What's New
235 Electric Cooperative Leaders Meet with Lawmakers at the State Capitol
For more information contact:
Ann Foster Ph: 515.727.8945
Director of Communications
Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives
More than 235 cooperative supporters traveled to Des Moines on Tuesday, March 7, to discuss issues important to electric cooperatives with lawmakers. The co-op representatives met for a briefing in the afternoon and received updates on state and federal legislative issues. The group then traveled to the state Capitol where they met with their local elected officials.
A key message delivered to legislators focused on the cooperatives� involvement with renewable energy, including information on interconnections with member-consumers, contributions to green pricing programs and integrating renewables into their overall generation mix.
During the past year, Iowa's electric co-ops purchased 452,000 kWhs from consumer-owned renewable energy generating units - more than double of just one year ago. Member-consumers of Iowa's electric cooperatives also contributed $42,726 to their green pricing programs in 2005, which translates into the equivalent of 2 million kWhs. Iowa's electric cooperatives receive power from 10 separate wind farms and are providing power to more than half of the state's ethanol and soy biodiesel plants.
"This annual event is an excellent opportunity to personally visit with our elected officials and provide them with a co-op perspective on issues that are important to our business and ultimately our member-consumers," says Gerald Klemme, board president for the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives and North West REC board member, Le Mars.
The cooperatives also voiced support for several energy-related House and Senate bills that are still alive, following the March 3 funnel deadline. A number of these bills deal with encouraging renewable energy, including incentive-based legislation.
The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) in Des Moines coordinated the event. The IAEC represents 37 distribution cooperatives in Iowa, including and six generation and transmission cooperatives serving more than 200,000 homes, farms and industries in all of the state�s 99 counties. Nationwide, more than 900 private, consumer-owned cooperative electric utilities serve 39 million people in 47 states.
Ann Foster Ph: 515.727.8945
Director of Communications
Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives
More than 235 cooperative supporters traveled to Des Moines on Tuesday, March 7, to discuss issues important to electric cooperatives with lawmakers. The co-op representatives met for a briefing in the afternoon and received updates on state and federal legislative issues. The group then traveled to the state Capitol where they met with their local elected officials.
A key message delivered to legislators focused on the cooperatives� involvement with renewable energy, including information on interconnections with member-consumers, contributions to green pricing programs and integrating renewables into their overall generation mix.
During the past year, Iowa's electric co-ops purchased 452,000 kWhs from consumer-owned renewable energy generating units - more than double of just one year ago. Member-consumers of Iowa's electric cooperatives also contributed $42,726 to their green pricing programs in 2005, which translates into the equivalent of 2 million kWhs. Iowa's electric cooperatives receive power from 10 separate wind farms and are providing power to more than half of the state's ethanol and soy biodiesel plants.
"This annual event is an excellent opportunity to personally visit with our elected officials and provide them with a co-op perspective on issues that are important to our business and ultimately our member-consumers," says Gerald Klemme, board president for the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives and North West REC board member, Le Mars.
The cooperatives also voiced support for several energy-related House and Senate bills that are still alive, following the March 3 funnel deadline. A number of these bills deal with encouraging renewable energy, including incentive-based legislation.
The Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) in Des Moines coordinated the event. The IAEC represents 37 distribution cooperatives in Iowa, including and six generation and transmission cooperatives serving more than 200,000 homes, farms and industries in all of the state�s 99 counties. Nationwide, more than 900 private, consumer-owned cooperative electric utilities serve 39 million people in 47 states.
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