MidAmerican Energy Unveils Wind Expansion Plan and Announces Iowa State Fair Wind Turbine

MidAmerican Energy is taking steps to add up to another 540 megawatts of wind energy in Iowa and, thanks to voluntary contributions from customers, constructing a wind turbine on the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The plans are subject to Iowa Utilities Board approval.

Avoided emissions from the new wind energy initiative combined with the company’s current wind projects are equivalent to removing more than 682,000, or 43 percent, of Iowa’s registered vehicles from the road.

“In addition to the environmental benefit of adding new wind energy production in Iowa, customers of MidAmerican Energy will continue to benefit from electric rate stability,” said Greg Abel, president of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Company. “The last electric rate increase MidAmerican Energy customers experienced was in 1995, and we propose adding the new wind energy while maintaining electric rate stability until 2014, which is nearly 20 years of electric rate stability for MidAmerican Energy customers.”

Gov. Chet Culver praised MidAmerican Energy’s efforts. “In my inaugural address in January, I said Iowans expect us to achieve our amazing potential in renewable energy, and MidAmerican Energy is stepping up again to help Iowa continue its leadership in developing renewable energy,” Culver said. “As I’ve told the Iowa Legislature, we are not the only state working towards energy independence. We must maintain the leadership we have worked so hard to develop; we must compete and do so aggressively; and I challenge regulators, business professionals and utility companies in Iowa to add another 1,015 megawatts of renewable energy to bring Iowa to 2,015 megawatts by 2015.”

MidAmerican Energy owns and operates 323 wind turbines at three sites in northwest, north central and west central Iowa. The wind projects have the capacity to generate 459.5 megawatts of electricity, enough to power approximately 144,000 homes.

MidAmerican Energy erected the wind turbines following a 2003 challenge from Gov. Tom Vilsack to Iowa utilities, businesses and regulatory officials to work together to bring the state’s renewable energy total to more than 1,000 megawatts by 2010. When MidAmerican Energy completes a 123-megawatt wind project in Pocahontas County later this year, Iowa will have more than 1,000 megawatts of wind energy.

Iowa is third in the nation in wind energy generation, behind Texas and California, and MidAmerican Energy owns more wind energy facilities than any other utility company in the United States.

Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal of Council Bluffs also said he is pleased about more wind energy development in the state. “Iowa has become a national leader in wind energy not through mandates, but by offering incentives and utilizing a cooperative approach involving utilities, lawmakers, regulators, equipment manufacturers and even schools,” Gronstal said. “This is one more major voluntary project that will help Iowa maintain its leadership position on renewable energy.”

In addition to unveiling its new wind energy expansion, MidAmerican Energy has announced plans to erect a wind turbine for renewable energy generation at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Construction of that wind turbine is scheduled to begin this spring and be completed in time for this year’s fair.

Iowa State Fair manager Gary Slater said he’s excited about combining the great tradition of the Iowa State Fair with the renewable energy legacy the state is creating for future generations. “Like the Iowa State Fair, wind energy is good for Iowa,” Slater said. “In addition to showcasing the state’s leadership in renewable energy, MidAmerican Energy’s Iowa State Fair wind turbine will provide fair-goers with an opportunity to learn more about wind energy while generating the equivalent of one quarter of the electricity needed by the Iowa State Fair.”

The Iowa State Fair wind turbine will be built in part due to the generous voluntary customer donations to MidAmerican Energy’s Renewable Advantage program. The program was created as a way for customers of MidAmerican Energy to voluntarily support the construction of additional renewable energy generation in Iowa. Since its inception in 2004, more than $150,000 has been donated to Renewable Advantage. MidAmerican Energy will fund the remaining $743,000 required to erect the wind turbine and make a $4,000 annual payment for the easement for the wind turbine site.

In addition, the owners of MidAmerican Energy are making a $1,090,000 donation to the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation and the Iowa State Fair during the next 10 years through a $109,000 cash contribution each year.

“MidAmerican’s announcement is great news for the Iowa State Fair and Iowa,” said State Senate Minority Whip John Putney, who also heads the Blue Ribbon Foundation. “The Iowa State Fair is gaining another first-class partner, and Iowa continues to benefit from the pursuit of more renewable energy production. Plus, fair-goers will have an opportunity to learn more about Iowa’s leadership role in wind energy, and school groups and other organizations can do the same throughout the year.”

On MidAmerican Energy’s behalf, Renewable Energy program manager Regan Gunn expressed appreciation for customers’ commitment to renewable energy. “To the more than 5,000 MidAmerican Energy customers and employees that have donated to the Renewable Advantage program, thank you for your support of renewable energy,” Gunn said. “It’s good for the environment, and it’s good for Iowa.”

Customers who are interested in donating to the Iowa State Fair wind turbine can make contributions through August by enrolling in the Renewable Advantage program at MidAmerican Energy’s Web site, www.midamericanenergy.com, and selecting Renewable Advantage from the Wind Energy section of the Web site; by calling the company toll free, 888-427-5632; or by checking a box on your monthly bill stub to make a contribution.

MidAmerican Energy Company, Iowa’s largest energy company, provides electric service to 714,000 customers and natural gas service to 696,000 customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. It is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. Information about MidAmerican is available on the Internet at www.midamericanenergy.com.