State of Iowa's Office of Consumer Advocate weighs in on City of Decorah complaint against Alliant Energy

The staff of the Iowa Utilities Board has made a ruling in the City of Decorah's complaint against Alliant Energy which largely sides with the utility instead of with the city and the Decorah City Council has now approved a 15-year franchise agreement with Alliant.  But now comes the Office of Consumer Advocate of the Iowa Department of Justice to weigh in on the issues raised by the City of Decorah's complaint.

In a letter filed Friday with the IUB, the Consumer Advocate writes that "important questions remain unanswered" about Alliant's application of its process of often not charging municipalities with franchise agreements for the costs of utility work in those municipalities.

The Office of Consumer Advocate wants information about how Alliant Energy determines which city projects should be paid for with funds raised through general electrical rates and which are recovered by charging municipalities.

OCA also writes that it wants information about whether the costs of a project determines whether it is cost-shared through general rates or recovered through charging municipalities.

A third question asks how Alliant protects its customers from project costs which are not reasonable and prudent.