Alliant Energy

Alliant Energy produces electricity and sells electricity and natural gas to customers in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin - as well as providing transportation and environmental engineering and consulting.

Lawsuit from Sierra Club
In March of 2008 Alliant Energy based in Madison, Wisconsin received a notice of intent to sue from the Sierra Club. The notice claimed that the company did not file applications for air permit renewal on a timely basis and in doing so violated the Clean Air Act. In 2009, as a result of pressure from the Sierra Club and others, the federal government revoked its permit to the Columbia Energy Center. The result could mean that Alliant will be forced to install pollution reduction equipment or it could mean shutting down the facility for good.

CEO compensation
In May 2007, Forbes listed William D. Harvey as receiving $3.66 million in total compensation for the latest fiscal year. He ranked 26th on the list of CEOs in the Utilities industry, and 350th among all CEOs in the United States.

Power portfolio
Out of its total 7,252 MW of electric generating capacity (0.67% of the U.S. total), Alliant Energy gets 55.9% from coal, 28.3% from natural gas, 8.2% from nuclear, 6.7% from oil, and 0.5% from hydroelectric. Alliant owns power plants in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Coal lobbying
Alliant is a member of American Coal Ash Association (ACAA), an umbrella lobbying group for all coal ash interests that includes major coal burners Duke Energy, Southern Company and American Electric Power as well as dozens of other companies. The group argues that the so-called "beneficial-use industry" would be eliminated if a "hazardous" designation was given for coal ash waste.

ACAA set up a front group called Citizens for Recycling First, which argues that using toxic coal ash as fill in other products is safe, despite evidence to the contrary.

Existing coal-fired power plants
Alliant Energy had 30 coal-fired generating stations in 2005, with 4,055 MW of capacity. Here is a list of Alliant's coal power plants with capacity over 100 MW:

In 2005, these 9 coal-fired power plants emitted 28.1 million tons of CO2 (0.5% of all U.S. CO2 emissions) and 86,000 tons of SO2 (0.6% of all U.S. SO2 emissions).

Alliant cancels proposed Iowa plant
On March 5, 2009 Alliant subsidiary Interstate Power and Light Company announced that it was cancelling the proposed Sutherland Generating Station Unit 4. The company said the decision was based on a combination of factors, including the financial climate and concerns about the possibility of future regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.

2010: Alliant to close coal boilers at six sites
According to plans filed with the Minnesota Public Service Commission on November 1, 2010, Alliant Energy plans to close coal-fired boilers at six sites in Iowa:


 * Sixth Street Generating Station (all units) (Cedar Rapids)
 * Prairie Creek Generating Station Unit 2 (Cedar Rapids)
 * Dubuque Generating Station Unit 2
 * Lansing Power Station Units 2 and 3
 * Milton Kapp Generating Station Unit 1 (Clinton)
 * Sutherland Generating Station Unit 2 (Marshalltown)

The plan also designates two boilers at Dubuque Generating Station and another at the Sutherland Generating Station for retirement in 2015. Of this list, only one boiler (Lansing 3) is currently operational, and the replacement generation will come in significant part from running newer coal boilers at higher capacity.

Proposed gas plant
As of April 2011, Alliant Energy is debating a natural gas plant for Iowa. Natural gas emerged as a possibility after the utility revised its future power-production projection downward, going from needing an additional 300 megawatts by roughly 2013 to 200 megawatts by 2025. Less demand has made the company consider natural gas, although the company has said it would not rule out a new coal plant later.

Related SourceWatch Articles

 * William D. Harvey
 * Iowa and coal
 * Wisconsin and coal
 * United States and coal
 * Global warming
 * Darryl B. Hazel - Board member