Muscatine Power and Water on Aug. 19 welcomed leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Iowa Economic Development Authority as part of the DOE’s Powering America Road Show, a national initiative showcasing investments towards affordability, reliability, and security of the nation’s electric grid.
Assistant Secretary Catherine (Katie) Jereza of the DOE Office of Electricity (OE) joined staff from the IEDA and other state officials to highlight OE investments in MPW’s Grid Resiliency, Outage and Workforce Program (GROW) projects.
“Under President Trump, we are bringing critical upgrades directly to rural America,” Jereza said. “MPW’s GROW Project is an excellent example of how federal, state, and local partnerships can deliver real results. DOE is proud to work with MPW to provide affordable and reliable energy to Iowans!”
“We are honored to be selected as a stop in the Department of Energy’s Powering America Road Show,” said Gage Huston, MPW general manager. “These investments are helping us build a stronger, smarter, and more resilient electric system for our customers. The funding allows us to make improvements that will reduce outages, improve system reliability and support future growth throughout our community. We are grateful for the partnership of the DOE and IEDA and proud to showcase the work our employees are doing to strengthen Muscatine’s energy future.”
The projects include:
• Installation of overhead and underground fault indicators
• Conversion of selected overhead electrical lines to underground service
• Implementation of systemwide sectionalization technologies
• Deployment of advanced metering infrastructure demand meters
Together, these improvements enhance MPW’s ability to quickly identify and isolate outages, reduce restoration times and improve overall reliability for 90.5% of MPW’s homes, businesses and critical community facilities, the Iowa public power utility noted.
GROW is made possible by $1.3 million in 40101(d) funding from the Office of Electricity. A Lawrence-Berkley National Lab (LBNL) analysis found that the implementation of the entire 40101(d) project portfolio could lead to an annual energy savings of $194.40 to $469.60 per impacted customer across the entire U.S. electric grid.
“Infrastructure investments like these are about much more than keeping the lights on,” Huston said. “Undergrounding utility lines and modernizing our electric system improve reliability while supporting community revitalization, neighborhood aesthetics and economic development.”
IEDA’s Energy Division Administrator, Kristin Hanks-Bents, praised MPW’s commitment to infrastructure modernization and effective use of grant funding.
“Iowa’s municipal utilities play a critical role in supporting economic growth and quality of life in communities across the state,” Hanks-Bents said. “MPW has demonstrated strong leadership in leveraging Iowa Grid Resilience Fund resources to strengthen its electric system and improve service for residents and businesses. These projects represent exactly the kind of forward-thinking investments the program was designed to support.”
MPW Board Chair Keith Porter said the projects underscore the long-term value of public power and local stewardship.
“As a community-owned utility, MPW is focused on making investments that provide lasting value to our customers," said Porter. “These projects strengthen reliability today while positioning Muscatine for further growth and development. We are proud to see MPW recognized nationally for its commitment to serving our community.”
Brad Bark, president and CEO of the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said reliable utility infrastructure is essential to supporting business investment and workforce growth.
“A resilient and reliable electric system is fundamental to economic development,” Bark said. “Businesses want to invest in communities where critical infrastructure is dependable and forward-looking. These improvements help ensure Muscatine remains a competitive place to live, work and grow.”
The Iowa Grid Resilience Fund supports efforts to improve the all-hazards resilience of Iowa’s electric grid while reducing the frequency and duration of outages. The program provides grants for projects that address current and future electric reliability challenges through modernization and resilience investments.
The Grand River Dam Authority recently welcomed Jereza to Oklahoma for a press conference highlighting the modernization of Unit 2 at the Grand River Energy Center.
