Iowa Utilites Bd - Electric IncCity Manager's Office
City
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque. Iowa 520014864
(563} 589-4110 office
(563} 589-4149 fax
ciymgr@cityofdubuque.org
Iowa Utilities Board
350 Maple Street
Des Moines, iowa 50319-0069.
Interstate Power and Light Company (Alliant Energy Company)
Electric Rate Increase Request; Docket No. RPU-02-3
June 13, 2002
Dear Board Members:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Interstate Power and Light Company (Alliant Energy Company) has been one of the
City's economic development partners throughout the years. The City of Dubuque
commends the company in its policy to assist the City in developing our industrial parks,
and in assisting in attracting new development to the City.
The City of Dubuque operates municipal utilities, and understands the need to adjust
rates as capital and operational costs continue to rise. Therefore. the City is not
opposed to a rate increase. We have confidence the Iowa Utilities Board will determine
the appropriate percentage of increase the company will be granted.
However, the City of Dubuque is very concerned that the proposed rate increase,
combined with the equalization of rates in all AIliant zones, will have significant impacts
on all classes of users in Dubuque. The increase in Dubuque rates could be significantly
higher than the 9.6% increase under consideration. Our analysis and comparison with
other zones indicates that the increase could be as high as 29%. We hope you would
agree that such an increase would be excessive.
Interstate Power has been a very efficient utility. Our current rates in the City of
Dubuque are reflective of that efficiency. Our citizens and businesses were not
responsible for the Interstate Power merging with companies who were not as efficient
or companies with high capital and operating costs for nuclear power plants. Therefore
our citizens should not be penalized because of these mergers.
The City of Dubuque respectfully requests the Iowa Utilities Board protect our citizens
and businesses from the significant negative impacts of the combination of equalization
of rates and the requested increase.
Sincerely,
Michael Van Milligen
City Manager
Cc:
Terrance Duggan, Mayor
Dubuque City Council Members
Barry Lindahl, Corporation Council
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Bill Baum, Economic Development Director