DUBUQUE, Iowa – June 6, 2012 – Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), an Alliant Energy company, is starting work on a Power Iowa project to enhance safety and increase reliable service for residents in and near Farley.
This life extension project will start in late-May and will last through December. In conjunction with this project, Alliant Energy crews are also trimming trees that are too close to power lines.
The life extension project is a new effort by Alliant Energy and started in 2010. Alliant Energy inspects every piece of equipment in its service territory at least once every ten years. This inspection includes careful review and testing of poles, wire, and all other equipment on a circuit. Specific to power poles, crews drill core samples to get a more complete assessment of the integrity of the pole than a visual inspection provides.
Through the Life Extension process, crews add lightning protection; tighten hardware and replace any protective equipment needed. This specific project represents an investment of $277,000 to our customers in the area. By replacing select components on a line and making repairs, life extensions delay he need for a complete rebuild. The life extension process will add more than 20 years of life to the circuit.
“In the areas where crews have completed life extension projects, the improvements have reduced the duration and frequency of outages by nearly 50 percent,” said Randy Dunkel – manager of customer operations.
Customers will not experience major interruptions in electrical service because of this work. Customers might experience a short outage as crews connect them to the new equipment. Crews will attempt to contact customers as they are affected.
Alliant Energy’s 2012 Power Iowa Plan includes $80 million of planned investments this year in upgrading overhead and underground electric lines, electric substations and natural gas infrastructure. Power Iowa’s goal is to improve system reliability, reduce outages, and provide more reliable power to Alliant Energy’s Iowa customers.
Media Contact: Justin Foss, (319) 786-4788