Industry Billing & Assessments

The IUC invoices companies for two types of assessments:

  • Industry direct assessments, which reflect IUC or Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) staff time directly related to a docket or project for a specific company.
  • Remainder assessments, which are costs for staff time that is related to work within an industry type but not billable to a specific docket.

Iowa Code ยง 476.10 authorizes the IUC to invoice and collect remainder and industry direct assessments based on each company's net assessable revenues as reported in its most recent Annual Report filing. The net assessable revenues used to compute the fiscal year remainder assessments are listed on an invoice sent to each utility. Direct assessments are invoiced quarterly and remainder assessments are invoiced annually.

IUC Billing Events

BILLING EVENTPERIOD 
COVERED 		INDUSTRY
TYPE		INVOICE
DATE 		DUE
DATE
FY25 Q1 Direct 7/1/2024-09/30/2024  All11/22/2024*12/22/2024 
FY25 Q2 Direct10/1/2024-12/31/2024 All 02/03/2025* 03/03/2025 
CY23 Dual Party Relay Assessment 1/1/2024-12/31/2024 Telecom  05/15/2025* 06/15/2025*
FY25 Q3 Direct1/1/2025-3/31/2025 All 05/01/2025* 06/01/2025*
FY25 Q4 Direct4/1/2025-6/30/2025 All 08/01/2025* 09/01/2025*
FY25 Remainder7/1/2024-6/30/2025 All 11/01/2025* 12/01/2025

*expected

Billing factors

To determine the billable amount for invoices, the IUC uses a billing rate that is evaluated each year. The billing rate is the hourly rate determined by staff's job classification and is designed to recover IUCโ€™s total budgeted expenses less receipts from other sources (such as federal support, intrastate receipts, fees, licenses or permits). IUC and OCA staff track their time on an hourly basis for dockets and other projects, and the billing rate is calculated using actual salary and benefit data. Overhead costs are calculated and included in the billing rate.

The billing rate is set using a base rate times a factor.  IUC FY24 remainder/industry direct assessment rates by industry type are:

  • Rate-Regulated Companies

    Electric Utilities โ€” $0.000468477 or $0.47 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
    Gas Utilities โ€” $0.000994295 or $0.99 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
    Water Utilities โ€” $0.0001911228 or $0.19 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
    Telecom Service Providers โ€” $0.002654514 or $2.65 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenues

  • Non-Rate-Regulated Companies

    Electric Utilities โ€” $0.0002342384 or $0.23 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
    Gas Utilities โ€” $0.0004971473 or $0.50 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
    Telecom Service Providers โ€” $0.0013272571 or $1.33 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue

Base Rate = Average Salary รท 1,700 Hours
Factor = FY Legislative Authorization amount as determined by Administration and Regulation Bill รท total direct billed salaries

For current calculations used, see this FY24 Billing Rates presentation.

Payment options

Companies may pay assessment invoices electronically or by check. To pay the invoice via credit card, debit card, or ACH debit, the company must first verify it does not have a debit block on its bank account, then contact its financial institution to allow the IUC's ACH company ID numbers (426004579Q and 426004579R) to bypass the block and debit the account.

Electronic payment may be made using the State of Iowa GovConnectIowa site. 

To pay by check, please include a copy of the invoice and mail to:

Iowa Utilities Commission
ATTN: Accounting & Assessments
1375 E. Court Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50319-0069

Companies may file an objection to invoices or assessments by following IUC rules found at 199 Iowa Administrative Code 17.10.

For information or assistance, contact the IUC at 515-725-7300 or iub.billings@iub.iowa.gov.