The Iowa Utilities Board has submitted its report to the state legislature recommending updates to Iowa’s utility ratemaking laws. This was the first review of such laws in nearly two decades and could lead to significant changes in ratemaking processes. The IUB hired London Economics International (LEI), a consulting firm with expertise in energy policy issues, to conduct the study. We believe there should be serious consideration by the legislature of the London Economics recommendations. The IUB submitted the final report to the Iowa Legislature in December, which includes six key recommendations: 1. Consider a maximum stay-out provision for general rate cases. 2. Enact a statute that requires rate-regulated electric utilities to file an integrated resource plan (“IRP”) and gas and water utilities to file long-term supply plans. 3. Align necessity and advantages of advance ratemaking with the resource plan. 4. Review tracker and rider mechanisms for utility operations. 5. Initiate a study on evaluating the current spending cap and alternative energy efficiency (“EE”) and demand response (“DR”) opt-out options. 6. Examine the implementation of a performance-based regulation (“PBR”) framework and various components, which include multi-year rate plans, performance mechanisms (such as scorecards and performance incentive mechanisms), and earnings sharing mechanisms. | 
