MidAmerican Energy, based in Des Moines, has long been a central player in Iowa’s energy sector, providing electric and gas power throughout Iowa. It has invested almost $15 billion in wind and solar projects since 2004.
MidAmerican operates 38 wind farms in the state, with more than 3,400 turbines spanning 33 counties and more than 7,600 MW of clean energy capacity, generating enough power for more than 2.4 million residences annually. In 2015, the company announced that it was building the tallest land-based wind turbine in the country. Standing at 557 feet tall, the new turbine at Adams County wind farm reaches as high as the Washington Monument. Then, in 2023, MidAmerican Energy paid approximately $43.6 million in easement and lease payments to over 4,000 partner landowners in Iowa for its wind installations, as well as $47.7 million in property tax payments, which provide funding for essential services like education, infrastructure, and public health.
Photo Courtesy MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican also operates six solar installations, representing nearly 400,000 solar modules, generating more than 140 MW of energy, and a hydro facility generating more than 3 MW. The 3 MW Waterloo solar project, one of the smaller systems, has enough capacity to provide electricity for almost 19,700 residences. In comparison, the Holliday Creek solar project in Webster County stands at 100 MW. Regardless of size, each solar project follows the sun from east to west across the sky daily to maximize electricity generation, which can then be distributed through a direct connection to the local system.
With a proclaimed mission to reach net zero by 2050, the company hit an important milestone in 2022, when it managed to deliver 100% renewable wind energy to customers in Iowa. That same year, MidAmerican announced its plans for the $3.9 billion Wind PRIME project, whose name is intended to “convey that now is the prime time to embark on this opportunity,” the company explained in a press release. It would add 2,042 megawatts of wind generation and 50 megawatts of solar generation, creating more than 1,100 construction jobs and 125 operations and maintenance jobs. The project is also projected to generate over $24 million annually in local property taxes and over $21 million in easement payments annually.
As Governor Kim Reynolds expressed, “Iowa is a renewable energy leader, thanks in large part to MidAmerican Energy’s proven track record of clean energy commitments and investments that are a true competitive advantage for our state. MidAmerican’s Wind PRIME is a commitment and investment on a whole new level, cementing Iowa’s clean energy leadership for many years to come. Beyond that, though, the company’s commitment to study and pursue emerging clean energy technologies will help Iowa meet the growing demand for a sustainable economy that manages our carbon footprint.”
Photo Courtesy MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican filed an informational resource evaluation study with the Iowa Utilities Commission in November. The company collaborated with organizations like the Iowa Business Energy Coalition, the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, the Iowa Environmental Council, as well as Microsoft and Google, to lay out a long-term plan for the company’s all-of-the-above energy strategy spanning the next two decades. The ultimate goal is to secure energy reliability and low costs using a combination of natural gas, nuclear, solar, and wind power.
MidAmerican filed additional plans with the Iowa Utilities Commission in February, proposing two new energy generation projects. In a press release, the company explained that it was “taking big steps to ensure reliable, affordable power for its customers in the years to come, especially as demand for electricity keeps growing.”
First, the company wants to build a solar project that will span 4,800 acres across six locations in the state. This 2025 Solar Reliability Project, which will see the solar installations go up in 2027 and 2028, will generate up to 800 MW of energy and produce enough power for 144,000 Iowan residences. MidAmerican expects the projects to result in $270 million in lease payments to landowners and $25 million in property taxes across the projects’ lifetimes.
Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair (R-Wayne County) reflected in the press release, “It’s crucial for our economy to have energy that’s there when we need it most – regardless of whether it’s hot, cold, windy or cloudy. Developing a diverse mix of energy sources that keeps rates affordable and serves Iowans into the future just makes good sense.”
Photo Courtesy MidAmerican Energy
Second, the company wants to build two natural gas-fired combustion turbines in Adair County, collectively generating 465 MW of power once the project is up and running in 2028. This $600 million Orient Energy Center will only be used at times of peak energy and most need, or less than 10% of the year, and it will have a 40-year project lifetime. It would create 400 construction jobs and five skilled craft jobs and generate $7 million in property taxes over its lifetime.
As Rep. Ray “Bubba” Sorensen (R-Adair County) said, “Adding a tried-and-true natural gas power plant in Adair County to MidAmerican’s existing generation resources and the proposed renewable project is an ‘all-of-the-above’ solution that will help keep Iowa ahead of the curve and ensure we maintain a reliable grid.”
Photo Courtesy MidAmerican Energy
In the words of Kelcey Brown, president and CEO of MidAmerican Energy, “We’re focused on ensuring our customers always have reliable power, no matter what’s going on with the weather. We’re always looking ahead, planning for decades in the future, to make sure we meet the needs of our customers in the most affordable and sustainable way.”
