Alliant Energy news release
Alliant Energy to retire coal-fired generation facility in Sheboygan
Employees receiving career assistance as company continues transformation toward cleaner energy.
MADISON, Wis. (May 22, 2020) – With an eye toward delivering cleaner, more cost-effective energy, Alliant Energy (NASDAQ: LNT) announces plans to retire the Edgewater Generating Station in Sheboygan by the end of 2022. Closing the coal generation facility and transitioning to renewable energy will help Alliant Energy customers avoid hundreds of millions of dollars in long-term costs.
“For decades, our Edgewater Generating Station has been providing customers and communities safe and reliable energy,” said David de Leon, President of Alliant Energy's Wisconsin energy company. “As we transition from coal toward a cleaner energy mix, we are caring for our employees, creating new jobs and bringing new economic development opportunities to the communities we serve.”
Taking care of customers, the environment and supporting employees are the company’s top priorities. Throughout the transition, Alliant Energy will provide career assistance to employees who are interested. This includes one-on-one coaching, tuition reimbursement, help with resume-writing and interview coaching.
“By announcing now, our employees have the time they need to explore potential career options and enhance their skillset,” said Diane Cooke, Vice President of Human Resources at Alliant Energy. “Because each employee is unique and at a different place in their career and life, we are meeting with them individually. This allows us to tailor assistance to their specific needs and interests. Caring for the people who so ably power our communities is one of the most important parts of our transition to cleaner energy sources.”
As for the generation facility and site itself, Alliant Energy has engaged Vandewalle & Associates (V&A), a Wisconsin-based urban planning and economic redevelopment firm. V&A has a long-standing history of working on major projects in the Sheboygan region. They also have extensive experience transforming waterfronts, decommissioning and repurposing large industrial sites. While the planning and site redevelopment for this location is expected to be a multi-year process, the company plans to engage the community early and will provide several opportunities for input.
“We have a long history and deep roots in the Sheboygan area and we’re going to continue supporting the community, our customers and employees,” concluded de Leon. “Our shift toward cleaner energy generation is driven by our value to do the right thing. We are focusing on lowering costs, creating environmental benefits, meeting customer demand and being a good partner with the communities we serve.”
Alliant Energy’s facility retirement and future solar announcements will be subject to additional state and regional regulatory reviews. The company previously announced an investment of up to 1,000 megawatts of new solar in Wisconsin as a part of its Clean Energy Blueprint for Wisconsin customers.
NOTE: On June 23, 2022, Alliant Energy updated the target retirement dates for the Edgewater Generating Station and Columbia Energy Center.
NOTE: On May 23, 2024, Alliant Energy updated the generation plans for the Edgewater Generating Station.
NOTE: On December 4, 2024, Alliant Energy updated the generation plans for the Columbia Energy Center.