Governor Tom Vilsack has asked the Mayor of Cedar Rapids and a retired Principal Financial executive to head a panel examining Iowa’s energy needs.Vilsack wants the group to examine the energy demand in Iowa — both now and in the future.Vilsack’s concerned Iowa may be headed for the kinds of “brown-outs” which are occurring in California as that state’s electrical systems are over-taxed by more people — and more computers. Vilsack says the task force’s work probably won’t be ammunition for another legislative debate over deregulation of electric utilities. Vilsack says utility executives “don’t have the energy” to pursue the issue again after last year’s setback.
