DES MOINES, Iowa (February 17, 2025) – MidAmerican Energy is taking big steps to ensure reliable, affordable power for its customers in the years to come, especially as demand for electricity keeps growing. The company is proposing two new generation projects to best serve its customers – particularly during times when they need it most and regardless of the weather.

 

MidAmerican today filed plans with the Iowa Utilities Commission to build a solar energy project across several sites in Iowa that is expected to generate up to 800 megawatts of power.

 

The company also plans to develop two natural gas-fired combustion turbines at one location in Adair County that will generate 465 megawatts of power.

 

“We’re focused on ensuring our customers always have reliable power, no matter what’s going on with the weather,” Kelcey Brown, president and CEO, said. “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.”

 

Currently, MidAmerican’s electric rates in Iowa are 42% below the national average. The proposed generating projects will help the company keep rates affordable while also ensuring customers have the around-the-clock energy they need.

 

The 2025 Solar Reliability Project would complement MidAmerican’s vast wind fleet, providing increased energy at times when wind energy may be lower. Like wind, solar energy requires no fuel and helps to keep energy prices low for customers. The project is expected to produce enough energy to serve 144,000 typical homes while occupying about 4,800 acres of land.

 

Under the proposal, MidAmerican would add solar installations at approximately six sites through 2027 and 2028. Collectively, the project would provide nearly $25 million in property tax payments and $270 million in landowner lease payments over the operational life of the project. Not all site locations have been finalized.

 

MidAmerican is requesting Iowa Utilities Commission approval for the company’s proposed solar project by August. If approved, construction would begin next year and generate energy beginning in 2027.

 

“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,” Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair (R-Wayne County), said. “Developing a diverse mix of energy sources that keeps rates affordable and serves Iowans into the future just makes good sense.”

 

In addition, MidAmerican is proposing a natural gas-fired combustion turbine project in Adair County, called the Orient Energy Center, which would generate an additional 465 megawatts of power beginning in 2028. This project is a substantial commitment to energy reliability, investing in generation resources that will serve customers for the next 40 years.

 

The Orient Energy Center is expected to operate when load is at its peak and when customers need it the most, estimated at less than 10% of the year. The facility will provide more than 400 jobs during construction, approximately $7 million in property tax revenues over its service life and will bring up to five skilled craft jobs that pay between $100,000 to $125,000 annually to the community.

 

“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,” Iowa Representative Ray “Bubba” Sorensen (R-Adair County), said.

 

A planning report that MidAmerican released in November, called a resource evaluation study, examined energy demand projections over a 20-year timeline. The company study projected above-average load growth and the need for near-term capacity additions to meet the growth as soon as 2026.

 

The study evaluated the energy resources that would most cost-effectively and reliably serve projected customer needs. The report identified solar energy and natural gas-fired combustion turbines as the best resources in the short-term and eventually small modular nuclear reactor generation in the long-term.

 

Through this mix of near-term solar and natural gas generating projects, MidAmerican seeks to address the looming energy supply shortfall and be able to serve customers with reliable and affordable energy well into the future – advancing its all-of-the-above and around-the-clock energy strategy.

 

About MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican Energy, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, serves 829,000 electric customers in Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota, and 803,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Information about MidAmerican Energy is available at midamericanenergy.com and company social media channels.