Iowa utility companies say they’re prepared for winter weather

Iowa Utilities Commission heard presentations from Iowa utilities companies about winter preparedness. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

As temperatures across Iowa flirt with freezing, some Iowans may have started eyeing the thermostat, and thinking about winter heating bills.

Representatives from Iowa utility companies said Tuesday in a conference with the Iowa Utilities Commission that Iowans can expect similar heating costs to last year and energy companies are prepared to meet winter demands.

IUC issued an order in September requesting winter preparedness information from utility companies, as part of an ongoing investigation by the commission from a 2022 resource auction that predicted potential energy shortfalls.

Commissioners have reinstated the order several times since to hold seasonal preparedness meetings, the latest of which convened Tuesday to hear plans from MidAmerican Energy and Alliant Energy.

Representatives from both energy companies said they think about winter and summer extreme temperatures throughout the year as they build infrastructure and update systems.

Dehn Stevens, vice president of transmission development and planning at MidAmerican, said in his presentation MidAmerican has about 7,700 megawatts of accredited winter power, which is more than 3,000 megawatts over the expected winter need.

“Is our utility ready to serve the load this winter? The answer is definitely yes for MidAmerican,” Stevens said.

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Stevens said about 4,000 megawatts of that winter power will come from wind turbines which are outfitted to withstand up to -22 degrees Fahrenheit.

Stevens said MidAmerican has rebuilt overhead lines, maintained vegetation around lines and reinforced transmission areas to keep lines from falling down or blocking roads during winter events.

Both utilities said daily weather monitoring and planning is crucial to being prepared for extreme weather events, and recent floods, tornadoes and wind storms have prepared staff across the state to deal with the coming winter.

Seasonal temperature outlooks from the National Weather Service show Iowa has an equal chance of having below- or above-average temperatures and will likely have above-average precipitation through the winter.

The utility companies do not expect abnormal winter weather conditions this winter. Stevens with MidAmerican said peaking prices could occur if Iowa saw another polar-vortex type storm, but otherwise customers should expect typical energy bills through the colder months.

“We’re expecting energy prices to be pretty consistent with what we saw last year,” Stevens said.

Alliant Energy did not provide a figure for its accredited winter power, but Matt Cole, the assistant vice president of operations, solutions and services, said Alliant is “prepared for the winter season.”

“It’s an ongoing process that we’re constantly preparing for any type of weather type of event,” Cole said in his presentation.

Cole said additional winter preparation includes contracting snow removal and ensuring that power plants and relevant sites are protected from snow and equipped with necessary heating equipment.

Iowans can prepare their homes to be more energy efficient during winter weather by following recommendations from IUC , such as closing unused vents, changing furnace filters, improving insulation and sealing cracks and gaps around windows and doors.

Households with qualifying income can also apply for energy assistance through the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services .

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