Alliant Energy has filed with the Iowa Utilities Board asking for a review of the potential costs and rates for up to 200 megawatts of wind powered generating facilities in Iowa. Utilities Board spokesman, Rob Hillesland, says it’s called ratemaking principles.
Hillesland says the purpose is to give the company an idea of how certain parts of the ratemaking process may be portrayed or treated by the board. Hillesland says the board looks at a variety of factors in such a case. He says it’s typically a 10-month process where the company, the Office of Consumer Advocate, and others will all testify.
Hillesland says it gives them an idea of what type of return they can expect from their investment. Hillesland says the information does not set the rate the company will get from the power produced at the plant. He says that rate would be set in a whole different process. Mid American is expecting to invest 360 to 440 million dollars into wind energy by 2010.
