The electric energy we generate and deliver to you is a part of a connected network. Our company is part of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the market system operator that coordinates the electric system from Louisiana to the Midwest and into Canada. MISO monitors electric grid conditions to meet capacity needs throughout the region, oversees additional capacity needed for peak events, and manages changes in electric demands.
How we supply your energy
Alliant Energy electric grid taps capacity from 15 states and Canada
The electric energy we generate and deliver to you is a part of a connected network. Our company is part of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the market system operator that coordinates the electric system from Louisiana to the Midwest and into Canada. MISO monitors electric grid conditions to meet capacity needs throughout the region, oversees additional capacity needed for peak events, and manages changes in electric demands.
As a member, we regularly communicate our supply capacity and project customer demands with MISO, while we continuously review how to best meet the requirements of our service area. This partnership with MISO is critical during times of high demand, such as the recent cold spell. It helps us assure customers we can safely and reliably deliver the affordable electric energy they count on.
We source our natural gas supply through a variety of pathways
We fully utilize the extensive natural gas interstate pipeline system in order to provide multiple options for gas supply, ensuring our customers’ access to gas. We purchase gas from several different supply regions, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Oklahoma/Texas panhandle and Canada.
Then, we tap multiple interstate company pipeline systems to bring it to our local distribution network, and ultimately to our customers. To prepare for winter, we enter long-term contracts for gas supply and store gas during times of low demand for use during the winter months. All these actions help us deliver safe and reliable natural gas to our customers.
A diverse energy mix ensures reliable energy
As we advance our Clean Energy Vision, we will continue our balanced and purposeful transition to a diverse energy mix guided by our Clean Energy Blueprint. This plan relies on a broad portfolio of renewable resources, including wind, solar, natural gas and battery storage. This mix allows us to continually and reliably deliver the energy that customers need every day. We also share our plans with MISO, so they can understand how our energy mix evolves and plan for the continued reliability of supply across the broader network. As we bring new renewable energy online, we will begin the thoughtful retirement of our coal-powered generation facilities.
It all ties back to our strategy to serve customers and build strong communities. Providing the safe and reliable energy customers need is our first priority. As a progressive leader in the industry, we are proactive, nimble and forward-thinking. We have a clear vision for precisely how we will deliver our customers’ power today and into the future.
“Winter-ready” generation and delivery systems provide sufficient energy
While we deliver sufficient energy to customers, we regularly perform preventive maintenance and repair generation resources and gas and electric distribution systems. Our wind, solar and other energy-generating assets are engineered to operate in cold temperatures.
Winterization plans and detailed checklists ensure that all assets perform as expected, even during extreme temperatures. Our energy forecasters, along with MISO, monitor a variety of factors every day and anticipate our customers’ energy needs to ensure resources are available to meet the demands. Our natural gas distribution systems and procedures are designed to meet the needs of our customers during times of extremely high demand.