Iowa Utilities Board Approves Amendment to Electric Transmission Line Franchise

The Iowa Utilities Board has granted an amendment to Corn Belt Power Cooperative's electric transmission line franchise, allowing for the construction of an additional 2.11 miles of 69 kV electric transmission line in Sac County. The modification is part of a broader effort to upgrade and expand the cooperative's electric transmission system, which serves a public use and represents a reasonable relationship to an overall plan of transmitting electricity in the public interest. Corn Belt Power Cooperative asserts that the existing electric transmission line is necessary to provide adequate electric utility service to its customers and meets or exceeds the minimum engineering requirements established by Board rules and Iowa Code chapter 478.

Key Takeaways:

• Corn Belt Power Cooperative has been granted an amendment to its electric transmission line franchise to construct an additional 2.11 miles of 69 kV electric transmission line in Sac County.
• The existing electric transmission line is necessary to serve a public use, representing a reasonable relationship to an overall plan of transmitting electricity in the public interest.
• Corn Belt Power Cooperative provided substantiation required by Iowa Code sections 478.3(2)(a)(1)-(8) in support of the petition.
• A hearing was not required because Corn Belt Power Cooperative is not requesting eminent domain rights and there are no objections to the existing electric transmission line.
• The expiration date of the existing franchise remains February 21, 2026.
• The Utilities Board retains jurisdiction of the subject matter and may make further orders as necessary during the period of the franchise.
• The amendment does not affect the closure of Docket No. E-21788 and the cancellation of Franchise No. F-17710.

Statistics:

• 2.11 miles: the additional length of 69 kV electric transmission line that will be constructed as part of the amendment.
• 48.21 miles: the total length of the franchised 69 kV electric transmission line and 1.02 miles of 161 kV electric transmission line.
• 2001: the year the original franchise was issued.
• 2026: the expiration date of the existing franchise.
• October 31, 2022: the date the Utilities Board issued the amendment.

Sources:

• STATE OF IOWA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE UTILITIES BOARD IN RE: CORN BELT POWER COOPERATIVE DOCKET NO. E-21437
• Iowa Code chapter 478.
• 199 Iowa Administrative Code (IAC) chapters 11 and 25.