When you flip a light switch, electricity reliably flows to your appliances. But how does energy get from the natural gas generating facility, wind turbine or solar panel all the way to your home?
Electricity and the grid
Whether the source is natural gas, solar panels, wind turbines or battery storage, the power goes to a collector substation that places the energy onto the transmission grid.
From there, high-voltage lines bridge long distances. Utility companies, like us, and transmission companies are responsible for ensuring there’s enough energy available to power the entire region at all times, including during peak demand. Companies from Louisiana to sections of Canada are members of Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the agency that manages and oversees the entire region.
Within MISO’s territory are 65,000 miles of transmission lines. Local substations act as offramps to directly power your homes, schools and businesses.
Sharing makes us all stronger
We maintain a diverse mix of generation resources to support the energy our customers need – even during extreme temperatures.
The power we produce doesn’t just go to our customers. It’s available to customers throughout the MISO region should they need it. In turn our customers benefit from power other energy companies produce. MISO, as the regional grid operator, monitors the amount of energy demand forecasted each day in the footprint and directs generation facilities to produce enough electricity to meet demands. If we need help during an extreme event, we can receive backup from anywhere in the MISO region.
Learn more about the actions we take to provide reliable, renewable energy through our Energy Blueprint.

Where does the energy we generate go?
Published on August 22, 2023
Recent Stories
We drive awareness of growth opportunities in Iowa and Wisconsin
We’re excited to share the 2025 industry conferences our economic development team has attended or will. These events are crucial to foster new business relationships, attract investments and showcase our region's potential.
Read More
Advancing agricultural innovation
The Alliant Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab, a partnership with Iowa State University and Iowa State University Research Park, is now open.
Read More
Planning for future energy needs: Our commitment to customers
Steady economic growth across Iowa and Wisconsin means we are making improvements in our energy infrastructure.
Read More