Trystan Casey
Ottumwa, Iowa, is ranked 565th out of 5,727 US cities and 11th out of 170 Iowa cities in terms of total annual net electricity generation. The city's electricity is supplied by the Ottumwa Generating Station, which is owned and operated by Alliant Energy and MidAmerican Energy. Alliant Energy is a utility company that provides electricity and natural gas to residential and commercial customers in Ottumwa, with a focus on reliable energy delivery and environmental responsibility. MidAmerican Energy has also taken steps towards sustainability, delivering 100% carbon-free energy to Iowa customers in 2022.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity Suppliers | Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy |
| Ottumwa Generating Station Capacity | 675 MW (previously), 725 MW+ |
| Ottumwa, IA Electricity Generation Rank | #565 out of 5,727 U.S. cities, #11 out of 170 Iowa cities |
| Environmental Impact | High levels of toxic heavy metals and pollutants found in groundwater near the Ottumwa Generating Station |
| Recent Renovations | Renovated to improve air quality, plant reliability, and efficiency, reducing its carbon footprint by ~5.6% |
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What You'll Learn
The Ottumwa Generating Station
The OGS was commissioned in May 1981 and has a nominal output of 675 MW. The unit features a single unit that burns Wyoming Powder River Basin coal in a tangentially fired boiler, installed by Combustion Engineering (now Alstom Power). The boiler operates at 2,400 psig, 1,005F/1,005F superheat and reheat steam temperatures, and is equipped with low-NOx burners. The boiler also had a hot-side electrostatic precipitator (ESP) for particulate control, and seven mills supply fuel to seven levels of burners in the boiler.
In 2012, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources issued a PSD Construction Permit to allow the construction of an air quality control system (AQCS) and other efficiency improvements. This included the addition of spray dryer absorbers (SDAs) for SO2 reduction, an activated carbon injection (ACI) system to reduce mercury emissions, and a pulse jet fabric filter (PJFF) for improved particulate removal. These improvements were designed and engineered by B&W.
In 2015, Alliant Energy, the operator of the OGS, completed a major renovation to improve air quality, plant reliability, and efficiency, reducing the plant's carbon footprint by approximately 5.6%. This renovation included myriad boiler improvements, such as replacing the economizer, finishing reheater, superheater division panels, and lower waterwall slope. The reheater outlet headers, header tee, header guides, and terminal tubes were also replaced for improved reliability.
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Alliant Energy Corp
Alliant Energy's services include ground transportation and energy engineering, such as wind and geothermal energy. The company has a wind farm in Oklahoma and holds interests in a natural gas-fired electric generating unit near Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. In 2007, Alliant acquired the 200 MW Buffalo Creek Wind Farm in Hampton, Iowa, and sold its transmission system in Iowa and Minnesota. Alliant Energy also offers a $500 rebate for customers who purchase a home charging station for electric vehicles and provides free public charging at its Madison office.
The Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy, generates and distributes electricity and natural gas in Iowa. In 2015, Alliant Energy completed a major renovation of the Ottumwa Generating Station to improve air quality, plant reliability, and efficiency, reducing its carbon footprint by approximately 5.6%. The Ottumwa Generating Station is an important electricity resource for Alliant Energy, located about 100 miles southeast of Des Moines.
Alliant Energy serves retail customers in various industries, including farming, agriculture, industrial manufacturing, chemical, packaging, and food. It also serves wholesale customers, including municipalities and rural electric cooperatives.
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MidAmerican Energy Co
MidAmerican Energy owns and operates 5 coal plants in Iowa, including a unit in Ottumwa, which is an important electricity resource for the company. In addition to its traditional power plants, MidAmerican has been investing in green energy generation since 2004. As of March 2014, nearly 30% of the company's total owned generation capacity came from its 1,267 wind turbines, generating approximately 2,285 megawatts of energy. The company has since continued to invest in wind energy, signing a deal in 2016 for 2 GW in Iowa and announcing a new large-scale wind energy project in 2018.
MidAmerican Energy is committed to providing reliable and affordable power to its customers. The company has proposed two new generation projects to better serve its customers, especially during times of high demand or following natural disasters. In 2021, the company delivered 100% carbon-free energy to its Iowa customers, an impressive milestone.
The company also has a strong presence in the community, awarding grant funding to Iowa cities, including those affected by natural disasters. The MidAmerican Energy Foundation has also committed $100,000 to support long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts in these areas.
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Carbon-free energy
The electricity for Ottumwa, Iowa, is supplied by the Ottumwa Generating Station (OGS), owned and operated by Interstate Power & Light Co. (a subsidiary of Alliant Energy) and MidAmerican Energy Co. (a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy).
Now, onto carbon-free energy.
Nuclear power is also a significant source of carbon-free energy, providing a reliable and safe option for communities worldwide. Nuclear power plants in over 30 countries generate about 10% of global electricity. Additionally, nuclear power has been used as a low-carbon source of baseload electricity since the 1950s. In 2020, nuclear power accounted for about 10% of low-carbon electricity globally, with hydropower contributing around 20%, and wind and solar power making up almost 10% combined. Hydropower is long-lived, flexible, and cost-effective, even compared to fossil fuels. However, large-scale hydroelectric power systems can have significant social and environmental disadvantages, including the release of carbon dioxide and the displacement of people living in planned reservoir areas.
Companies like Amazon are investing billions of dollars in nuclear, battery storage, and renewable energy projects to reduce their carbon emissions and strengthen their energy future. Amazon has signed agreements to support nuclear energy projects and is developing more than 600 renewable energy projects globally, including solar and wind farms. These projects will supply carbon-free electricity to Amazon's operations, including data centers and physical stores. MidAmerican Energy, an energy provider in Iowa, delivered 100% carbon-free energy to its Iowa customers in a particular year, demonstrating its commitment to providing reliable and sustainable power.
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Groundwater contamination
Ottumwa, Iowa's electricity is supplied by the Ottumwa Generating Station (OGS), which is owned and operated by Interstate Power & Light Co. (a subsidiary of Alliant Energy) and MidAmerican Energy Co. (a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy).
Groundwater in Iowa has been impacted by human-induced contamination, with water from certain wells in surficial and uppermost bedrock aquifers containing nitrate concentrations that exceed safe drinking standards. Additionally, these aquifers also contain detectable levels of pesticides and other organic substances.
Agricultural practices, particularly the use of fertilizers and animal manure, are a significant source of groundwater contamination in Iowa. Nitrogen-based fertilizers and animal waste contribute to elevated nitrate levels in water sources. Pesticides and other chemicals used in farming can also contaminate groundwater, posing potential risks to human health.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, in collaboration with various organizations, actively monitors groundwater quality through its ambient groundwater quality monitoring program. The program aims to characterize groundwater quality by aquifer and region, evaluate long-term trends, and address emerging issues.
However, private well owners bear the responsibility of ensuring their drinking water's safety. Contamination of private wells by nitrate and bacteria has been a persistent issue, affecting an estimated 230,000 to 290,000 Iowans. While repairing or digging new wells can be costly, implementing improved agricultural practices and conservation measures is crucial to mitigating groundwater contamination.
Furthermore, Iowa has several hazardous waste sites under the purview of the Federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). These sites, along with active municipal landfills, also contribute to the state's groundwater quality concerns.
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Frequently asked questions
The Ottumwa Generating Station is the main electricity supplier for the city. The power plant is owned and operated by Alliant Energy and MidAmerican Energy.
The Ottumwa Generating Station is a power plant that provides electricity to the city of Ottumwa, Iowa. It has a capacity of at least 725 megawatts.
The Ottumwa Generating Station is owned and operated by two companies: Alliant Energy and MidAmerican Energy.
Alliant Energy is a utility company that provides electricity and natural gas services to residential and commercial customers in Ottumwa, Iowa. The company focuses on reliable energy delivery and sustainability.
MidAmerican Energy is an energy company that serves customers across Iowa. The company has taken steps towards providing reliable and affordable power, including proposing new generation projects and delivering 100% carbon-free energy to its Iowa customers.
