Portable substation to provide energy solutions

With an emphasis on speed to market and our ability to provide service to large energy consumers, Alliant Energy continues to raise the bar on innovative solutions.

Area Development’s 36th Annual Corporate Survey lists energy availability and costs as the number three site selection factor behind labor costs and availability of skilled labor. Though renewable resources of energy continue to be important as companies focus on sustainability, the increased costs of energy and electrical supply chain issues present problems for companies and their growth.

To address the labor shortage, companies rely on automation and robotics more than ever. As a result, companies require more energy capacity at current and future facilities. Energy companies like Alliant Energy must provide customers with larger amounts of energy (5 megawatts and more) in a quick timeframe.

Unfortunately, the global pandemic took a toll on energy supply and demand, resulting in longer lead times and higher costs for equipment and products. The current lead time on large transformers is between 24 and 36 months. This does not align with the timeline of new project expansion and growth. Many projects seek to be up and running within 24 months.

To help alleviate this issue and ensure companies meet their preferred operational start dates, Alliant Energy is building a 35 megavolt amperes portable substation with switch gear. We’ll use the portable substation to meet tight deadlines as our team builds necessary infrastructure and substation upgrades to meet long-term needs. Once the permanent substation is complete, we’ll disconnect the portable substation and make it available for future projects.

This solution is a game changer. Alliant Energy can now guarantee large projects have the energy they need when they need it, even when supply chain issues, government approvals and construction say otherwise.