Group lobbies against change in electric company regulation

A coalition calling itself “Iowans for Responsible Energy Policy” opposes a bill that would ease restrictions for new electric generating plants. Jane Laue of the Iowa Federation of Labor says it’s a utility company “scheme” to raise electricity prices in Iowa.Dan Power is president of A-A-R-P of Iowa, the powerful senior citizens lobbying group which also opposes the bill.Power says the bill pads the pockets of the state’s investor-owned utility companies, and does nothing for consumers.A-A-R-P leaders are asking the organization’s nearly 400-thousand Iowa members to contact their legislators and urge a “no” vote on the bill. Bill backers say Iowa must make it easier for companies to build power plants here, or the state eventually will land in the same kind of mess California’s suffering through today.