Linda K. Juckette v. Iowa Utilities Board and MidAmerican Energy Company and Office of Consumer Advocate

Summary

The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed the district court’s order granting MidAmerican Energy a franchise to build transmission lines, holding that the utility satisfied the statutory public‑use requirement and that Iowa Code §306.46(1) authorizes construction in a public road right‑of‑way. The Court was evenly divided on whether the construction constitutes a taking, so the lower court’s decision was affirmed by operation of law.