The heat is on!

Alliant Energy customers set new mark for energy use; Demand tops peak level set in 2003

    Interstate Power and Light Company, an Alliant Energy company, set an electric peak for customers in its west region, which includes Iowa and Minnesota. This group set a new record peak of 3,701 megawatts at 6 p.m. Monday, July 18.

     “This kind of hot humid weather taxes and tests our electrical grid. I am happy to say we’ve met the demand from our customers and continue our efforts to keep outages to a minimum,” said Tom Aller, president of Interstate Power and Light Company. “However, as long as this heat remains, the electrical grid and Alliant Energy crews will continue to be tested.”
     Demand models forecast that energy usage today could match Monday’s record. The previous record peak of 3,666 megawatts was set on August 20, 2003.
     Alliant Energy did exercise some of its interruptible contracts with industrial customers and also activated its residential central air conditioning load control program.  Interruptible customers receive lower rates throughout the year in exchange for voluntarily agreeing to limit or reduce energy use in periods of high demand.  Residential customers participating in the load control program receive credits for allowing their air conditioners to be shut off remotely for 15-minute intervals during periods of high electrical demand.
     Alliant Energy reminds customers that they can save money and play an important part in controlling energy use through the - Read More Via e-Edition