Alliant Energy Corp. announced that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved its request to join and invest in the Nuclear Management Company (NMC). In addition, the SEC authorized Alliant Energy’s utility subsidiary, IES Utilities, to contract with the NMC for services.

Four Midwest companies - each experienced owners and operators of successful nuclear powerplants - announced the formation of the Nuclear Management Company in February. By combining respective skills and resources, the companies will seek to sustain long-term safety, optimize reliability and improve the operational performance of their nuclear facilities. The companies involved are Alliant Energy Corp., Northern States Power Co., Wisconsin Energy, and Wisconsin Public Service Co. Combined, the four companies operate seven nuclear generating plants at five locations.

Now that Alliant Energy has SEC approval, every NMC-member company has received the required state and federal approvals to participate in the NMC. The same SEC action clears the way for Alliant Energy-IES to implement an agreement with the NMC to buy specific basic services for the Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC), and 535-megawatt generating facility located near Palo. Alliant Energy owns 70 percent of DAEC and is licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate the plant. Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) owns 20 percent of DAEC and Corn Belt Power Cooperative owns 10 percent.

Nuclear generating plants owned by the four NMC member utilities:

• Northern States Power’s Monticello Plant near Monticello, Minnesota and the two-unit Prairie Island Plant near Red Wing, Minnesota.

• Wisconsin Electric’s two-unit Point Beach Nuclear Plant near Two Rivers, Wisconsin.

• The Kewaunee Nuclear Power Plant near Kewaunee, Wisconsin operated by Wisconsin Public Service and jointly owned with Alliant Energy and Madison Gas & Electric.

• The Duane Arnold Energy Center near Palo, which is operated by Alliant Energy and co-owned with Central Iowa Power Cooperative and Corn Belt Power Cooperative.

The nuclear plants provide a total of approximately 2,600 jobs in the region. Together the plants have generating capacity of approximately 3,760 megawatts of electricity, representing between 12-25 percent of the electricity generated by the individual utilities.