Get Involved

Stay informed about Decorah’s progress toward a Municipal Electric Utility.

what is Public Power?

Public power means homes and businesses run on electricity provided by a not-for-profit, locally-owned utility. We have an opportunity to create public power in Decorah to control our energy future.

LOWER COST

Our feasibility study shows a Decorah electric utility could operate at a 30% lower cost than our current utility provider. Yes, please!

KEEP DOLLARS LOCAL

Pay your energy bill to the City of Decorah rather than to an investor-owned corporation. Millions of dollars could stay in our community.

CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE

Decorah is a leader in energy efficiency and locally-owned renewable energy. With public power, we can meet our stewardship goals!

HIGH RELIABILITY

Municipal electric utilities have less than half the outage duration than the national average. Don’t worry, the lights will stay on!

Did you know?

Municipal Electric Utilities exist all over the country, including in Iowa and Minnesota!

2011

Municipal Electric Utilities in the U.S.

136

Municipal Electric Utilities in Iowa

125

Municipal Electric Utilities in Minnesota

44

rural electric cooperatives in Iowa

Why did you get involved?

  • I can't think of any community in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin or Nebraska that has a municipal electric utility and wishes they could get out of it. The Midwest is a hub of municipalization.

    David Berg, Utility Engineer and Consultant

  • I've worked extensively on energy and climate policies in my career. The need to prevent the worst of the impacts of climate change by transitioning to cleaner forms of energy has never been more important. It's really exciting to be part of such efforts at this very local level.

    Tim Wagner, Vice President and Decorah Resident

  • I see real potential here. An MEU could provide all kinds of benefits that would make our community stronger, and Decorah is uniquely situated to pursue this exciting opportunity.

    Carly Hayden Foster, political science professor

  • We have a golden opportunity. The Decorah utility franchise agreement expires on May 31, 2018. That gives us a chance to consider a municipal electric utility MEU. With an MEU we could enjoy one of the best economic and environmental opportunities available to us.

    Larry Grimstad, retired Decorah banker and solar developer/investor

  • I am interested in a future where resilient, sustainable communities flourish throughout our country—and our world. A municipal electric utility would be a great step toward achieving this vision.

    Tabita Green, Author and Content Strategist

  • The onrushing challenges of global climate change require that we decarbonize our energy production and use. A municipal energy utility will allow us to create a renewable clean energy future for Decorah, keeping our energy dollars local, and making our community more resilient and sustainable.

    Craig Mosher, Retired Social Work Professor

GET INVOLVED

There are many ways to get involved with Decorah Power. We need help with fundraising, getting out the vote, and general buzz creation around town. If you’re interested in helping out, send us a note!

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support the cause

Decorah Power is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization. We are fundraising to cover the cost of a special election campaign in support of public power. Community support is vital. Make your donation today!

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