Iowa

The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) has approved a five-year, $256 million energy efficiency plan for 2019-23 for MidAmerican Energy Co. to carry out 14 energy efficiency and demand response programs estimated to provide $41 million in gas utility customer benefits and $709 million of electric benefits. The IUB also has scheduled 10 public meetings from April 11-May 23 for Alliant Energy’s Interstate Power and Light Co. in Iowa for a yet-to-be-filed rate increase request for both its retail gas and power operations in Iowa.

The Iowa Supreme Court is considering oral arguments from landowners and environmental activists attempting to unravel approval by the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) in 2016 for the Dakota Access Pipeline, which is in service and crosses the state. The Grow America’s Infrastructure Now coalition said the IUB conducted 18 public informational meetings and 12 days of public hearings on the four-state, multi-billion dollar oil pipeline owned and operated by Energy Transfer Partners LP. Supporters expect the state high court to reaffirm lower court rulings that rejected challenges to the pipeline.

While none of the flak is likely to unseat the proposed 1,172-mile oil pipeline from the Bakken in North Dakota to market hubs in Illinois, Iowa regulators on Friday reported continued complaints and grievances against the elongated construction route of the Dakota Access pipeline.

As a follow-up to its initial approval in early March, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) on Friday issued the backers of the Dakota Access Pipeline a final permit to build the proposed four-state, 1,154-mile pipeline to ship Bakken crude to markets along the East, West and Gulf coasts.

As a follow-up to its initial approval in early March, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) on Friday issued the backers of the Dakota Access Pipeline a final permit to build the proposed four-state, 1,154-mile pipeline to ship Bakken crude to markets along the East, West and Gulf coasts.

In the wake of their conditioned approval earlier this month, Iowa regulators refused to be rushed, and denied a request from Energy Transfer Partners’ (ETP) Dakota Access Pipeline to expedite approval of a permit to begin construction of a crude oil interstate pipeline that is primed to break ground in three other states.

Initial supplies of Bakken crude oil should flow through the proposed 1,154-mile Dakota Access Pipeline by year-end, moving supplies through four states, the head of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority said Friday.

Iowa regulators on Thursday approved, with landowner protections, their state’s part of the proposed 1,154-mile Dakota Access Pipeline, which would move Bakken Shale crude oil through four states. If built, the pipeline eventually could move up to half of the Bakken’s 1 million b/d production to various markets.

Iowa-based Alliant Energy Corp.’s Wisconsin utility has closed a $400 million purchase of a 600 MW natural gas-fired generation plant in Beloit, WI, from Calpine Corp. The Riverside Energy Center LLC was owned and operated by Calpine, which sold the bulk of its output to Alliant’s Wisconsin Power and Light Co. (WPL). Since it began operations in 2004, the Riverside plant sold 500 MW to WPL. Calpine CEO Jack Fusco said the sale helps advance the strategic objectives of both his company and WPL. Calpine has 92 power plants operating or under construction, all of them gas-fired or renewable geothermal facilities.