|  | Iowa's legislature should stop utilities from charging customers for things they don't need |
| Alliant Energy electricity rates feel like a runaway train to Iowa ratepayers, and over 70 Alliant-served towns have passed resolutions asking the Iowa Utilities Board to get serious about the situation. There is growing evidence that MidAmerican Energy’s very healthy profits from the export of Iowa wind power are taking precedence over needed investment in energy storage and grid reliability. Are Iowa’s large investor-owned electricity providers too big to regulate with existing tools? Are they prioritizing the interests of largely out-of-state shareholders over the interests of Iowa customers and communities? Utility regulators need a robust toolbox. Legislators need to ensure regulators have the tools they need to ensure that Iowa ratepayers only pay for what they need. The most important tool missing from the Iowa Utilities Board’s toolbox, according to a major new report commissioned by the Legislature and produced by London Economics International, is Integrated Resource Planning, or IRP. The report goes on to state that the “absence of compulsory filing of long-term resource plans impedes the IUB’s access to vital information essential for informed decision-making. … Such a process could provide greater insight into the current status and future needs of the system — in addition to addressing the policy objectives of adequate and reliable service and just and reasonable rates.” |
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| |  | Iowa Courts Have Blocked Transmission Line Projects: What's Next? In the 2020 legislative session, the Iowa legislature passed House File (HF) 2643. The large omnibus legislation included a variety of appropriations, including the adoption of a right-of-first-refusal (ROFR) provision for high-voltage transmission line projects. Right-of-first-refusal grants incumbent owners of transmission lines (for Iowa, that's MidAmerican and ITC Midwest) the exclusive right to construct, own, and maintain the lines. On Dec. 4, 2023, an Iowa district court declared the ROFR provision originally included in HF 2643 to be unconstitutional. So, what happens now? IEC's Cody Smith explains on our blog. |
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 | Utilities have powerful influence in Iowa’s energy policies Utilities have powerful sway in the Iowa Legislature, according to a new Brown University analysis of state lobbying records, and that sway has allowed them to influence energy policy over the last decade. Utilities are extremely active in the state Legislature; the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives had the most recorded lobbying positions on clean energy and climate bills. A coalition of electric utilities, including Alliant Energy and MidAmerican, was the third-most active group. Four other groups reporting lobbying over 200 times: the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club, the Iowa Environmental Council and Alliant. Read more from the Gazette. |
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 | Johnson County rolls out county-wide free home energy audit program Johnson County residents who live in rural areas will now have access to free home energy audits to save money on their bills and encourage energy sustainability. The program that started in January is operated through Green Iowa AmeriCorps, which has overseen the same program in Iowa City for the last seven years. According to the county’s website, the program is open to county residents who own a home. Renters can also use the program after getting permission from their landlord. Learn more at the Daily Iowan |
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| Advocacy Day at the Capitol |
| IEC and Trees Forever hosted Environmental Advocacy Day on Monday, February 26 at the Capitol. The Rotunda was filled with member and partner tables, there to talk with legislators and their staff about environmental issues of importance. Many legislators stopped to enjoy the treat bar, giving us an opportunity to share information about critical legislation. Thank you to all the member organizations, partners, and supporters who joined us for another successful Environmental Advocacy Day! |
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| | |  | On Friday, February 23 IEC hosted a free virtual Legislative Update & Advocacy Training to share the latest on environmental legislation that made it through the first funnel and your opportunities for action. In this webinar, Energy Program Director Kerri Johannsen and Water Program Director Alicia Vasto discuss the legislative process, effective advocacy messaging, and more. |
|  | We can't rely on MidAmerican's coal When we needed power most, MidAmerican's coal failed us. Fortunately, wind energy set new records. We can't rely on coal. Tell MidAmerican to plan for an affordable and reliable transition to clean energy: https://bit.ly/3PhRqg8 #CleanUpMidAm |
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| | How your home or business gets its electricity can seem complex, and the secretive utility companies don’t make it any easier to understand. IEC is here to shed some light on the system so you can know why your power bills cost so much, but we need your help. Ahead of the 2024 legislative session, the Iowa Utilities Board is considering what changes can be made to how Iowa’s electric utilities set their rates. If you're tired of the lack of transparency in our current system and utility bills that are higher than they should be, take action by messaging your legislators demanding transparency in utility rates! |
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Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2317
515-244-1194 |
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