Three More Years, Three More Years!

According to the Gazette Online, MidAmerican Energy has been given three more years to equalize electric rate disparities between its three Iowa service territories.

The Iowa Utilities Board ordered MidAmerican in 2006 to file a rate
equalization plan for all customer classes by mid-2009, and implement the plan
starting in 2011.

Now MidAmerican will have until 2014, when its current revenue requirement
freeze expires, to begin equalizing rates under a board order issued this
week.

Rates are lowest in the utility's northern zone, which includes Waterloo
and Sioux City. Rates in the eastern zone, which includes Iowa City, and
southern zone, which includes Des Moines, are both higher than in northern zone
rates.

I Singe the Body Electric

Iowa City Council proved how, once again, that they are largely a spineless bunch in voting 6 to 1 (with Amy Correia voting in the negative and retaining her spine) to renew a franchise agreement with MidAmerican Energy. After going almost seven years without an agreement, the Council took a first of three votes to extend the franchise agreement for up to 25 years (with the opportunity to get out in 10 years) with minimal concessions and no realistic hope of power being generated in any other way than MidAmerican sees fit.

The next two votes will likely be consolidated in two weeks clearing the runway before the city election for MidAmerican's Terry Smith to land on the council to continue influencing city politics to the benefit of his company. It's good work if you can get it.

Perhaps the City Council needs to look up the definition of "good corporate citizen" because they have sold short. For the residents of Iowa City, what is your definition of the "public good"? Your City Council did not act in it.