MidAmerican Energy rate increase public meeting planned

Eight public meetings, with one in Iowa City, will be held for MidAmerican Energy Co. customers to comment about the proposed electric rate increases. The comments will be considered in the Iowa Utilities Board decision on whether to allow the rate increases, said  spokesman Rob Hillesland.

Representatives from the utilities board and Office of Consumer Advocate, which represents general interests of customers in utilities board proceedings, will also be at the meetings.

MidAmerican, which has about 640,00 electric customers in Iowa, filed a petition in May to increase base rates of about $135.6 million that would be phased in over three years.

Under the proposal. there would be three $45.2 million increases - the first on Aug. 15, 2013, the second on Jan. 1, 2014 and the third on Jan. 1, 2016.

The first increase is subject to the utilities board's decision on temporary rates, Hillesland said, which will be issued by Aug.15. The remainder of the phase-in proposal will be addressed in the utilities board's decision on final rates.

If permanent rates are determined that are less than temporary rates, customers will receive a refund plus interest for any over-collection.

The meeting will take place on June 13 at 5:30 p.m. at the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St., in Room A. Customers unable to attend the meetings can provide comments online,

http://iub.iowa.gov, or send them via email, 

customer@iub.iowa.gov, or in the mail, Iowa Utilities Board, Executive Secretary, Docket No. RPU-2013-0004, 1375 E. Court Avenue, Room 69, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.