The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) is a 3-member public utilities commission, with beginnings in 1878. It is a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates services and rates of electric, natural gas, water and telecommunication providers in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to th ...

and has existed with its present name since 1986.

Brief history (1878–1986)

The history of the IUB begins in 1878 as the ''Iowa Board of Railroad Commissioners'', whose three members were publicly elected for a two-year term. In 1911, an ''Office of Commerce Counsel'' was established within, which with increasing electrification took on the regulation of transmission lines. It was renamed the ''Iowa State Commerce Commission'' in 1937.History of the Iowa Utilities Board
Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016 It was only in 1963 that the regulation of rates and services of all

public utility A public utility company (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using that infrastructure). Public utilities are subject to forms of public control and r ...

companies (electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunications) became Commission tasks. At the same time, the legislature extended commissioner terms to six years and the positions became appointed. In 1986, the state renamed the Commission as Iowa Utilities Board.

Authority

The Iowa Utilities Board regulates rates and services of

electric utilities An electric utility is a company in the electric power industry (often a public utility) that engages in electricity generation and distribution of electricity for sale generally in a regulated market. The electrical utility industry is a major p ...

, natural gas utility and

water utilities The water industry provides drinking water and wastewater services (including sewage treatment) to residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of the economy. Typically public utilities operate water supply networks. The water industry does ...

, and a some telecommunication companies per Iowa Code chapters 476 through 479B It supervises all pipelines and transmission lines, and the sale and distribution of electricity. In addition it has various connected authorities like resolving disputes and dealing with complaints, enforcing safety as far as engineering standards go.Jurisdiction and Regulatory Authority of the Iowa Utilities Board
Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016

Electric utilities

The IUB regulates service and rates of the 2 Iowa electric companies,

MidAmerican Energy MidAmerican Energy Company is an energy company based in Des Moines, Iowa. Its service area includes almost two-thirds of Iowa, as well as portions of Illinois, South Dakota, and Nebraska. Its territory is wholly encompassed by the territory of ...

and Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Company and also the

Rural Electric Cooperatives A utility cooperative is a type of cooperative that is tasked with the delivery of a public utility such as electricity, water or telecommunications to its members. Profits are either reinvested for infrastructure or distributed to members in ...

(RECs). The latter can choose to be regulated for rates and only the

Linn County, Iowa Linn County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 census, the population was 230,299, making it the second-most populous county in Iowa. The county seat is Cedar Rapids. Linn County is named in honor of Senator Lewis F. ...

REC has chosen to do so.

Communications utilities

The IUB regulates only the service of landline telephone providers in Iowa, and neither regulates cellphone providers nor any rates. Since 2007 it issue cable television franchise agreements.

Waterworks

The IUB regulates rates and service of only the Iowa-American Water Company, which operates in Davenport, Iowa and

Clinton, Iowa Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Clinton County, Iowa, United States. The population was 24,469 as of 2020. Clinton, along with DeWitt (also located in Clinton County), was named in honor of the sixth governor of New York, DeWitt C ...

. It neither regulate small, nor municipally owned water utilities.

Members

Members are appointed by the

Governor of Iowa A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

for 6-year terms. the IUB consists of Libby Jacobs, Nick Wagner with Geri Huser as chairwoman.Board members
Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016 Huser has been described as "businessfriendly". Board members since the board's inception in 1986 are listed in the table per its website.Past Commissioners/Board Members
Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016

Court cases

* '' Verizon Communications Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission (2002)'' * '' Sprint Communications, Inc. v. Jacobs'', began in 2011Court proceedings
Iowa Utilities Board, 14 March 2016, retrieved 18 March 2016 * Mt. Pleasant Municipal Utilities v. Iowa Utilities Board, 2014 *Hawkeye land company v. Iowa Utilities Board, 2014
/ref> * Great Lakes Communication Corporation v. IUB, began in 2015

References

External links

Iowa Utilities Board Website
{{authority control

State agencies of Iowa