Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility, commonly known as MMEU, is a locally owned and operated electric utility serving around 3,350 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Maquoketa, Iowa. We work diligently and efficiently to provide reliable and reasonably priced electricity to our customers with a friendly, personal touch. After all, we are your friends and neighbors and we share in your values and understand your needs. That’s what makes a locally owned electric utility such a valuable asset to the community.
The City of Maquoketa established a municipal electric utility in 1919 in order to provide electricity to the City’s streetlights. When it became apparent to local residents that the City could also provide electricity to homes and businesses, the municipal electric utility was expanded and more generating units were added to the power plant. The City’s electric utility actually operated in direct competition with an investor-owned electric company until 1984, when the City purchased the assets and property of the Iowa Electric Light & Power Company. The two systems were eventually combined into one.
The Maquoketa City Council and the Maquoketa City Manager were responsible for the oversight and administration of the municipal electric utility until 1985. The citizens of Maquoketa voted to establish an independent Board of Trustees to oversee the municipal electric utility on November 5, 1985. The utility was officially named Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility, and a Utility Manager was hired by the Board of Trustees to manage the electric utility.