Environmental groups applaud Iowa regulators' order to make public MidAmerican Energy's secret planning studies Originally published on 1/25/23 in IEC's newsroom On January 19, 2023, the Iowa Utilities Board issued an order in MidAmerican Energy’s Wind PRIME proceeding to make public two generation planning studies that MidAmerican has aggressively and repeatedly sought to keep secret from regulators and the public. The studies include an evaluation of the economics of MidAmerican’s coal generating facilities and a study of pathways to achieve zero carbon emissions electricity. Several parties, including the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the Iowa Environmental Council, and the Sierra Club, argued the public deserves to see the studies to shed light on whether MidAmerican’s proposed $3.9 Billion Wind PRIME investment is reasonable compared to alternatives, such as additional solar and battery storage development or shuttering their six expensive and aging coal plants, which are massive sources of carbon dioxide and other pollution. After first refusing to provide the studies even to its own regulators, MidAmerican had provided the studies to the IUB and some parties in the case, but claimed the studies should be withheld from the public at large. IEC, ELPC, and Sierra Club challenged this attempt to keep the information a secret. The IUB agreed in their order last week that portions of the studies should be public. The order stated, in part, "It is difficult to imagine a more impactful decision to the Iowa ratepayers within MidAmerican’s monopoly service area than a multibillion-dollar, long-term capital investment strategy for the provision of electric generation assets." | 
