Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation (NYSE: LNT) says it plans to retire at least two coal-fired generating units and switch others to natural gas when its proposed Sutherland Generating Station Unit 4 becomes operable in 2013.
As part of its greenhouse gas emissions reduction proposal, IPL will retire Lansing Generating Station’s coal-fired units 2 and 3.
In addition, the company will permanently switch the fuel source of its Dubuque Generating Station Units from coal to natural gas.
The company says this will reduce these units’ maximum potential to emit CO2 by more than 800,000 tons per year.
The proposed changes to IPL’s generating fleet will be filed with the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) as part of IPL’s application for ratemaking principles for the proposed Sutherland Generating Station Unit 4 and are subject to the approval of the IUB and the Minnesota Public Utility Commission. IPL expects to make the filing late first quarter of 2008.
IPL estimates that its energy efficiency programs, which include the new five-year plan the company expects to file with the IUB later this year, will reduce customers’ electric usage by nearly 2 million megawatt-hours by 2013. As a result, IPL’s system-wide CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by approximately 2.57 million tons per year compared to what those emission levels would be absent the company’s energy efficiency programs.
In addition, Sutherland Generating Station Unit 4 is being permitted to utilize up to 5% renewables, such as switch grass or corn stalks, as fuel and, as such, can be considered a hybrid facility.
"Since our initial announcement in January 2007, our proposal has focused on doing what is right for our customers and Iowa," adds Mr. Aller. "The cost of ‘saying no’, as some have advocated, to securing a reliable energy supply that is environmentally responsible for our customers and Iowa is not an option."
About Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy is an energy-services provider with subsidiaries serving approximately 1 million electric and more than 400,000 natural gas customers. Providing its customers in the Midwest with regulated electric and natural gas service is the company’s primary focus. Interstate Power and Light, the company’s Iowa utility subsidiary, serves 526,000 electric and 232,000 natural gas customers. Alliant Energy, headquartered in Madison, Wis., is a Fortune 1000 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNT.
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