No images? Click here Empowering communities, illuminating the energy industry"Our member utility companies’ top priority is to provide energy that our communities depend upon. In fact, the Iowa investor-owned utilities that comprise the IUA provide electricity to 72 percent of Iowans and serve 95 percent of Iowa’s natural gas customers. I’m proud to say energy providers’ commitment was stronger than ever in the last few months when consumers needed it the most. A big thank you goes to our linemen who worked around the clock to restore power to hundreds of thousands of Iowans after last week’s storm." — Chaz Allen, executive director of the Iowa Utility Association Remaining reliableWhile the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the foundations of Midwesterners’ daily lives, utility companies knew services need to be as reliable as ever. Our members worked tirelessly to provide energy that kept consumers comfortable in their homes, powered essential businesses and health care providers and allowed everyone to work and connect digitally. While services remained steadfast, IUA members followed guidelines to ensure our employees’ and customers’ health and safety. We’re proud of how our communities weathered the recent challenges, and we’ll continue assess your needs in the months to come. Shining light on our membersBlack Hills Energy provides natural gas to nearly 160,000 customers across 133 Iowa communities. Even the field technicians in the South Dakota-based company strive to not only provide natural gas and be an expert in the field but, to also be heavily invested in the communities they serve through charitable giving. Since the novel coronavirus pandemic hit in March, Black Hills Energy has given $34,000 to food banks, lunch programs and elderly shut-in meals in Iowa. In 2019, Black Hills Energy’s charitable impact, driven by shareholder investment, topped more than $500,000 including financial support for nonprofits, economic development, low-income energy assistance, investments in trees and support for United Ways in the state. Boosting small businessesEach year, we look forward to cohosting the SMART Conference with the Iowa Economic Development Authority to share the year’s successes and plan for the future economic development of our state. Unfortunately, the 2020 conference was canceled to prevent potential spread of the novel coronavirus. However, that doesn’t mean we aren’t working hard to boost businesses in our state. The IUA and IEDA created the Small Business Utility Disruption Prevention program, made possible through federal relief funds. The program provides funds for small businesses impacted by the pandemic who need assistance to pay utilities. We knew that these businesses — which are the backbone of our local economies and make our communities vibrant — may have gone into debt to pay utility providers even when their normal operations were disrupted. “Our members continue to work with their members to ensure they have power,” Chaz said. “Small businesses owners don’t need to worry about keeping the lights on when they have so many other concerns.” To apply, businesses complete a pre-application screening. If they qualify, they will be able to fill out a full application. The state will then work with the business’ utility provider to assuage any utility funds owed. We know growing and supporting our existing businesses is vital to maintaining our state’s economy, and a strong economic base is crucial for future development opportunities. In addition to supporting public policy that advances the energy industry and working to opportunities for growth, IUA’s 50th year will be spent on helping the state recover. We want our members, local communities and businesses to reach as many milestones as possible. “Our member companies are all out in the field every day working to see what our customers need to get through this pandemic,” Chaz said. “We are working tirelessly with the IDEA to understand what communities — large and small — need and what programs we can put in place to assist them.” Thank you for pushing us to power our communities.Learn more about our latest work at IowaUtility.org and on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. |