Articles of Incorporation and
Amended Bylaws of the Company;  v) resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors
of the Company relating to the Share Exchange, the Post-Effective Amendment, the
Rights  Agreement and the issuance and delivery of the Shares in connection with
the  Share  Exchange  and the  Post-Effective  Amendment;  and (vi)  such  other
documents,  certificates and records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate.
In such  examination  we have assumed the  genuineness  of all  signatures,  the
authenticity  of all documents  submitted to us as originals,  the conformity to
the  original  documents  of all  documents  submitted  to us as copies  and the
authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. As to any facts material
to  our  opinions,   we  have,  when  relevant  facts  were  not   independently
established,  relied  upon  the  aforesaid  agreements,   instruments,  records,
certificates and documents. We have also assumed the regularity of all corporate
procedures.

     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations
herein expressed, we are of the opinion that:

     (1)  The Stock will be validly issued,  fully paid and  non-assessable  and
          the Rights  will be validly  issued when (i) the Stock shall have been
          issued,  sold and delivered for the consideration  contemplated in the
          Post-Effective   Amendment   and  in   accordance   with  the  actions
          hereinabove  mentioned  and (ii) the Rights  shall have been issued in
          accordance  with the terms of the Rights  Agreement  and in accordance
          with the actions hereinabove mentioned; and

     (2)  The Stock to be purchased in the open market is validly issued,  fully
          paid and non-assessable,  and the Rights attached thereto on and after
          the close of  business  on  October  1, 1998 are  validly  issued  and
          outstanding.

     The matters  relating to the Shares are governed by the law of the State of
Idaho.  In  regard to the  Rights,  we note that  Section  30-1610  of the Idaho
Control  Share  Acquisition  Law  and  Section  30-1706  of the  Idaho  Business
Combination Law each provides that nothing contained in either the Idaho Control
Share  Acquisition Law (Sections  30-1601 through 30-1614) or the Idaho Business
Combination Law (Sections 30-1701 through 30-1710), respectively, is intended to
limit the corporate  powers or authority of an "issuing public  corporation" (as
defined in such  statutes),  such as the  Company,  to take  actions  "which the
directors may appropriately  determine to be in furtherance of the protection of
the  interests  of the  corporation  and  its  shareholders,  including  without
limitation  the authority to . . . enter into . . .  arrangements",  such as the
Rights Agreement,  that "deny rights. . . to the holder or holders of at least a
specified  number of shares or percentage of share  ownership or voting power in
certain circumstances."

     Because  we are not aware of any  court  decision  applying  the law of the
State of Idaho that  addresses the effect of these  statutory  provisions or the
validity of plans  similar to the Rights  Agreement,  it is difficult to predict
how a court  applying  the law of the State of Idaho would rule with  respect to
the issues  relating to the Rights.  Nevertheless,  we are able to advise you of
our opinion as expressed  herein,  which  reflects our  professional  conclusion
concerning  how a court applying the law of the State of Idaho  (including,  but
not limited to, Section 30- 1610 of the Idaho Control Share  Acquisition Law and
Section  30- 1706 of the Idaho  Business  Combination  Law)  likely  would rule.
Although  we are not  admitted  to  practice  in the  State  of  Idaho,  we have
conferred with Robert W. Stahman,  Esq.,  Vice  President,  General  Counsel and
Secretary  of the  Company,  for purposes of  rendering  this  opinion.  General
Counsel  and we have  concluded  that a court  applying  the law of the State of
Idaho, when presented with novel questions concerning takeover matters,  such as
the effect of the  statutory  provisions  cited  above and the  adoption  by the
Company of the Rights  Agreement,  most likely would apply the  corporate law of
the State of Delaware,  the most fully  developed  body of corporate  law in the
United  States.  Accordingly,  in rendering  our  opinion,  we have assumed that
Delaware  corporate law, as expressed in court decisions applying that law, with
which we are familiar,  provides an  indication of what  standards a court would
apply if it were required to apply the law of the State of Idaho considering the
matters relating to the Rights.

     With respect to this  opinion,  we do not hold  ourselves out as experts on
the laws of any state other than the State of New York.  Our opinions  expressed
above are limited to the laws of the State of New York, the General  Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware and the federal laws of the United States.  Insofar
as this  opinion  involves  matters  of the law of the State of  Idaho,  we have
relied  upon an  opinion  of even date  herewith  addressed  to you by Robert W.
Stahman, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company.

     We hereby  consent  to the  filing of this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to the
Post-Effective  Amendment and the reference to our firm contained  therein under
the heading "Interests of Named Experts and Counsel."

                                          Very truly yours,

                                          LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, L.L.P.

                                                                      Exhibit 15


September 30, 1998


IDACORP, Inc.
Boise, Idaho

We have made a review, in accordance with standards  established by the American
Institute of Certified Public  Accountants,  of the unaudited  interim financial
information of Idaho Power Company and  subsidiaries for the periods ended March
31, 1998 and 1997 and June 30, 1998 and 1997,  as indicated in our reports dated
May 8, 1998 and August 3,  1998,  respectively;  because  we did not  perform an
audit, we expressed no opinion on that information.

We are aware that our reports  referred to above,  which were  included in Idaho
Power Company's  Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31,
1998 and June 30, 1998, are being used in this Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 of
IDACORP, Inc. to Registration Statement No. 33-56071 of Idaho Power
Company on Form S-8.

We also are aware that the aforementioned reports, pursuant to Rule 436(c) under
the  Securities  Act of  1933,  are not  considered  a part of the  Registration
Statement  prepared  or  certified  by an  accountant  or a report  prepared  or
certified by an accountant within the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of that Act.


DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
Boise, Idaho

                                                                      Exhibit 23


                          Independent Auditors' Consent


IDACORP, Inc.

     We consent  to the  incorporation  by  reference  in this  Post-  Effective
Amendment No. 1 of IDACORP, Inc. to Registration Statement No. 33-56071 of Idaho
Power  Company on Form S-8 of our  reports  dated  January  30, 1998 and May 29,
1998, appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of Idaho Power Company for the
year ended  December  31,  1997 and in the  Annual  Report on Form 11-K of Idaho
Power  Company  Employee  Savings  Plan for the year ended  December  31,  1997,
respectively.


Deloitte & Touche LLP
September 30, 1998
Boise, Idaho


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