Hearing dates moved to February 2023 based on 2022 Inflation Reduction Act

(Des Moines) – The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) today issued an order setting a revised procedural schedule and public hearing dates for MidAmerican Energy Company’s (MidAmerican) August 19, 2022, motion regarding its January 19, 2022, application for approval of advance ratemaking principles for the company’s wind and solar project called Wind PRIME. The application was filed January 19, 2022, in Docket No. RPU-2022-0001. 

MidAmerican’s proposed project would add up to 2,042 megawatts (MW) of new wind generation and up to 50 MW of solar generation in its fleet. The application seeks to establish the rate impacts when the utility adds the generation for Wind PRIME, which MidAmerican targets for completion by the end of 2025 if approved.

On August 19, 2022, MidAmerican filed a “Motion to Extend Procedural Schedule” based primarily on the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Act). MidAmerican requested to file revised direct testimony on August 31, 2022, from specific witnesses regarding the financial impact of the Act; a revised procedural schedule; revised testimony filing dates for all intervenors, including the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA), a division of the Iowa Department of Justice; and holding the public hearing from December 12-16, 2022, with a goal of the IUB issuing a decision by February 15, 2022.

On August 30, 2022, the IUB issued an order approving MidAmerican’s proposal to file additional direct testimony, but suspended the requirement for other parties in this docket to file reply testimony by August 31 pending the issuance of a new procedural schedule.

Today’s order grants MidAmerican’s request to extend the previously established procedural schedule set by the IUB on May 6, 2022, and establishes a revised procedural schedule, including new public evidentiary hearing dates of February 20-24, 2023.

The revised procedural schedule also sets a date of October 7, 2022, for parties to notify the IUB of a settlement or provide a joint statement of partial settlement. If a settlement is not reached, the parties must file prehearing briefs by October 17, 2022. 

MidAmerican’s Wind PRIME application proposes 11 advance ratemaking principles, including a ratemaking principle relating to Technology Study Costs associated with the study and review of carbon capture and sequestration, energy storage, and small modular nuclear reactors. 

Iowa Code § 476.53 allows Iowa rate-regulated utilities an opportunity to add electric generation in Iowa and to receive advance ratemaking decisions from the IUB.  As part of the request, the utility is required to show it has an energy efficiency plan in place and it has considered other generation options. An advanced ratemaking principles case is a contested case proceeding before the IUB.