Alliant Energy Benefits From Investments & Clean Energy Focus

Alliant Energy Corporation’s LNT long-term investments should further strengthen its infrastructure, while returns from regulated assets are expected to provide earnings visibility. The company’s focus on electricity generated from clean assets is likely to help serve its expanding customer base.

However, the company’s dependence on third-party assets for transmission activity acts as a headwind.

Factors Acting in Favor of LNT

Alliant Energy’s earnings prospects look attractive due to ongoing additions to electric and natural gas customer volumes. Its geographic location and favorable regulatory developments bode well for the development of wind projects and long-term earnings growth.

The company plans to invest substantially over the next four years to strengthen the electric and gas distribution network as well as add natural gas and renewable assets to the generation portfolio. The company expects long-term capital expenditure of $11.5 billion during 2025-2028. Its strong and flexible investment plans will support an 11% rate-base CAGR during the same period.

More than 40% of Alliant Energy’s 2025-2028 capital expenditure plan includes investments in wind, solar and energy storage. Investments are also focused on repowering or refurbishing wind projects. The company aims at technology investments that help reduce operating costs and enhance customer experience.

Challenges Faced by LNT

The company’s utility operations — IPL and WPL — use the interstate electric transmission system that they do not own or control. Rates charged to these subsidiaries are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. If transmission costs go up and LNT is unable to recover those costs from its customers, operational expenses are bound to rise. 

A decline in the performance of the third-party electric transmission system could limit Alliant Energy’s ability to transmit electricity within its service territories and adversely impact its operations.

Other Utilities’ Focus on Renewable Energy

In the United States, electric utilities are evolving beyond generating income due to the shift to renewable energy. The utilities leading this change are ideally positioned to expand gradually, offering investors a low-risk avenue to participate in the expanding clean energy sector.

Along with LNT, certain companies from the same industry, such as PPL Corp. PPL, Dominion Energy D and Xcel Energy XEL, are also focused on renewable portfolio expansion. 

PPL plans to achieve its carbon emissions target of 70% by 2035 and of 80% by 2040, from its 2010 levels. It aims to do so by introducing new carbon capture technology and adding more renewable sources to its generation portfolio. It also aims to become carbon neutral by 2050.

PPL expects a regulated capital investment plan of $20 billion during 2025-2028. The company’s investments are focused on strengthening grid, electricity and gas distribution, electricity transmission and expanding clean energy generation capacity.

Dominion Energy’s long-term objective is to have more battery storage, solar, hydro and wind (offshore as well as onshore) projects by 2036 and increase the renewable energy capacity by more than 15% per year, on average, over the next 15 years.

Dominion Energy plans to invest $12.1 billion in 2025 and $52.3 billion in the 2025-2029 period to further strengthen its operations and improve service reliability. 

Xcel Energy is focusing on the clean-energy transition. Its Integrated Resource Plan is a comprehensive resource planning methodology that integrates supply and demand-side options for providing energy services. The approved plan includes substantial expansions in renewable energy sources, indicating a shift toward cleaner energy generation.

XEL aims to spend $45 billion during the 2025-2029 period. These investments are aimed at strengthening and expanding its transmission, distribution, electric generation and renewable projects.

 

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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