Alliant: We’re ready for Plan B
Could Marshalltown be up for a natural gas-fired plant?By KEN BLACK, TIMES-REPUBLICAN
It was March 4 that the news was broken that shocked a community - Alliant Energy was pulling back on plans to build a coal-fired power plant in Marshalltown.
Tom Aller, the president of Interstate Power & Light, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy, told a group gathered at the Martha Ellen Tye Playhouse that it was a regrettable situation, but one that could not be avoided. Economics, regulations and politics were all working against a coal plant, but a Plan B may follow.
That was the first, and very nearly the last time that anyone had heard of Plan B - until now.
At a meeting of the Iowa Utilities Board on Monday, Aller again mentioned the possibility and said an announcement would likely be made in 2010.
"I still think they are a ways away from putting together any Plan B, but I am optimistic they are at least talking about it," said Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce President Ken Anderson. "We continue to maintain good contact with Alliant Energy in regards to their future plans and will do whatever we can do keep Marshalltown at the forefront of their thoughts."
Aller, when making the announcement regarding the coal-fired plant in March, complimented the community and said it was one of the best working relationships the company had ever had for a major project.
"What we learned through this process is what we have here," Aller said at that time. "It's annexed. We've got roads. We know what the water quality is. We know what the transmission capacity is. These are all things we know about Marshalltown."
What may not be as clear is the available fuel source. Coal was the first choice and was scrapped.
Natural gas appears to be the next choice.
Marshalltown was a natural choice for a coal plant because of the rail lines, which could deliver tons of coal each week to the facility. The infrastructure in place for natural gas is not as evident.
"They got all of the other assets in place for sighting a plant here," Anderson said. "I think the access to fuel source is a hurdle. I don't think there's any question."
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Contact Ken Black at 641-753-6611 or kblack@timesrepublican.com
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bestofbothworlds
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10-08-09 10:48 AM
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I remember when a few of our neighbors still used coal. In those instances, coal was not clean. The snow around these houses was black with soot. Our roofs were ruined on a regular basis because of the ash.Some days it seemed to rain soot. But then these were houses with no scrubbers and it was also a long time ago. But then I remember, in a town in northern Iowa, in the 60's they had mostly outhouses and nobody noticed that because the smell was normal. Then came indoor plumbing. Now the people would not tolerate outhouses. People still go to the bathroom but technology has made it much less polluting. Same with coal fired powerhouses. They can be run much cleaner and cheaper than before. But there are those who would have us living in caves and eating grass in the name of "saving the planet" . They probably would protest the invention of fire at the time.
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LilBeaver
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10-07-09 10:52 PM
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You want to talk about dirty coal power look back a few years to the time we had Gra-Iron Foundry in town, even when they were forced to install scrubbers in the smoke stacks they never maintained them in order to save a few bucks and everybody in the area paid for it due to their pollution. Not that the coal was dirty, but Gra-Iron cut corners on cleaning up their emmissions.
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LilBeaver
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10-07-09 10:47 PM
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Coal is a cheap fuel and can be burned cleanly. Everybody abandoned coal to heat their houses because they wanted the convience of electric, natural gas, or propane so they didn't have to feed their furnace. Now we are paying for their convience. You can't close the door and take off for Florida, Texas, Arizona, ect. for the winter, if you heat with coal like you can with gas or electric heating systems, but we are paying for the convience very dearly.
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MrMarshalltown
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10-07-09 10:01 PM
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Blackcat, I'm fully aware and informed about the many resources available for renewable energy. The fact of the matter is, the majority of people in the area DON'T care where the energy comes from to power their house. Myself included. I will tell you what people in this area care about. They want something "big" in the area besides the worlds biggest slaughter house. When a multi-million dollar project is dangled in front of us, we see jobs, opportunity, and a chance at rebuilding our image. We live in the real world and maybe this chance would be a start to something? Maybe other big business will take notice and bring their next project to Marshalltown?
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bertmers
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10-07-09 9:59 PM
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vet & guy, I don't believe I'll answer your question of whether I served or not. I don't want to be put in one of your boxes. But to clarify- there was no whinning about his pension. He brought up the subject of affording the enevitable increases of the utility companies. Suggesting I pay. I suggested that he pay with 'his' money. The sad part of this whole thing is that, vet wears a 'bell' to announce his arrival, just by his very handle. It sounds so bushy - your either with me or your against me! Most vets that I know carry their time in service with pride. They don't need to announce it to everyone, everywhere. They know! They don't need others false adulation, just for serving. Sorry guys, thats just how I feel.
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MtownGuy
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10-07-09 7:51 PM
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Bert was probably hiding under the bed when Uncle Sam came looking for him. People who whine about veteran's pensions are usually the ones who wished they would have served - but didn't.
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AverageAmerican
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10-07-09 7:34 PM
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BlackCat is talking though his hat. 8 panels won't give you 75% of the power you need to run your computer, much less the rest of your house. ...and 40 years, hehehe, keep smoking that stuff. ...and if we can't run a steam device (for lack of H2O) we won't know it because we will all be dead from lack of water. The left loons again, earn their reputation for being kooks.
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yodarules
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10-07-09 5:48 PM
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There is a story on the front page of yahoooo Finance news today titled "Where's the next boom" - it talks about something called CLEANTECH.. There is your answer. If you want to know more about it, go outside the box, so to speak of Mtown. The world outside is doing some very innovative things, check it out.
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MrMarshalltown
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10-07-09 2:07 PM
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Blackcat, what is the answer then? What do you plan on using to power that computer of yours? If you were so against the system you'd cut the power to your house and install a wind turbine out back. Let's hope this becomes a reality and is ready to go in Marshalltown by 2011. Combine that and the new 4 lanes we might have a chance. I hope the chamber and elected officials realize they better not sit back and let this one slip through their fingers again. Put up a good fight and make it happen!
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AverageAmerican
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10-07-09 12:52 PM
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Earth to BlackCat & ohPleaaaassee1: America sits on oceans of natural gas but the left blocks development. ...and what does a lawsuit from the 70's have to do with Alliant energy and it's cost structure. ANSWER: NOTHING! Please adjust your foil hats...
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ohPleaaaassee1
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10-07-09 12:08 PM
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While some claim enron people are in on the alliant thing here are some facts that perhaps you dont know...Alliant is a subsidiary of Pacific Gas and Electric..The same folks that were sued by Attorney Ed Masry and Erin Brockovich in the movie..They were sued for 35 million dollars on the one lawsuit and numerous others for what happened in california...Now when alliant first came here to iowa it said in the paper that they were a subsidiary for pacific gas and electric and I dont know if anyone put the dots together THEN...but if you didnt maybe you should...how else do you think that pacific gas and electric will pay off the lawsuits they lost??? recall how when we had the ice storms our bills reflected that the cost of the replaced power lines were on the bills? OF COURSE THE BILLS ARE GOING UP...HOW DO YOU THINK THEY ARE PAYING OFF THEIR LAWSUITS PEOPLE....????
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herkeye
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10-07-09 11:28 AM
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Natural gas would be much better that coal for many reasons.
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bertmers
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10-07-09 11:25 AM
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If I remember one of your recent posts, you were explaining how you now sit back and collect all this taxpayer money. 'You' are the one who should share. And if you are so naive to think that the utility companies are not in business to make money, then I am sorry for you and all who think like you.
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mark12
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10-07-09 10:17 AM
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HOWS THE CAP AND TAX AND HOPE AND CHANGE WORKING FOR ALL YOU DEM??????
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bertmers
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10-07-09 9:51 AM
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The utilities were scheduled to increase whether this plant was built or not. Get over it.
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AverageAmerican
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10-07-09 7:44 AM
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"an announcement would likely be made in 2010" AFTER THE LIBERAL LOONS (Dems) BLOCKING DEVELOPMENT LOSE THE NEXT ELECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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happygolucky
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10-07-09 7:29 AM
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I would bet thst they will be some one who will oppose burning fuel for his project. Did you read that they are asking for a 14 per cent increase for utililties? We were warned that this would happen. I guess higher monthly bills is better than burning coal. NOT
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