At the February Board of Water, Electric and Communications Trustees meeting, the Board
approved Muscatine Power and Water’s (MPW) annual submittal of its reliability plan to the
Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC), fulfilling a regulatory requirement for municipal electric utilities.
This annual update and approval process ensures MPW’s electrical infrastructure remains
robust and capable of delivering reliable power to the community. General Manager, Gage
Huston, shared with the Board, “Submission of this annual Reliability Plan is an important step,
but it really serves as a capstone to the myriad policies, protocols, preventive maintenance
procedures, and reinvestment plans MPW has in place that drive reliability for our customers.”
Huston continued, “Our team at MPW takes great pride in the high level of reliability it provides
to our community.” In 2024, MPW was recognized by the American Public Power Association
(APPA) with their Excellence in Reliability award based on its reliability performance, the fifth
consecutive time MPW received this designation.
MPW also received APPA’s prestigious E.F. Scattergood System Achievement Award in 2024.
This award, presented to just a few utilities nationally each year, recognizes outstanding
achievements in system reliability, innovation, and service to our community.
“Strengthening the reliability of our electrical infrastructure is a top priority for MPW,” shared
Huston. “Annual evaluation of our reliability plan and addressing any issues before they become
problems ensures our customers have dependable power every day.”
Plans for the Utility’s annual Power Breakfast, scheduled for March, were shared at the meeting. The event is an opportunity for MPW’s senior leadership team to provide updates about significant projects and initiatives. The Power Breakfast presentation will be recorded and made available via Public Access Channel 9 on MPW TV and MPW’s YouTube channel.
Mark Roberts, director of finance and administrative services, reported January net income of
$505,000 was $516,000 below budget. Key reasons for the shortfall were wholesale electric
market conditions that caused a $171,000 shortfall and start-of-year labor timing adjustments
that contributed to $416,000 of above-budget labor costs. Compared to January 2024, the
month’s net income was $112,000 higher. Roberts noted water sales were 136 million gallons
(15%) below budget and 158 million gallons (18%) below January 2024, which was due in part
to a longer billing cycle for a large customer last year.
In other business, the Board:
- Approved payment for January 2025 expenditures and transactions for a total of $7,347,754.56
- Received and place on file the annual MPW Employee’s Pension Plan and Investment report
- Received and placed on file the February 2025 General Manager Utility Reports