WPL Receives Approval to Purchase the Neenah Generating Facility

Wisconsin Power and Light Company, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy, has received approval from the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin to purchase the Neenah generating facility, an existing 300MW, simple cycle, natural gas-fired electric generating facility located in the town of Neenah, Wisconsin.

This purchase is intended to replace the output currently obtained under a purchased power agreement (PPA) with Calpine’s RockGen facility.

Barbara Swan, president of WPL, said: “This purchase represents the lowest-cost option to meet our customers’ long-term peaking power needs. Demand continues to increase throughout our WPL service territory, and having the ability to meet that demand in a cost-effective manner is crucial.”

Peaking power units are traditionally gas-fired combustion turbines that are utilized to meet customers’ needs for electricity on hot summer days when demand is highest. This type of combustion turbine can be started and shut down more quickly than coal-based units, thus affording more flexibility and making this a good resource for responding to peak demands. The natural gas unit will further broaden Wisconsin Power and Light Company’s (WPL) existing fuel mix.