Public hearing scheduled for Alliant Energy rate increase

CEDAR RAPIDS - Alliant Energy customers have the opportunity to weigh in on the utility's plans to phase in a 10 percent to 12 percent rate increase.

As part of Alliant's request to the Iowa Utilities Board for a rate increase, the board has scheduled eight public comment meetings across the state.

On Thursday at 5:30 p.m., the board, along with representatives from Alliant and the Office of Consumer Advocate, will hold a public meeting in rooms 316 A and B in Iowa Hall on the campus of Kirkwood Community College, 6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids.

Commenters are required to provide their first and last name, city or town of residence and all comments will be transcribed, according to an Iowa Utilities Board release. Comments also can be made online using the board's electronic comment form.

Alliant in March announced plans to increase monthly customer electric bills by $3 to $5 in April, and a total of $12 to $14 a month by next spring. The announcement marked Alliant's first increase to base rates in about six years.

Alliant officials have said the increase represents about $2.5 billion in capital investments into the electrical system - into such efforts as power grid upgrades and the new Marshalltown natural gas generating station - since the last rate increase.

Alliant's average customer bill is about $113 and the utility services about 500,000 customers.

Base rate increases are for Alliant's electric customers only. Base rates, which cover service costs, maintenance and utility equipment costs, make up about 60 percent of a residential customer's bill. The remaining 40 percent is for actual energy costs, which can vary.

l Comments: (319) 339-3175; mitchell.schmidt@thegazette.com