Public Power Communities: Spencer, Iowa

The foundations of civic life in Spencer, Iowa — the town’s first school, flour mill, and post office — were built before the town was officially founded in 1871. Steven Pick, general manager and CEO at Spencer Municipal Utilities, said the basis for the town’s electric system followed soon after, when an electric light plant was formed in 1891. A decade later, in 1901, the city officially took over the electric system. When the town voted to move the utility under a separate board of trustees in 1942, they christened its electric system Spencer Municipal Utilities, which has retained its structure and charter through today.

Spencer quickly became a hub for commerce and industry upon its founding, and the town remains the economic heart of Clay County over 150 years later. This vitality is interwoven with the town’s welcoming, civic-minded spirit. “We have a supportive community with the city, chamber, economic development, education, and healthcare systems that all work together to make Spencer shine,” Pick said.

The local hospital continues to work toward improving access to healthcare for the surrounding rural communities, including adding Abben Cancer Center, which partners with the University of Iowa to provide specialized oncology treatment.

Spencer is also home to the Clay County Fair, a gathering that has been held in September each year since 1918 and stands as one of the largest county fairs in the U.S., drawing over 300,000 attendees annually. The fair is a frequent stop for presidential candidates in election years.

The connection SMU’s employees feel to the community informs their work, which Pick described as driven by a spirit of civic engagement and dedication to the town’s well-being. “Working for a community-owned utility each day brings a sense of pride in the work that our team here at SMU does for the community. We really make it possible for the community to live, work, and play.”

This dedication was especially important in the wake of flooding in 2024, caused by heavy rainfall that led to water surges from Little Sioux and Ocheyedan Rivers. The flooding, which the National Weather Service described as “historic,” was abrupt and jarring for Spencer’s residents, and Pick noted that electric staff worked overtime with assistance from other utilities under the Public Power Mutual Aid Network to get power back online.

“One of the most impactful things we did for the community of Spencer was our response to the 2024 flood. Our staff worked diligently to get services restored for customers, even while their own homes were also affected by the flood.”

While SMU staff see themselves as stewards of the town’s culture and safety, they are also focused on developing a future-forward energy grid.

“We are in the planning stages to replace our local electric generation plant,” shared Amanda Gloyd, SMU’s marketing and community relations manager. “We are also working on a battery storage project to benefit from periods of low-priced market energy.”

This commitment to ensuring Spencer’s grid will support future generations ties back to the public power utility’s core mission, which Gloyd summarized as “making sure we are prepared for our community’s continued success.”