The company hoping to build a new, coal-fired electric plant in Marshalltown isn’t ready to formally respond to the Iowa Consumer Advocate’s statements in opposition to the plant. The Consumer Advocate filed paperwork late Tuesday with the Iowa Utilities Board and Alliant Energy spokesman Ryan Stensland says they want to review the complaints about greenhouse gas emissions.
Stensland says the plans they’ve draw up do utilize the latest technology available. “This will be — when it’s built — the cleanest, most efficient power plant ever built in the state of Iowa,” he says. Stensland says the company is “proud” of its construction plan.
“This is a facility that actually will have a minimal impact on the environment from (an) emissions standpoint as well as have a renewable energy capability which will be the first of its kind in the state of Iowa,” he says. The Consumer Advocate says he’s concerned about the greenhouse gas emissions from the plant and believes Alliant could meet electric demand by using more wind energy and encouraging consumers to conserve. The Iowa Utilities Board makes the final decision on whether the plant gets built.
The board plans to hold a public hearing in Marshalltown on January 14th. Alliant Energy owned Interstate Power and Light, which already operates a plant in Marshalltown. The new plant that’s proposed would be built next door.
