Alliant Energy announces plans for Iowa’s largest solar farm

Jennifer Bredow

PALO, Iowa (AP) – Alliant Energy has announced plans to buy and expand an existing solar farm project at Palo to make it Iowa’s largest solar and battery storage facility.

Alliant, based in Madison, Wisconsin, said in a news release that it wants to buy the project located at the decommissioned nuclear Duane Arnold Energy Center at Palo from NextEra Energy.

Alliant filed the proposal Tuesday with the Iowa Utilities Board. The plan would have NextEra continue developing its 200-megawatt solar field and 75-megawatt battery storage facility. Alliant would then buy the completed project and add another 200 megawatts of solar at a later date.

Alliant says it expects the board’s decision on the Palo project by late next year.

(Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)