News : Alliant Energy customers in Iowa and Minnesota set new peak for energy use

Electricity 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 following voluntary efforts:

· Turn off non-essential lights

· Turn the air-conditioner thermostat to 80 degrees, and make sure all windows and doors are closed when the air conditioner is running.

· Use fans when you’re in a room and turn them off when you leave the room.

· Shade windows or close drapes on the south and west sides of the home.

· Keep refrigerator or freezer doors closed as much as possible.

· Use heat-generating appliances (such as ovens, dishwashers, and laundry appliances) after 9 p.m.

More information about saving energy at home is available on Alliant Energy’s Power House website at powerhousetv.com and atalliantenergy.com/summer. Customers can also call Alliant Energy’s customer service center at 1-866-ALLIANT.

Alliant Energy is an energy-services provider with subsidiaries serving approximately 1 million electric and over 412,000 natural gas customers. Providing its customers in the Midwest with regulated electric and natural gas service is the company’s primary focus. Interstate Power and Light, the company’s Iowa utility subsidiary, serves 530,000 electric and 235,000 natural gas customers and is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Alliant Energy is a Fortune 1000 company traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNT. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.alliantenergy.com.