# Iowa Electricity Rate Changes: What Changed in 2026 and What's Next > Alliant Energy's Iowa base rates are frozen until at least late 2029, so nothing changed on October 1, 2026. Riders still move bills, and MidAmerican Energy has a rate increase proposal before state regulators. - URL: https://solarexaminer.com/posts/iowa-electricity-rate-changes-2026/ - Site: Solar Examiner (https://solarexaminer.com/) - Category: Electric Rates - Published: 2026-10-04 - Last verified: 2026-10-04 - Author: Tehseen Arbab ## Key takeaways - We found no Iowa base rate change dated October 1, 2026. - Alliant Energy's base rates last changed in October 2024 and are under a moratorium that keeps them stable until at least late 2029. - Alliant still expects 2026 electric bills to rise, because riders are changing. - MidAmerican Energy has a proposed rate increase in docket RPU-2026-0001. Public comment meetings were held September 8 to 10, 2026. Iowa did not have a base rate change on October 1, 2026. The state's two large utilities are in different positions: Alliant Energy is under a base rate freeze, and MidAmerican Energy is seeking an increase. This article covers Alliant Energy (Interstate Power and Light) and MidAmerican Energy. It does not cover cooperatives or municipal utilities. ## Quick Summary | Item | Utility | Status | |---|---|---| | Base rates | Alliant | Changed October 2024; frozen until at least late 2029 | | Riders | Alliant | Changing in 2026; bills expected to rise | | Proposed rate increase | MidAmerican | Docket RPU-2026-0001; comment meetings Sept. 8 to 10, 2026 | | October 1, 2026 | Both | No base rate change found | ## Alliant: Frozen Base Rates, Moving Riders Alliant's Iowa outlook page says new base rates took effect in October 2024, and that a moratorium "keeps base rates stable until at least late-2029." It also says overall 2026 electric bills are expected to rise for residential customers, because of: - **The Renewable Energy Rider ending,** with its costs moving into base rates. - **The Tax Benefit Rider expiring** on October 1, 2025. That rider had been lowering bills. - **A higher Regional Transmission Service charge.** - Partly offset by an expected decrease in the Energy Adjustment Clause, which recovers fuel costs. Alliant lists its residential basic service charge at $0.5096 a day, about $15.50 a month. ## MidAmerican: Increase Proposed On June 2, 2026, the Iowa Utilities Commission approved the customer notices MidAmerican must send before filing a rate case (docket RPU-2026-0001). Under Iowa law, temporary rates can start 10 days after a utility files and are subject to refund with interest. Comment meetings were set for September 8 to 10 in Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Sioux City and online. The commission's release does not state the size of the increase, and we did not find it elsewhere. MidAmerican says Iowa's residential electric rates rank sixth lowest in the country. A local TV report said Alliant's residential rates were 62% higher than MidAmerican's in 2024. ## What This Means for Homeowners With Solar We did not verify Iowa's current net metering or export credit rules for this article, so we give no export rates here. Ask your utility for its current solar tariff, and check how exported energy is credited before sizing a system. Fixed monthly charges are not reduced by solar. Our [solar payback guide](/posts/solar-payback-period-without-federal-tax-credit/) shows how the retail rate and the export credit change the math. ## What to Check on Your Bill 1. The basic service charge. 2. The Energy Adjustment Clause. 3. The Regional Transmission Service line. 4. MidAmerican customers: any line labeled temporary or interim rates. For help sorting the lines on your bill, see our guide to [reading your electric bill](/posts/how-to-read-your-electric-bill/). ## Limitations Alliant information comes from its own customer outlook page. We did not find MidAmerican's proposed amount, its filing date or whether temporary rates have started. We did not open commission dockets. ## Sources - [Alliant Energy, Iowa Energy Cost Outlook](https://www.alliantenergy.com/account-and-billing/understanding-bill-rates/iowa/outlook) - [Iowa Utilities Commission, "IUC issues order approving customer notices for MidAmerican Energy Company proposed rate increase," June 2, 2026](https://iuc.iowa.gov/press-release/2026-06-02/iuc-issues-order-approving-customer-notices-midamerican-energy-company-proposed-rate-increase) - [MidAmerican Energy, "MidAmerican pushes back on report's misleading claims," 2026](https://www.midamericanenergy.com/newsroom/2026-misleading-claims) - [KTVO, "Businesses push for Alliant Energy to lower its proposed rate increase"](https://ktvo.com/news/local/businesses-push-for-alliant-energy-to-lower-its-proposed-rate-increase-of-about-1125) ## Frequently asked questions ### Did Iowa electric rates change on October 1, 2026? We found no base rate change on that date. Alliant Energy's base rates are frozen until at least late 2029. Riders can still change. ### If Alliant's base rates are frozen, why is my bill higher? Alliant says 2026 electric bills are expected to rise because a renewable energy rider ended and its costs moved into base rates, a tax benefit rider expired on October 1, 2025, and the regional transmission charge is expected to rise. ### Is MidAmerican Energy raising rates? It has proposed to. The Iowa Utilities Commission approved customer notices in June 2026 in docket RPU-2026-0001 and scheduled comment meetings for September. We did not find the proposed amount. Image credit: Photo by James Wainscoat on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/photos/brown-and-black-electric-towers-under-white-sky-during-daytime-ACc9WvDRJA8?utm_source=solarexaminer&utm_medium=referral)