Spencer Municipal Utilities history

The water was kept in a large wooden tank just north of the bridge on Main Street (now Grand Avenue). After a fire in 1893, the waterworks was moved to near where SMU’s offices were formerly located on Grand Avenue.

1901City Purchases Electric Utility In 1901 the City of Spencer purchased the electric utility from the bank at a price of just under $17,000.

In 1906, a 75 thousand gallon steel water tower was built to replace the wooden tank.

Along with the water utility, the electric utility was operated by the city under the direction of the City Council until 1942.

In 1960, a new office building was constructed adjacent to the power plant.

1965Stolley’s Land Purchase In 1965 the Board of Trustees purchased the 80 acres of property northwest of the city generally referred to as Stolley’s Pond.

In 1969, SMU installed a jet turbine generator at a cost of about $2 million.

With the commissioning of the new Jet turbine for backup power and the decommissioning of SMU’s coal fired power plant in the early 1970’s, SMU no longer generates its own power but now purchases it through a variety of sources including hydro and coal generation plants.

After the vote on May 6, 1997, SMU added the communications utility for cable, internet, telephone service.

In 2002, SMU entered into a partial ownership agreement in a new coal-fired generation station-Council Bluffs 4-that will go on-line later this decade.