Press Release

Click here for pdf version

Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) launches Iowa’s largest utility based solar project on six sites across the service delivery territory. In late 2015, CIPCO initiated an RFP for the development of utility-scale solar facilities to be located at several member cooperative sites in Iowa. The multi-site solar installation is the first phase in CIPCO’s long-term plan to incorporate solar as an additional emissions-free resource within its generation assets. This initial phase will provide up to 5.5MWs AC of electricity for members served by CIPCO. 

After two rounds of appeals to the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), three Iowa not-for-profit electric cooperatives and one Iowa municipal electric utility will finally receive needed funding to pay for millions of dollars’ worth of infrastructure damage caused by an April 2013 ice storm. The damage was so extensive that a Presidential Disaster Declaration was issued on May 6, 2013. Lyon Rural Electric Cooperative, Osceola Electric Cooperative, and Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative all sustained broken utility poles and damaged conductor, causing damage in excess of $19 million.

“We’re thankful to Governor Branstad and the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for submitting the second appeal to FEMA. We also thank our Iowa congressional delegation for their continued support on this issue. This funding is greatly needed to the three electric co-ops that were affected and now they can continue providing reliable and affordable power to their member-owners,” remarked Chuck Soderberg, executive vice president of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives.

More than 200 rural electric cooperative (REC) employees and directors, representing more than 25 Iowa co-ops, traveled to the Iowa State Capitol on Wednesday to advocate for important issues during their annual “REC Day on the Hill” event. The co-op representatives were briefed on state and federal legislative issues before meeting with their local elected officials during a dessert social on the first floor rotunda of the Capitol. “This annual visit to the Iowa Capitol 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,” says Steve Seidl, board president of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives.

Iowa consumers who are interested in investing in their own solar generation now have an informative new resource from the Iowa Energy Center. On Monday, the Iowa Energy Center published the Home Series: Solar PV Energy Guide, a 32-page booklet which covers every aspect of the decision-making process for those who are considering their own solar panels. Several organizations were included in the development of the solar guide, including the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy, the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, the Office of Consumer Advocate, and the Iowa Utilities Board.

Iowa’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives are encouraged by the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling late Tuesday to halt implementation of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan regulations until litigation is concluded. Oral arguments on the Clean Power Plan’s legality will be heard at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on June 2, 2016, and it will most likely be appealed to the Supreme Court which may not review the case until early 2017 or later.

On behalf of participating cooperatives, the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) filed the results of the electric cooperatives’ energy efficiency programs for the years 2013 and 2014 with the Iowa Utilities Board and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Advocate earlier this week. This filing represented the completion of the electric cooperatives’ first 5-year energy efficiency plan. In the years 2010-2014, Iowa’s not-for-profit electric co-ops invested approximately $76.7 million (over $15 million annually) in energy efficiency programs. The energy savings from the five-year plan are expected to total nearly 3.7 billion kilowatt-hours over the life of the measures installed, which represents enough electricity to power more than 347,000 homes for a full year. Efficiency programs vary by co-op, but can include rebates and incentives for lighting upgrades, appliances, HVAC upgrades, insulation improvements, weatherization efforts and more. Steve Seidl, IAEC board president, remarked, “These results reinforce Iowa electric cooperatives’ commitment to our member-owners. We’re helping them use energy wisely through extensive energy efficiency efforts.”

Chuck Soderberg of Le Mars has been selected as the new executive vice president for the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC); he will start on September 8. Current IAEC EVP Brian Kading will retire in early September after a 33-year career at the organization.

Earlier today, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed into law House File 645, which, among other things, increases the tax credit capacity for utility solar projects by 10 megawatts. Iowa’s not-for-profit electric cooperatives have been supportive of the legislation and are pleased at the outcome.

35 high school students representing not-for-profit electric cooperatives across Iowa departed for a weeklong adventure to Washington D.C. today, as part of the national Youth Your program coordinated by statewide electric cooperative associations and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA). Beginning back in 1958, Iowa’s electric cooperatives have been sending student leaders to the nation’s capital each summer where they get an up-close look at the political process while also touring national museums, monuments and memorials. Students also learn more about the role electric cooperatives play in providing safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable power to member-owners.