UPDATE TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE (10/25/2024):
According to an Alliant Energy spokesperson:
"On September 17, the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) issued an order regarding Alliant Energy’s request to adjust electric and natural gas rates in Iowa. The IUC’s order approved a settlement we reached with intervening parties in June 2024. The “notice of proposed electric rate increase” [as seen below in this article] doesn’t reflect the actual and final rate impact for customers and is no longer on our website. New customer rates were implemented in October 2024 and our website was updated at this same time to include the final rate impact for customers. The overall impact on bills will vary, depending on actual energy used. The rate adjustment adds about $8 per month to the average residential electric customer’s bill (6% increase) beginning in October 2024. There will not be a second phase increase."
Alliant Energy's website also notes the following:
- "Residential and Optional Demand customers will see an increase in the “Monthly Customer Charge” to approximately $15.50 per month."
- "Residential and Optional Demand customers who receive three-phase service will now see a new line item beginning on their next bill. This “Monthly Service Charge” is $45. This charge may have been incorporated into the old bills and has been broken out to provide transparency for customers. This charge reflects costs associated with additional infrastructure to provide three-phase service to customers."
ORIGINAL ARTICLE (8/16/2024):
Alliant Energy plans to raise utility rates in Iowa, projecting a 13.4% increase in residential electrical bills from 2024-2025. The rate hike will be implemented in two phases, with a 7.7% increase in October 2024 and then another 5.7% increase in October 2025.
This is the utility company's third rate increase in the past 7 years. Alliant Energy already has the 3rd-highest residential rates among 31 large Midwest utility companies, according to the US Energy Information Administration.
Increasingly frustrated with Alliant Energy's continued rate inflation, a growing number of Iowans are pursing alternative power sources and home energy storage systems in order to gain control over their utility bills.
Notice of Proposed Electric Rate Increase
Alliant Energy published the following two-page notice to inform customers about its proposed rate increase:
More than 85 communities and 3 counties across Iowa filed official resolutions opposing the rate increase with the Iowa Utilities Commission, according to the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa Coalition. The CEDI said that Alliant's high-and-rising rates cause serious hardship for low and fixed-income residents and that they have discouraged economic development in the region.
As of August 2024, Alliant Energy has not published any changes to this proposal on its website, which suggests that the rate increase will indeed move forward as planned.
What options do Alliant Energy customers have?
On their website, Alliant Energy suggests that customers implement energy efficiency tips such as unplugging appliances, using cold water, cooking food in the microwave instead of the oven, using ceiling fans, and turning the thermostat up during hot summer weather and down during the winter.
Despite efforts to decrease their energy usage, many Iowans still struggle with the lack of control over their continuously rising electrical bills. Increasingly, Iowa home and business owners are turning to home solar, energy storage systems, and whole-home generators to reduce their monthly bills and decrease their reliance on Alliant Energy.
*Note: 515 Solar has no official relationship or affiliation with Alliant Energy or their products and services.
