FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Contact: Eric Woolson (515.681.3967)
IOWA Business For Clean Energy
CONSUMER ADVOCATE ECHOES IBCE CALL FOR UTILITY COMMISION TO EXAMINE IMPACT, NEED, COSTS OF POWER FACILITIES BEFORE APPROVING THEM
Alliant Energy’s claims need and cost effectiveness are irrelevant to build decision, after contending Consumer Advocate should be barred from investigating or advocating for this documentation
DES MOINES – Iowa’s consumer advocate has called for the Iowa Utilities Commission to reject Alliant Energy’s request to build gas plant, unless the company provides information on the need, the cost-effectiveness and fuel impacts, and cost impacts of the projects, noting the risk that the cost could ultimately be borne by Iowa customers.
Office of Consumer Advocate
Echoing an earlier call from the nonprofit Iowa Business for Clean Energy, the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA), represents Iowa consumers and the public interest in all forums with the goal of maintaining safe, reliable, reasonably-priced, and nondiscriminatory utility services for all consumers in all market settings while informing and educating the public on utility related issues.
"The concerns raised by Iowa's consumer advocate mirror the concerns we raised as well," said IBCE executive director Bob Rafferty said. "Before Iowa families, small businesses, manufacturers, schools, and local governments are exposed to billions of dollars in risk, the utility should be required to demonstrate that projects are truly needed, are the most cost-effective option available, and that the customers driving the need are paying their fair share."
The OCA, which is a division of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, estimates that the proposed Riverhawk and Morgan Valley projects together could cost between $2.1 billion and $3.2 billion before ongoing costs of operation and fuel. (Alliant has a third gas plant that was recently approved that is not included in that cost figure).
The Consumer Advocate wrote Alliant, which has filed its request under the name Iowa Power and Light “should not be allowed to exploit the (Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity) and advance ratemaking statute in a manner that would allow for the development of the largest natural gas facility on record with essentially no upfront review of the need for, cost of, or ongoing fuel cost impacts relative to other generation resource choices.” (see Comment and Objection to Application for Certificate of Public Convenience et all, Office of Consumer Advocate, Docket GCU-2026-0005, filed Sept 11, 2026, pg. 22).
The OCA noted that this plant “will be operated in a manner that potentially exposes IPL’s retail ratepayers to significant rates . . . .” (Id. P.20)
Alliant, which has filed the request under the name Iowa Power and Light, responded to the OCA request by stating “(w)hether a project is prudent, necessary and cost effective” is not relevant to receiving approval to build the gas plant. (RESPONSE OF INTERSTATE POWER AND LIGHT TO COMMENTS, Interstate Power and Light, GCU-2026-0005, filed Sep 17, 2026, pg. 1). In the OCA’s filing, it noted Alliant’s prior attempt to bar the OCA from “investigating or advocating” on the need or cost-effectiveness of these gas plant investments. (Id pg.3).
"Consumers deserve full transparency about the need, cost-effectiveness, fuel cost impacts, and customer impacts of the proposed power-generation facilities before customers are committed to decades of costs and risks. If these projects are truly needed and represent the best choice for customers, the utility should have no problem demonstrating that through a rigorous public review process," Rafferty said.
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