You pay for your electricity, but do you know where those dollars go? You may be surprised to learn that you're unknowingly funding dirty coal plants that are more expensive than clean alternatives and risk the health of fellow Iowans. 

 

The deck is stacked against Iowa’s electric customers and the Office of the Consumer Advocate has an opportunity to stand for transparency in the regulatory system to hold Iowa utilities accountable. 



What would transparency look like?

We are advocating for a requirement that utilities undertake integrated resource planning, which is a process through which utilities ensure they are developing plans to meet electricity needs in an affordable and reliable way and in line with customer demand, such as demand for a clean grid. Many other states require utilities to develop and share these plans to justify the investments that customers pay for.

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What does Iowa’s Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) do?

The mission of the Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) is “To represent Iowa consumers and the public interest in all forums with the goal of maintaining safe, reliable, reasonably-priced, and nondiscriminatory utility services for all consumers in all market settings while informing and educating the public on utility related issues.”

 

This is accomplished by taking an active role in proceedings before the Iowa Utilities Board.

 

OCA reviews and investigates all aspects of regulated services provided to Iowa customers by gas and electric utilities to assure these services are reliable, adequate, and provided on just and reasonable terms.

 

Iowa’s consumer advocate is well-positioned to advocate for accountability and transparency in our current electricity regulatory framework.