Cooperative
Advocacy
Area legislators know rural electric cooperatives of Iowa offer knowledgeable answers to their questions, supporting issues that could affect your electric rates and cooperative service.
Iowa's rural electric cooperatives take many opportunities each year to personally visit with our elected officials providing them a cooperative perspective on issues important to our business. Directors, managers, and staff are important advocates to your legislators for a balanced approach addressing energy issues allowing Iowa's member-owned rural electric cooperatives to continue providing affordable, reliable, safe, and environmentally responsible power to more than 650,000 Iowans.
REC Day on the Hill
Over 200 cooperative supporters, including representatives from Harrison County Rural Electric Cooperative travel to Des Moines every March to advocate for electric cooperatives. Cooperative representatives met for a briefing by Kevin Condon, Government Relations Director of Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives, to receive updates on state and federal legislative issues.
Cooperative representatives educated legislators on the benefits of the cooperative business model, including local ownership, cost-based rates and democratic governance. Legislators also learned about three priorities important to Iowa’s electric cooperatives:
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Ensuring safety and reliability of service through vegetation management
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Supporting cost-effective energy efficiency programs for homes and farms
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Responsible power generation and delivery through fair treatment of all member-owners and utilization of advanced technology
Many electric cooperatives also displayed booths in the rotunda which provided information on topics including energy efficiency programs, rural broadband efforts, investments in technology and rural economic development. Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) and its member distribution cooperatives were among those who advocated on behalf of their 31,000 members-owners living in western Iowa.
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State and Federal Legislative Issues
Iowa Rural Power
Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives
Iowa’s member-owned electric cooperative advocates have an authentic, American story to tell and are banding together to promote safe, reliable, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy for Iowans. Iowa Rural Power takes pride in representing the interests of the rural families and businesses electric co-ops provide electricity to.
It is more important than ever that policymakers at both the state and federal level understand how proposed energy policies will uniquely affect the well-being of rural Iowa. Rural Power advocates are leading the way in discussing what needs to be done to ensure electric cooperative member-owners have the power they need to support their communities.
You can help your electric cooperative in this effort by continuing the discussion with friends, family, and elected officials. Get involved today and help make sure policymakers and candidates represent the interests of rural Iowa!
Voices for Cooperative Power
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
VCP is a network of electric co-op members working together to influence elected officials who are making energy policy decisions that impact our co-ops and, by extension, our way of life. Speaking up on issues that impact electric co-ops sends a message to elected officials about the needs of our communities – and their constituencies.