BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Power Co. has reached a deal with irrigators and environmentalists that allows the utility to rely on its power plants instead of rewarding customers for cutting back on energy use during peak periods.

The settlement must still be approved by the Public Utilities Commission.

The agreement allows Idaho Power to suspend its A/C Cool Credit and Irrigation Peak Rewards for one year to make those programs more cost effective. Utility officials sought to end the incentive programs because it has plenty of power during peak summer periods to meet demand through 2016.

The utility argues it's cheaper — and better for ratepayers — to generate power from its facilities than pay more than $5 million to air conditioner customers and $12 million to irrigation farmers to use less power.