IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Department of Corrections officials say they weren’t trying to mislead the public when they refused to acknowledge for months that the price tag for the state’s faulty new prison had risen to $166 million. The department confirmed Wednesday that an often-cited $132 million cost for the empty Iowa State Penitentiary is inaccurate.

Deputy department director Brad Hier had stood by that figure during an October interview – even though talking points prepared for Gov. Terry Branstad months earlier put the cost at $165.5 million.

Hier blamed “miscommunication” and “semantics” Wednesday for confusion over the cost and apologized for a months-long delay in clearing up questions. He says $132 million reflected construction costs at one point, but the price rises when project management, design, equipment and other costs are included.