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Iowa Utilities Board's study to examine power company regulations for cost-effectiveness, reliability

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 30, 2023
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DES MOINES, Iowa, Aug. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) kicked off the first of three public input and discussion sessions ("charettes") to review state laws related to how utilities set their rates. These sessions will wrap up in early November and result in a set of legislative recommendations to be considered in the 2024 legislative session. This process stemmed from the passage this year of House File 617, which required the IUB to undertake this review with a focus on "ensuring safe, adequate, reliable, and affordable utility services provided at rates that are nondiscriminatory, just, reasonable, and based on the utility's cost of providing service to its customers within Iowa." The IUB has hired consulting firm London Economics to convene stakeholders and perform the required analysis in Docket No. NOI-2023-0001.

Key Points: 
  • This is a critical moment for Iowa as the state has not reformed its regulations governing the energy sector since 2001.
  • The 2001 law delivered a sea change in how the state regulated utilities and enabled the rapid expansion of wind energy in Iowa.
  • This requires transparent and thorough oversight to balance the financial interest of the company and the customers.
  • According to Johannsen with the Iowa Environmental Council, "There could not be a more important moment for Iowa advocates, utilities, and policymakers to be having this discussion.

Iowa Utilities Board takes action to protect customers from risks with MidAmerican Energy's Wind PRIME proposal

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 1, 2023
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The Board approved the project only because the utility promised the project would provide significant economic benefits to customers.

Key Points: 
  • The Board approved the project only because the utility promised the project would provide significant economic benefits to customers.
  • If MidAmerican decides to proceed with the Wind PRIME project under the Board's new conditions, it must also conduct a public planning process before any future clean energy development.
  • MidAmerican must let the Board know whether it plans to proceed with Wind PRIME in the next 20 days.
  • (Order p. 45)
    "The Board finds that the Wind PRIME proposal fails to demonstrate its reasonableness compared to feasible alternatives under a traditional utility review."

Iowa Utilities Board Publishes Secret MidAmerican Studies on Clean Energy Transition

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
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DES MOINES, Iowa, Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to an Iowa Utilities Board Order, MidAmerican Energy filed new public versions of two internal studies that show solar is the lowest cost path for achieving carbon free energy and recognize that transitioning away from burning coal is an essential piece of achieving this goal. The studies also raise questions about the economics of MidAmerican's coal fleet. Despite its own studies' findings, MidAmerican has not announced plans to retire any of its coal plants. In the current Wind PRIME proposal before the IUB, MidAmerican has proposed to build 40 times more wind than solar and to continue to operate its coal plants long-term. MidAmerican is one of the top 10 largest coal fleet owners in the country without a plan for retirement of those plants by 2035.

Key Points: 
  • Despite its own studies' findings, MidAmerican has not announced plans to retire any of its coal plants.
  • MidAmerican initially refused to provide the studies even to the Iowa Utilities Board, then sought to hold the studies confidential in their entirety.
  • Environmental groups sought release of the studies to make sure the public had an opportunity to compare MidAmerican's internal findings with its public positions concerning the clean energy transition.
  • The Iowa Utilities Board is scheduled to conduct a hearing on the Wind PRIME docket beginning February 20, 2023, during which MidAmerican Energy executives and other parties in the docket will provide testimony.

Environmental groups applaud Iowa regulators' order to make public MidAmerican Energy's secret planning studies

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Study, ELPC, Disclosure, IUB, Sierra, Order, IEC, Wind, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Confidentiality, State Energy Program (United States), Sierra Club, Ageing, Coal, Economics, Iowa Utilities Board, Carbon, Electricity, Environmental law, Renewable energy, Cryptocurrency, MidAmerican Energy Company

DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

Key Points: 
  • DES MOINES, Iowa, Jan. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.
  • MidAmerican has 14 days to obtain an injunction in order to keep the information hidden from the public.
  • "With the Board's order, MidAmerican should stop hiding information that directly impacts their captive customers," said Kerri Johannsen, Energy Program Director with the Iowa Environmental Council.
  • The Board's order found that the information contained in the studies serves a public purpose because of its relevance to the proposed Wind PRIME investment by MidAmerican.

Environmental groups propose alternative to MidAmerican's Wind PRIME

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, November 23, 2022
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The new analysis conducted by Synapse and Energy Futures Groups used utility industry best practices to assess whether the Wind PRIME project is the right set of resource additions to help the utility transition away from its heavy reliance on expensive and polluting coal combustion. The experts used a proven modeling platform that has been adopted in 17 states to identify reliable low cost electricity portfolios. The analysis found that three of MidAmerican's coal plants -- Louisa, Neal 3, and Ottumwa -- are uneconomic and should be retired as soon as feasible. The plan also includes retiring the remainder of the coal plants by 2035 and leverages the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act to add 1,600 MW of battery storage by 2030 and 3,700 MW of solar by 2035. The plan supports adding MidAmerican's proposed 50 MW solar project and approximately a third of MidAmerican's proposed wind additions.

Key Points: 
  • DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 21, Environmental Law and Policy Center, Iowa Environmental Council, and Sierra Club filed joint testimony in MidAmerican's Wind PRIME docket before the Iowa Utilities Board.
  • MidAmerican's Wind PRIME project, which would add 2,042 MW of wind and 50 MW of solar, relies on the company's plans to continue operating 5 large coal-burning power plants in Iowa.
  • The alternative portfolio would also provide more around-the-clock clean energy than MidAmerican's proposed Wind PRIME portfolio.
  • Moms demand that MidAmerican review Wind PRIME to increase renewable investment and close down its remaining, harmful coal plants."

"Clean Up MidAm" Campaign Launched to hold MidAmerican Energy Accountable for Health and Wealth of Iowans

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
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This is on top of the billions customers are already paying in additional health, crop, and climate impact costs.

Key Points: 
  • This is on top of the billions customers are already paying in additional health, crop, and climate impact costs.
  • "MidAmerican Energy's continued use of coal harms the health and financial well-being of every Iowan," said Kerri Johannsen, Energy Program Director at the Iowa Environmental Council. "
  • A recent report found the impact to Iowans' health, our ag economy, and climate stability ranges anywhere from $1.3 billion to $4.6 billion every year.
  • Iowans can't afford to wait any longer: it is time MidAmerican Energy shares a plan to close its coal plants by 2030."