Wisconsin Power and Light Company moves to purchase wind farm development site

Minnesota site has the potential to power nearly 100,000 Wisconsin homes with renewable energy

Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation (NYSE: LNT) has executed a letter of intent to purchase a 400 megawatt wind farm site, located in southern Minnesota, from Wind Capital Group, LLC, a St. Louis, Missouri based developer of wind energy assets.

The “Bent Tree Wind Farm” site has the potential to produce up to 400 megawatts of emissions-free energy if completely developed, enough potential capacity to power up to 100,000 homes. WPL currently anticipates the purchase of the site to be complete by October 2008. WPL plans for the first 200 megawatts to be in commercial operation by the end of 2010. A decision regarding the development of the wind farm’s additional 200 megawatts has not yet been made.

“We are preparing for our customers’ and Wisconsin’s energy future,” says Barbara Swan, President-WPL. “This potential purchase aligns squarely with Governor Doyle’s vision that 25 percent of all the energy serving Wisconsin customers comes from renewable sources by 2025. This is a great start, as we work toward addressing the critical balance of meeting important environmental objectives with the equally important goal of providing reliable and affordable power to our customers.”

“The Bent Tree Wind Farm represents a continuation of our work to bring wind energy home to rural communities,” said Wind Capital Group President Tom Carnahan. “The residents and officials of Freeborn County truly understand the benefits of developing clean, renewable energy, and we were pleased with the tremendous amount of support we received from them in developing the Bent Tree site. We are proud that an industry leader like Alliant Energy will now oversee the next phase of construction on the project.”

The announcement of the letter of intent is the latest example of WPL’s commitment to renewable energy choices. Construction is currently underway at the Cedar Ridge Wind Farm, WPL’s first fully-owned and operated wind farm. The 68 megawatt wind farm in the townships of Eden and Empire in Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2008. In addition, the proposed expansion of the Nelson Dewey Generating Station, in Cassville, Wisconsin, is being designed with the capability to utilize coal, in addition to renewable resource fuels, such as wood, corn stover, or switchgrass.