Utilities Board gives go ahead for electric plant near Mason City

The Iowa Utilities Board has cleared the final hurdle for the construction of a new electric plant in Cerro Gordo County near Mason City. Board spokesman Rob Hillesland says they’ve approved the advanced rate for the Alliant Energy Plant. The rate assures the company that they can charge a rate to recover the costs of building the plant. Hillesland says the board has already approved a power-generating certificate for the new plant.The plant is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2004. This is the second new electric plant to get approval. The other is being built by MidAmerican Energy in the Des Moines suburb of Pleasant Hill. The approval process for a third plant planned for Council Bluffs is just getting started.