No images? Click here Empowering communities, illuminating the energy industryOur members stand ready to respond to outages in times of need. This showed true last summer when 4,000 crew members worked endless hours to restore power to thousands of Iowans. This season, I am giving my thanks and appreciation to those dedicated workers. On behalf of the IUA, I wish everyone a happy holiday and a healthy new year. — Chaz Allen, executive director of the Iowa Utility Association Rendering utility relief for small businessesThe small businesses and storefronts that make our main streets vibrant have faced innumerable challenges this year. We wanted to help alleviate at least one stressor: utility payments. In partnership with the Iowa Economic Development Authority, we assisted in the creation of the Small Business Utility Disruption Prevention program, made possible through federal pandemic relief funds. Nearly 1,000 small business across the state have benefitted from the program, which provides funds for small business owners who needed assistance in paying utilities. To date, more than $2.6 million in financial assistance was administered to program applicants. Some recipients say the funds have helped them stay in business during the last several months. We’re pleased to lend a helping hand to business owners fighting to stay open to provide necessary jobs, products and services for their communities. Shining light on our membersRecently, Alliant Energy introduced a plan that creates jobs, helps the environment and saves Iowans millions of dollars over the next three decades. The plan, known as the Clean Energy Blueprint, includes adding up to 400 megawatts of solar energy by 2023, eliminating the use of coal and reducing emissions by retiring the Lansing Generating Station and transitioning the Burlington Generating Station to natural gas. Their plan will also include adding battery storage and more connected energy to the network. By 2023, nearly half of Alliant Energy’s Iowa portfolio will be from renewables. Cindy Tomlinson, manager of external communications for Alliant Energy, said this plan has great long-term benefits for Iowans. The Clean Energy Blueprint will save Iowans $300 million throughout the next 35 years, according to the company’s projections. Many of Alliant Energy’s other efforts align with the Clean Energy Blueprint. Earlier this year, Alliant Energy opened a solar garden in Marshalltown and a battery storage project in Decorah. Providers awarded for restoring Iowa’s infrastructureIowans count on the electricity and gas our member utility companies provide to live their daily lives, conduct business and grow communities. Utility providers know how vital their services are, and they’re not used to being honored for these amenities. That’s what makes the Infrastructure award Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and ITC Midwest received from The Gazette in Cedar Rapids all the more special. Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and ITC Midwest received the honor as part of The Gazette’s business awards for their incredible work restoring and maintaining the state’s infrastructure after the August derecho tore across the state. The Iowa Utility Association could not be more proud of our member companies’ responses. Of course, all our member utility providers are accustomed to wading into damage to restore service after storms, but the derecho and its widespread, devastating impact on the state brought never-before-seen challenges. Despite the destruction, utility companies restored power and gas to nearly half a million Iowans in approximately two weeks. The key to success? Collaboration. The interconnectivity of the utility providers and the relationships they have with their communities are integral to the industry that powers lives and businesses, ITC Midwest President Dusky Terry said in an interview with The Gazette. Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and ITC Midwest not only coordinated to rebuild damaged infrastructure — lending each other equipment, employees and support crews, but they also provided humanitarian relief to communities by immediately deploying mobile generators, procuring supplies residents and cities needed to rebuild and donating funds to restoration efforts. “We (utility providers) have the ability to stand up, and we stand up together,” Kathryn Kunert, vice president of economic connections and integration at MidAmerican Energy, noted in an interview with The Gazette. And while efficient communication and coordination clearly paid off in speedy restoration, utility providers aren’t resting. They continue to assess how to improve disaster responses. Our utility providers know our state’s economy and development opportunities are only as strong as our infrastructure. “Building stronger communities is our purpose,” said Joel Schmidt, Alliant Energy’s vice president of business development. All of Iowa’s utility providers continue to work together to ensure Iowan’s have the energy and infrastructure they need day and night, rain or shine. Thank you for pushing us to power our communities.Learn more about our latest work at IowaUtility.org and on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. |