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Corporate Greed at the Expense of Iowans
Why You Should be Concerned
The Issue
MidAmerican Energy is running one of the largest coal fleets in the country. The monopoly, for-profit company is publicly touting a “100% clean energy vision,” but fails to include any plans to retire or even reduce CO2 emissions from their fossil-fuel generating plants. The simple truth is that MidAmerican Energy is pocketing $120 million of Iowans money to keep its coal plants open. This generation is not needed to serve Iowa customers and generates pollution here at home so shareholders can make money at the expense of Iowans. In 2020, all of the MidAmerican coal generation was excess and beyond what Iowa needed.
The Damages
In 2020, the total excess coal generation from MidAmerican was 7,222,282 MWh, resulting in 8,426,410 tons of CO2 unnecessarily released into the air we breathe and 195,579 tons of fly ash waste placed in Iowa landfills.
More than two-thirds of Iowa counties experience annual corn production losses ranging from 1 to 5 million bushels due to the continued operation of the MidAmerican coal plants. The value of the estimated annual corn production loss in 2021 is $368,280,000 to $1,841,400,000.
When the captive customers of MidAmerican pay for their power, they certainly are not agreeing to health impacts or death as a part of the deal. Yet, MidAmerican corporate greed results in 5 to 13 Iowans dying per year and increases the health care costs of Iowans by $64,681,145 to $145,675,343.
The continued burning of coal by MidAmerican negatively impacts the financial well-being of every Iowan. The annual financial impact to Iowan’s health, crop loss and climate impact is $1.317 billion to $4.624 billion. This is on top of the $1.2 billion in additional costs customers will have to pay to keep coal plants running.
The Solution
Join the Clean Up MidAm Coalition and help us ask MidAm to close its coal plants by 2030 for the health and wealth of Iowans. We need a true 24/7 renewable energy future.
The value of the estimated annual corn production loss in 2021 from MidAmerican coal plants is $368,280,000 to $1,841,400,000.
Excess coal generation from MidAmerican in 2020 resulted in 8,426,410 tons of CO2 unnecessarily released into the air we breathe.
Excess coal generation from MidAmerican in 2020 resulted in 195,579 tons of fly ash waste placed in Iowa landfills.
All numbers on generation and sales come from the Iowa Environmental Council’s 2021 Condition of the State report.
Join The Cause
Iowa ratepayers are captive customers of MidAmerican and forced to pay to keep up the costs of coal plants that are selling generation out of state. While MidAmerican profits, Iowans suffer through both their health and pocketbook. It's time for MidAmerican to be held accountable. Join the cause and ask MidAmerican to give Iowans a definitive date to close its remaining coal plants.
*By joining, you may be contacted by coalition members of Clean Up MidAm.