Local Ownership Helps Reduce Electric Bill Costs
CFU Customers Benefit from Generating Assets CFU Owns
CFU provides power to customers two ways; purchasing electricity from the regional energy market or generating electricity through the plants CFU owns.
Today, most of the electricity we provide to customers is purchased through a regional energy market. The energy generated by nearly all wind turbines, solar panels and fuel-dependent plants in Iowa flows into the energy market pool daily.
Our community is fortunate to benefit from abundant wind energy in our region, making the regional energy market largely renewable and the right financial choice for CFU customers on most days.
CFU Generating Assets Reduce Energy We Must Buy from Regional Energy Market When Costs are High
When the wind isn’t blowing and we lose wind generation, traditional generation from fuel-dependent plants provides the energy our region needs. When we experience extreme cold and low wind speeds, natural gas costs spike impacting the energy from traditional generation as well. On these days, prices in the regional energy market can be extremely high.
CFU customers benefit from the local generating assets CFU owns. CFU maintains our local Streeter Station power plant, natural gas turbines and solar array. In addition, CFU owns shares of large power plants in western Iowa.
These all allow CFU to reduce the amount of energy we must buy when market prices are extremely high, helping to control utility bill costs for our customers.
Next Generation Energy
As we look to the future CFU will work to maintain an energy portfolio that provides reliable and affordable energy for our customers. Our local power plants are over 50 years old and we know it is time to consider what comes next.
In 2025, CFU is evaluating building a local, flexible-engine energy center that can be fueled by natural gas and modified to include other alternative fuel sources.
The unique flexibility of the energy center would allow for ultra-fast starts and stops to meet demand as needed and quickly adjust to the renewable energy supply on the market.
Additionally, the technology is more efficient and produces lower emissions levels than our existing power plants.
Look for more information on the next generation of energy at CFU in the coming months. Learn more at cfu.net/generation.