Alliant plans $650 million power upgrade 10:14 PM 12/17/03 Judy Newman Business reporter Alliant Energy Corp. plans $650 million worth of additional power generation by 2010 in the four states it serves and a new natural-gas-fired plant in Wisconsin is one of the first items on the agenda. < But the company is no longer considering building coal-fired plants in Wisconsin or Iowa. "Our analysis shows that we're not going to need as much baseload (power) in Iowa as we thought, or in Wisconsin," said Alliant spokesman Chris Schoenherr. < Baseload power is available for regular daily needs and is supplied in Wisconsin primarily by coal-fired and nuclear power plants. Plants fueled by natural gas, which has a much more volatile price, are generally used when electricity demand rises. < Alliant outlined a proposal Wednesday for meeting its electricity needs over the coming years. The plan would add 1,600 megawatts of power for the Madison utility holding company's 1.4 million customers in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota. < Wisconsin would be in line for 615 megawatts, or just over one-third of the total. Of that amount, 300 megawatts would come through construction of a natural gas-fueled power plant. No site has been chosen but Schoenherr said a location is expected to be announced within the next 12 months. < "We're open to all sites right now," he said. An Alliant subsidiary would build and own the plant, and lease the power back to the utility. < In addition to the natural-gas-fired plant, Alliant's Wisconsin plans are: < 100 megawatts of wind generation to be purchased under contract. < 15 megawatts of anaerobic digesters, or generators that produce electricity from animal waste. < A 200-megawatt share of a coal-fired power plant, to be built by or with another utility company, in later years of the plan. < Alliant also has options to buy the RockGen power plant in eastern Dane County and the Riverside power plant, under construction in Beloit. But no decisions are expected for several years, Schoenherr said. < Alliant plans some emission reduction projects on its existing power plant fleet, as well, and will likely close some of its older, less-efficient plants during the later years of the plan, he said. < The Citizens' Utility Board questioned the need for new power plants, saying that without a comprehensive, state electricity plan, "no one knows how much power is needed, where, or when." < CUB executive director Charlie Higley also said the financing system will lead to higher rates for energy consumers. < Schoenherr said while new generation will cost more, it will also be more energy efficient, and it will reduce some of Alliant's costs for buying power from other companies. < madison.com is operated by Capital Newspapers, publishers of the Wisconsin State Journal, The Capital Times, Agri-View and Apartment Showcase. All contents Copyright C, Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. Eric Uram Regional Representative Sierra Club Midwest Office 214 North Henry Street Suite 203 Madison, WI 53703-2200 608-257-4994 office 608-257-3513 fax 608-347-8008 mobile www.sierraclub.org - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To view the Sierra Club List Terms & Conditions, see: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/terms.asp