8-K

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549



                                    FORM 8-K



     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



                         Date of Report October 17, 2003
                        (Date of earliest event reported)



                           MidAmerican Energy Company
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



              Iowa                  1-11505                       42-1425214
 (State or other jurisdiction    (Commission                    (IRS Employer
       of incorporation)         File Number)                Identification No.)



                  666 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa      50309
               (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)



       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (515) 242-4300



                                       N/A
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)


ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

         MidAmerican Energy Company ("MidAmerican") reported today that the Iowa
Utilities Board ("IUB") approved a MidAmerican plan that extends, through 2010,
an electric rate freeze that began in 1995.  As part of its action, the IUB also
approved the construction of MidAmerican's previously announced 310-megawatt,
$323 million wind project in northern Iowa - one of the largest land-based wind
projects in the world.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

         Exhibit 99.1 - MidAmerican Energy Company Press Release dated October
17, 2003


                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                        MIDAMERICAN ENERGY COMPANY



                                        /s/  Paul J. Leighton
                                        Paul J. Leighton
                                        Vice President and Secretary




Date:  October 17, 2003




                                 EXHIBITS INDEX

    Exhibit
    Number      Exhibit

    99.1        MidAmerican Energy Company Press Release dated October 17, 2003

EX-99.1

                                                                   EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact:
Allan Urlis, Director of Media Relations                         (515) 281-2785


       As Other Energy Prices Climb Sharply, Electric Rates Will Not Rise
         For at Least Seven More Years with State Approval of Rate Plan

 Iowa Utilities Board Order Includes Approval of MidAmerican Energy Wind Project


         DES MOINES, Iowa -- Oct. 17, 2003 -- In times of sharply rising prices
for gasoline and other energy, state regulators today approved a MidAmerican
Energy plan that extends, through 2010, an electric rate freeze that began in
1995.
         "Electricity prices in other areas of the country have been highly
volatile in the past few years," said Greg Abel, president of MidAmerican Energy
Holdings Company. "This rate plan will provide our Iowa customers continued
predictable and stable electricity prices. At the same time, working closely
with the state, we have begun investing more than $1.7 billion to improve the
state's energy infrastructure, creating jobs and enhancing the reliability of
the service we provide to customers."
         The Iowa Utilities Board's action today is another step in implementing
the plan Gov. Tom Vilsack and the Iowa Legislature created to improve energy
security for Iowa and to increase the amount of renewable energy in the state,
while maintaining stable prices.
         The board's action extended an existing rate freeze for five years
beyond 2005, when the current freeze was set to end.
         MidAmerican's electric rates today are lower than they were in 1995.
The freeze means that electricity prices will continue to decline, when adjusted
for inflation. In contrast, consumer prices have risen 18 percent from 1995
through last year, according to the U.S. Consumer Price Index.

                                    - more -



MidAmerican/Page 2

         As part of its action, the Iowa Utilities Board also approved the
construction of MidAmerican's previously announced 310-megawatt, $323 million
wind project in northern Iowa - one of the largest land-based wind projects in
the world.
         The wind project is the third major MidAmerican Energy power facility
approved by the state as part of a long-term energy strategy adopted by Gov.
Vilsack and the Iowa Legislature in 2001.
         "The rate freeze is welcome news for Iowans with low and fixed
incomes," said Mark Dickey, executive director of the Iowa Community Action
Association. "I know of no other essential service that has remained constant in
price for so long. This is a bright spot indeed."
         Also lauding the action was Lynn Johnson, Business Manager of the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 499. "Working people
across Iowa will appreciate this - as will everyone who sees the importance of
more jobs in our state," Johnson said. "These projects are creating good con-
struction jobs and will enhance our ability to attract new business, which will
bring additional jobs to our state."
         MidAmerican Energy Company, Iowa's largest energy company, provides
electric service to 681,000 customers and natural gas service to 660,000
customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. It is headquartered in
Des Moines, Iowa.  Information about MidAmerican is available on the Internet at
www.midamericanenergy.com.