(Radio Iowa) – A bill about state regulations for energy projects — like nuclear reactors and battery storage facilities — has cleared a subcommittee in the Iowa House unanimously. However, after fielding a string of complaints about the bill the bipartisan panel is asking critics to submit alternatives they’d support. Representative Hans Wilz of Ottumwa spoke to a large group of lobbyists after he and the two other subcommittee members met privately to discuss how to proceed.

“We feel we should take this forward, but with the conversation we’ve had with you and your representation of ratepayers and stakeholders, we expect you guys to send us the suggestions that you feel would make this better,” Wilz said. There’s not a single utility company, business association or advocacy group that supports the bill, which includes a few elements of a proposal Governor Reynolds made a year ago. Matt Hinch, a lobbyist for MidAmerican Energy, asked legislators what problem they’re trying to fix with the bill.

“Iowa has arguably one of the best regulatory structures in the nation,” Hinch said. “…Iowa is dead last when it relates to the increases in the average retail rate for electricity. Over the last five years, the average retail rate for electricity has increased by four cents per kilowatt hour on average. Iowa’s has increased by one cent.” Ted Stopulus, a lobbyist for Alliant Energy, suggests removing a section of the bill that he says may require the Iowa Utilities Commission to link its decisions on wind and solar projects with previous decisions on other types of energy generation.

“We believe an all-of-the-above energy strategy is the best strategy and putting the thumb on the scale one way or another hinders that policy objective,” Stopulous said. Two groups object to a sentence in the bill that says it’s the intent of the legislature to encourage development of nuclear electric power. Robert Palmer is a lobbyist for the Iowa Business Energy Coalition which represents 10 of the largest manufacturers in Iowa.

“When that gets over to the Iowa Utilities Commission, that could be interpreted as the Iowa legislature putting more weight behind nuclear,” he said, “and thereby leading potentially it being approved in certain circumstances where other other technologies may be valuable.” Bob Rafferty, a lobbyist for Iowa Business for Clean Energy, says that statement goes on to say Iowa should pursue nuclear energy “to meet local and regional needs.”

“When it says regional needs and that term, it’s going to refer to the MISO footprint. The MISO footprint includes 13 states,” Rafferty said. “I don’t think (Iowa) ratepayers should be on the hook to build nuclear energy for Illinois.”

MISO refers to the MidContinent Independent System Operator which manages the flow of electricity along high-voltage, long-distance power lines in the region.