The IUC's Safety and Engineering Bureau is responsible for the regulation of safety of the facilities of electric service providers and electric transmission companies. Electric utilities are inspected by IUC staff for compliance with IUC safety standards.
Searching for Inspection Reports
Inspection reports and utility responses are on file in the IUC's electronic filing system (EFS). Inspection reports and responses are filed in each company's electric reports (RE) docket. To search for these documents, click the EFS link, select Search from the top navigation menu and scroll down to Docket Search. This will open a docket search screen. Select RE - Reports, Electric from the Docket Type drop-down box and then select the company name from the Participants drop-down box. Be sure to click the Add button to add the company to the search parameters. After entering the search terms, click the Search button. This will display the company's RE-Docket Summary Page. Finally, click on the Documents in EFS link to display the list of documents on file for that company.
Searching for Incident Reports
Incident (or accident) reports are on file in the electronic filing system (EFS). Incident reports are filed in each company's accidents and outages (H) docket. To search for an incident report, click the EFS link, select Search from the top navigation menu and scroll down to Docket Search. This will open a docket search screen. Select H - Accident -- Outages from the Docket Type drop-down box and then select the company name from the Participants drop-down box. Be sure to click the Add button to add the company to the search parameters. To narrow the search to electric service incidents only, click Electric in the Industry Type box. After entering the search terms, click the Search button. This will display the company's H-Docket Summary Page. Finally, click on the Documents in EFS link to display the list of documents on file in that company's H-Docket.
About Iowa's One Call Law
To avoid a potential accident caused by excavation, you must have the location of all utility lines marked before excavating by hand or with equipment. To comply with Iowa law, in accordance with Iowa Code chapter 480, Underground Facilities Information, someone must contact Iowa One Call at 811 or 800-292-8989 a minimum of two days (excluding Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays) before initiating any digging or excavating project. After Iowa One Call is contacted, the following will happen:
- Operators with underground facilities in the area where the excavation is planned will be notified. This includes natural gas and power utilities, communications companies, and cities and towns.
- Within 48 hours after being contacted, utilities will either mark their underground facilities with color-coded paint marks or flags, or tell the excavator they have no lines in the area.
If a contractor is performing the excavation work, the property owner or a representative should ensure that the contractor contacts Iowa One Call two days prior to the commencement of excavating.
The Office of the Attorney General enforces the One Call Law. You may file a One Call complaint using the One Call complaint form.
See more information about One Call Complaints and enforcement through the Attorney General's Office. Visit the Iowa One Call website for more information about damage prevention and Iowa One Call rules.
IUC's One Call Law and Damage Prevention Survey
The IUC Safety and Engineering Bureau conducted a Process Assessment and Learning Aid Survey in fall 2021 regarding Iowa's One Call law. The survey was sent to excavators, operators, contractors, and other stakeholders as part of the 2020 Damage Prevention Program and included 32 questions in seven areas. More than 240 responses were received.
The survey results helped the IUC gain a better understanding of the reasons for noncompliance with Iowa's One Call law, which protects underground utility infrastructure, and the survey provided educational resources to excavators, contractors, locators, and stakeholders regarding Iowa's One Call process.
Survey Results: Iowa's One Call Process Assessment and Learning Aid (2022)
Other Links
Iowa Electrical Safety Code (199 Iowa Admin. Code chapter 25)
Iowa One Call
Common Ground Iowa
Call 811 (National)
Staying Safe Around Utilities
Electric Safety Program Contact Information:
Kevin Yearington
Safety and Engineering Bureau Chief
Iowa Utilities Commission
iuc@iuc.iowa.gov