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Q&A

Aren't the facts clear that municipal utilities in Iowa charge customers far less than incumbent utilities?
Why shouldn't the city just use the profits the incumbent utility is making to lower electric bills and help fund city operations?
Won't a new city utility be able to buy electricity at the same prices the investor-owned utility pays?
If a city forms a government utility, can it later turn back to the investor-owned utility?
Why can't the city build its own power plant?
If Emmetsburg can do it, why can't my town?

Emmetsburg remains a long way from actually forming a government utility. The process ahead of the town in achieving regulatory approvals and court settlements could take 10 or more years and many millions of dollars. Other cities have studied the issue, and spent lots of money in pursuit of it, but the fact is that no city has taken over a utility in nearly 30 years. It's an idea whose time has passed.
Why can't investor-owned utilities unbundle their rates, let the city take over distribution and keep selling the city utility generation and transmission at the current prices?



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