170 MW Iowa Wind Power Project Purchased by Alliant Energy

Alliant Energy recently announced Tuesday that it has finalized an agreement with developer Tradewind Energy under which it will build and own the 170-megawatt (MW) English Farms Wind Farm project located in Poweshiek County in central Iowa.

“Wind energy is a win for Iowans,” Doug Kopp, president of Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company, said. “The benefits of this project help customers through reductions in emissions and fuel cost. It gives landowners lease payments to help on the farm and it helps communities through increased local tax revenue for schools and community services.”

Alliant plans to begin major construction in 2018. The project includes 69 turbines and is expected to result in approximately $47 million in local tax benefits over the next 30 years and approximately $12 million in landowner payments over the next 30 years.

In 2016, the Iowa Utilities Board granted Alliant Energy approval to add up to 500 megawatts of wind energy in Iowa. The company requested a similar wind expansion in 2017.

With these combined projects, the overall wind expansion is a roughly $1.8 billion investment and includes up to 1,000 megawatts of new wind generation in the state. Alliant expects that customers will receive more than one-third of their energy from wind by the end of 2020.

“It has been extremely rewarding to work with Poweshiek County officials, landowners, and community members,” Jeff Hammond, senior development manager for Tradewind Energy, said. “We are very proud to partner with Alliant Energy, which is contributing to the transformation of Iowa’s electric power supply.”