Alliant Energy receives approval to bring more “green” power to Wisconsin

From a news release issued by Alliant:

200 megawatts of wind energy will help utility move further down path to greener future

Madison, WI – October 1, 2009 – Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation (NYSE: LNT), today received approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) to build phase one of the Bent Tree Wind Farm in Freeborn County, Minnesota. This was the final regulatory approval needed by WPL to begin construction.

“We are very pleased with the MPUC’s decision today,” said Barbara Swan, President-WPL. “The addition of Bent Tree to our wind portfolio helps pave the way for WPL to provide 12% of our retail energy supply from renewable energy sources by 2012, furthering our commitment to finding emissions-free sources of energy that complement our existing baseload generation.”

WPL plans to develop approximately 200 megawatts (MW) of emissions-free wind energy on the Bent Tree Wind Farm site - enough energy to power approximately 50,000 homes. The MPUC approval comes three months after the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSCW) approved the plan.