First on decorahnews.com: Here's what the informal complaint letter the City of Decorah has sent to the Iowa Utilities Board about Alliant Energy says

A 9-page letter from the City of Decorah is on its way to the Iowa Utilities Board, an informal complaint asking the IUB to look into practices by Alliant Energy involving a potential franchise agreement with the City of Decorah.

A copy of the letter has been obtained by decorahnews.com.

The letter asks the IUB to investigate Alliant Energy's "government facilities relocation practices," especially as they pertain to Decorah and the Locust Road reconstruction.  It goes on to claim, "In an effort to gain leverage over Decorah in the franchise (agreement) negotiations, (Alliant) has threatened to enforce the government facilities relocation rider against Decorah if the city does not agree to signing a franchise agreement."

The letter to the IUB calls such an action "improper, unreasonable and in violation of Alliant's obligation to provide reasonable service to Decorah and its citizens."  The letter says the threat is being made in order for Alliant to obtain favorable terms in an agreement with Decorah.

It then quotes the Iowa Utility Board's own wording in the recent ruling about Alliant Energy's rate increase request: "Because a rate-regulated electric utility is a monopoly in its service territory, it has a duty to be transparent and to provide accurate information to customers and communities in that service territory."

Later, the letter says, "It is thus understandable that Decorah would be suspicious of Alliant's motives, given Alliant's past history of less than honest interactions with the City."

The City of Decorah's letter says Decorah is the only community that has been threatened with being charged the costs of relocating electrical lines.  "There simply is no reason to single out Decorah for the payment of relocation costs if Alliant is absorbing the costs of relocation of its facilities everywhere else, or is charging those costs to all customers through base rates."

The letter concludes by asking the Utility Board to investigate Alliant's relocation practices and charges.  It asks that Alliant be ordered to relocate its existing facilities and equipment on public property at Decorah's request, within reasonable limits.