Sheila Brummer
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Iowa Public Radio
The Trump administration says easing federal restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions will lower electricity costs and help meet growing demand. Critics warn that relying longer on coal could harm public health, worsen air pollution and accelerate climate change.
Madeleine Charis King
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Iowa Public Radio / Aerial Support provided by LightHawk
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Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly visited rural Linn County to announce the loan, which is the final piece of financing the energy center needed. He called the recommissioning an early chapter of “an American nuclear renaissance.” -
Black Hills Energy is facing scrutiny over compliance with state and federal regulations after inspectors found multiple violations. The Iowa Utilities Commission could order the company to pay civil fines or take steps to address the problems. -
Google has been eyeing a site for a potential data center that's currently in unincorporated Linn County but could be annexed into Palo city limits. This week, Palo put a data center ordinance in place, while Linn County opened up talks to circumvent its newly instated moratorium.
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Northwest Iowa’s Woodbury County has joined a growing list of Iowa communities developing regulations for data centers. The vote comes after the City of Salix annexed farmland for a potential data center that MidAmerican Energy is shopping around. -
The City of Cedar Falls is moving forward with plans to build a new gas power plant. Cedar Falls Utilities, which is behind the project, says the plant will support the city's energy independence as the region's electrical grid is increasingly strained. -
The issue of data centers is heating up in a small community just south of Sioux City. Residents say they were left in the dark, and Woodbury County officials are considering new regulations.
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At the first reading of a proposed data zoning ordinance, residents of Palo and nearby communities raised concerns over the negative impacts future data centers could have on water and traffic, as well as light and noise pollution. Many people asked for the city to tighten regulations, while several others asked the city to table the ordinance completely. -
With U.S. electricity demand expected to grow significantly by the end of the decade, and the U.S. Department of Energy trying to achieve net-zero emissions in the power sector by 2035, more clean power will need to come online. In eastern Iowa, the potential restart of a nuclear plant could signal what’s ahead for the country.
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Home improvement expert Bill McAnally breaks down what’s worth fixing, what’s worth replacing and how to make your home more energy efficient. McAnally also answers listener questions about windows and other home improvement projects, offering practical advice for tackling the jobs on your to-do list and deciding what upgrades are worth the investment.
