Iowa Regulators Cut Natural Gas Rates at Alliant Energy

Iowa regulators have ordered Alliant Energy to reduce natural gas rates by nearly $2.6 million after finding that the utility had charged customers for executive jet charters and failed to pass on savings from voluntary employee buyouts and outsourcing customer services.

The Iowa Utilities Commission, in a 2-to-1 decision released August 26, also opened another case to investigate Alliant's transparency about costs when asking for rate hikes. Large energy users, the Iowa attorney general's consumer advocate, and other stakeholders had raised concerns that Alliant hadn't been transparent.

Alliant said it would comply with the order, which requires a $0.01886 per therm reduction in residential gas rates.