Iowa Cities Grow by Half a Billion Dollars With Help From Alliant Energy

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – February 10, 2021 /3BL Media/ – The collaborative work that goes on behind the scenes to attract a new business to town, or to encourage one to stay and expand, often involves partnerships between local and state economic developers and Alliant Energy.

In 2020, Alliant Energy’s partnerships led to more than 20 completed projects in Iowa that generated nearly $580 million in new capital investment and 1,540 new jobs. These capital investments create a ripple effect through the local economy as new employees seek housing, shop in local stores, eat in local restaurants, and pay sales and property taxes.

“To generate more than half a billion dollars in new capital investment within the communities we serve, especially during a pandemic, shows the power of these relationships and the opportunities Iowa communities can provide growing businesses,” said Scott Drzycimski, Alliant Energy’s director of customer, community and economic development.

One such opportunity is in Dubuque, where Alliant Energy’s grid investments will allow Simmons Pet Food to operate a 24/7 production schedule that supports nearly 275 jobs, while minimizing power outages that lead to expensive production delays. The same grid investments also supply electricity to surrounding employers and the community.

“Simmons Pet Foods’ investment in Dubuque is a testament to our environment of public/private collaboration,” said Rick Dickinson, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation. “Alliant Energy’s electric infrastructure upgrades, along with state and local financial incentives from the Dubuque City Council and the Iowa Economic Development Authority, were critical in bringing Simmons to our vibrant community."

Growing Alliant Energy’s customer base benefits the company’s customers and drives new jobs and investment in the communities it serves. Alliant Energy supports business and economic development via the Community Growth Investment Program. Financial support from this program helped the Keokuk Chamber of Commerce develop an action plan to attract and retain talent by addressing housing issues.

“The financial assistance of Alliant Energy has allowed Keokuk Economic Development Corporation to support the Rural Housing Readiness Assessment in order to address one of the top issues in our community,” Said Shelley Oltmans, executive director of the Keokuk Area Chamber of Commerce. “This process has allowed us to get the stakeholders in the room to come to a shared understanding of our issues and strengths.”

Fostering economic growth is just one reason why Alliant Energy has been named a Top Utility in Economic Development by Site Selection magazine for the last two years. The annual list recognized the company for its strong commitment to community development, job creation and partnerships with institutions of higher.

To address staffing challenges in rural communities, Alliant Energy supports a digital manufacturing lab in Ames, Iowa in partnership with the Iowa State University Center for Research and Service and the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The initiative benefits small and mid-size rural Iowa manufacturers and educates them about technologies such as collaborative robots, 3-D printers and advanced vision systems.

To learn more about Alliant Energy’s work to grow businesses in Iowa and Wisconsin go to alliantenergy.com/economicdevelopment.