Alliant Energy Privacy Policy
Last Updated: August 31, 2021
Alliant Energy Corporation, its subsidiaries, and affiliated companies, including Travero, (also referred to as “Alliant Energy”, "we" or "us") understand the importance you place on the privacy and security of information that personally identifies you, your account, or your energy usage. We refer to this information as "personal information." We want you to know what personal information we collect and how we use and disclose it.
We have developed this Privacy Policy to explain how we collect, use and disclose information about you. This Privacy Policy applies to information we collect when you obtain service from us, use our Web sites, mobile applications and online services, or interact with us. This policy does not apply to the information we collect from individuals who submit applications for employment through our Web sites or other means.
Notice of this Privacy Policy is prominently displayed on Alliant Energy's website. We review this Privacy Policy on a regular basis, and may make changes from time to time. If we make changes, we will notify you by revising the date at the top of the policy and provide you with a link to the updated policy on your customer energy bill. New energy customers will receive a link to the Privacy Policy with the New Customer Welcome Book. The Welcome Book and bill notification contain a customer service phone number where customers can obtain additional information. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy frequently to stay informed about our information practices and the ways you can help protect your privacy.
Collection of Information
Information you provide to us
We collect personal information that you provide directly to us in order to provide you with service and improve your experience. For example, we collect information when you sign up for service, create an online account, fill out a form, pay your bill, make a purchase, contact customer service, use our mobile applications, communicate with us via third party social media sites or otherwise communicate with us. The types of information we may collect include your name, online account username, email address, postal address, phone number, fax number, Social Security number, income status, date of birth, payment method information and any other information you choose to provide.
Information we collect automatically
Services & Usage Data
If you obtain energy service from us, we automatically collect energy usage information, including the amount of electricity or natural gas used and the average use and cost per day. In most instances, we collect electricity or natural gas usage data daily, hourly, or on a more frequent basis (“Granular Usage Data”) using advanced metering infrastructure ("AMI"). We measure the amount of electricity and natural gas you use, not identifying how you specifically use it. The collection of Granular Usage Data allows us to provide you with better and more informed services and helps you manage your power consumption. Alliant Energy does not collect Granular Usage Data from eligible customers who have elected the non-standard meter alternative.
Website, Mobile Application & Online Service Data
As is true of most websites, mobile applications and online services ("Online Services"), we automatically gather some information about your use of these Online Services, including:
- Log Information: This information includes Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, browser type and language, Internet service provider (ISP), referring and exit pages, web pages viewed, operating system, date/time stamp, device, and mobile and clickstream data.
- Information Collected by Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies: We use various technologies to collect information, and this may include sending cookies to your computer or mobile device. Cookies are small data files stored on your computer’s hard drive or in device memory that help us improve our Online Services and your experience, see which areas and features of our Online Services are popular and count visits. We may also collect information using Web beacons, also known as “tracking pixels”. Web beacons are electronic images that may be used in our Online Services or emails and help deliver cookies, count visits, understand usage and campaign effectiveness as well as monitor the effectiveness of our emails. For more information about cookies, and how to disable them, please see “Your Choices” below.
Information we collect from other sources
We may also obtain information about you from other sources. For example, we may collect information about you from third parties, including, but not limited to, identity verification services, credit bureaus, mailing list providers and publicly available sources. We may combine that information with other information we collect about you.
Alliant Energy is based in the United States and the information we collect is governed by U.S. law. By accessing or using the Online Services or otherwise providing information to us, you consent to the transfer of information to, and processing of information in, the United States and other countries.
Use of Information
We may use information, including personally identifiable Granular Usage Data, about you for various purposes, including to:
- Provide, maintain and improve our services;
- Provide, bill for, and deliver the products and services you request, process transactions and send you related information, including confirmations and invoices;
- Send you technical notices, updates, security alerts and support and administrative messages;
- Respond to your comments, questions and requests and provide customer service;
- Verify your identity and prevent fraudulent transactions;
- Communicate with you about products, services, offers, promotions, rewards and events offered, funded, or sponsored by Alliant Energy and provide news and information we think will be of interest to you;
- Monitor and analyze trends, usage and activities in connection with our Online Services;
- Personalize and improve the Online Services and provide advertisements, content or features that match user profiles or interests;
- Process and deliver contest entries and rewards;
- Link or combine with information we get from others to help understand your needs and provide you with better service; and
- Carry out any other purpose that you authorize.
Sharing of Information
We may only share information, including personally identifiable Granular Usage Data, about you as follows or as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy:
- With vendors, consultants, and other entities who perform work on our behalf when there is a genuine business need or emergency response in order to: (1) provide, bill, or collect for regulated electric or natural gas service or, for Travero, any Travero service; (2) provide for customer, system, or operational needs; (3) provide services as required by state or federal law or as specifically authorized in our approved tariff(s); or (4) plan, implement, or evaluate our energy assistance, demand response, energy management, or energy efficiency programs;
- With the U.S. Government and its authorized representatives to protect the security of critical infrastructure;
- In response to a request for information, if required by, or if we believe disclosure is in accordance with, any applicable law, regulation or legal process, or if the requesting party is the owner of the property;
- If we believe your actions are inconsistent with the spirit or language of our user agreements or policies, or to protect the rights, property and safety of Alliant Energy or others;
- With the exception of personally identifiable Granular Usage Data, in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of company assets, financing or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company; and
- With your consent or at your direction, including if we notify you that the information you provide will be shared in a particular manner and you provide such information.
- We may also share aggregated or de-identified information, which cannot reasonably be used to identify you. To the extent your information is shared with vendors, organizations, consultants, or other service providers who perform work on our behalf, we enforce our expectation that they adhere to this Policy through contractual terms and conditions.
Unless you opt in, we will not provide your personally identifiable Granular Usage Data to others for any purposes other than the above, including external marketing or other purposes not directly related to our services. You may opt in online or through Customer Service.
Additional Controls on Third Party Use
Unless you opt in as described above, to the extent your personally identifiable Granular Usage Data is shared with vendors, organizations, consultants, or other service providers who perform work on our behalf, we enforce our expectation that they adhere to this Privacy Policy through contractual terms and conditions. Specifically, our contracts will require that all such entities may only use such personally identifiable Granular Usage Data to perform work on our behalf and may not share or sell such information, or use it for any other purpose.
Furthermore, we require that these vendors, organizations, consultants, or other service providers who receive personally identifiable Granular Usage Data implement and maintain reasonable data security procedures and practices appropriate to the private nature of the information received, consistent with this Privacy Policy. These data security procedures and practices shall be designed to protect the information we provide from unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification, or disclosure. Whenever possible, the data security procedures and practices adopted by these entities meet or exceed our data privacy and security policies and procedures.
In addition, we require these entities return or destroy any personally identifiable Granular Usage Data that it maintained and that is no longer necessary for the purpose for which it was transferred. We maintain records of the disclosure of personally identifiable information to these entities in accordance with our record retention policies. These records include all contracts with the third parties and all executed nondisclosure agreements.
Analytics and Advertising Services Provided by Others
We may allow other entities to provide analytics services on our behalf. For example, we have implemented Google Analytics (along with use of its advertising services so that we may receive Demographics and Interests reports) into our Online Services. You can learn more about Google’s privacy practices by visiting their website at http://www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
These entities may use cookies, Web beacons, device identifiers and other technologies to collect information about your use of the Online Services and other Web sites and online services, including your IP address, Web browser, pages viewed, time spent on pages and links clicked. This information may be used by Alliant and others to, among other things, analyze and track data, determine the popularity of certain content, deliver advertising and content targeted to your interests on our Online Services and other websites and online services, and better understand your online activity.
Security
We maintain administrative, technical and physical safeguards designed to protect the privacy and security of the information we maintain about you. Please note that no electronic transmission of information can be entirely secure. While we take reasonable measures to protect information about you we cannot guarantee that these security measures will always be sufficient or effective.
To help protect yourself, we recommend that you protect the confidentiality of any user name or ID and password you use to access any online services.
You are responsible for all online activity on the website including activity using your user name or ID and password. You should also sign off your accounts and close your browser window when you have finished your visit to our websites.
Your Choices
Account Information
You may update or correct information maintained in your online account at any time by logging into your online account. If you wish to deactivate your online account, you may follow the deactivation process that is made available to you within your online account, but note that we may retain certain information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.
Cookies
Most Web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. However, you may be able to set your Internet browser to remove or reject browser cookies. Please note that if you choose to remove or reject cookies, this could affect the availability and functionality of certain features of our Online Services.
Third-Party Analytics and Advertising
For more information about interest-based ads, or to opt out of having your web browsing information used for behavioral advertising purposes, please visit www.aboutads.info/choices or your Google ad settings. Your mobile device may also include a feature (e.g., “Limit Ad Tracking” on iOS or “Opt Out of Interest-Based Ads” on Android) that allows you to opt out of having certain information collected through apps used for behavioral advertising purposes. To learn about the opt-out offered by Google Analytics, please see Google’s website.
Promotional Communications
You may opt out of receiving promotional messages from Alliant Energy by following the instructions for doing so in those messages. If you opt out, we may still send you transactional or relationship messages, such as those about your account or our ongoing business relations.
Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect any information from children under the age of 13. If we learn that a child under the age of 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it in accordance with applicable law. If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have inadvertently collected information from your child in a manner not permitted by law, please contact us at customercare@alliantenergy.com.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at customercare@alliantenergy.com.