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Commitments And Contingencies
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
NOTE 13(a) Capital Purchase Obligations - Various contractual obligations contain minimum future commitments related to capital expenditures for certain construction projects. IPL’s projects include generation maintenance and performance improvements for Marshalltown Combustion Turbine Units 1-3. WPL’s projects include generation maintenance and performance improvements at Columbia Units 1 and 2, the installation of a scrubber and baghouse at Edgewater Unit 5 to reduce SO2 and mercury emissions, and the installation of an SCR system at Columbia Unit 2 to reduce NOx emissions at the EGU. At March 31, 2016, Alliant Energy’s, IPL’s and WPL’s minimum future commitments related to certain contractual obligations for these projects were $30 million, $15 million and $15 million, respectively.

NOTE 13(b) Operating Expense Purchase Obligations - Various commodity supply, transportation and storage contracts help meet obligations to provide electricity and natural gas to utility customers. Other operating expense purchase obligations with various vendors provide other goods and services. At March 31, 2016, minimum future commitments related to these operating expense purchase obligations were as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
Purchased power (a):
 
 
 
 
 
DAEC (IPL)

$1,390

 

$1,390

 

$—

Other
145

 
1

 
144

 
1,535

 
1,391

 
144

Natural gas
408

 
225

 
183

Coal (b)
238

 
102

 
136

SO2 emission allowances
8

 
8

 
—

Other (c)
24

 
5

 
2

 

$2,213

 

$1,731

 

$465


(a)
Includes payments required by purchased power agreements for capacity rights and minimum quantities of MWhs required to be purchased.
(b)
Corporate Services entered into system-wide coal contracts on behalf of IPL and WPL that include minimum future commitments. These commitments were assigned to IPL and WPL based on information available as of March 31, 2016 regarding expected future usage, which is subject to change.
(c)
Includes individual commitments incurred during the normal course of business that exceeded $1 million at March 31, 2016.

NOTE 13(c) Legal Proceedings -
Flood Damage Claims - In 2013, several plaintiffs purporting to represent a class of residential and commercial property owners filed a complaint against CRANDIC, Alliant Energy and various other defendants in the Iowa District Court for Linn County. Plaintiffs assert claims of negligence and strict liability based on their allegations that CRANDIC (along with other defendants) caused or exacerbated flooding of the Cedar River in June 2008. In February 2016, the Iowa District Court for Linn County ruled in favor of Alliant Energy and CRANDIC and dismissed all claims against them, resulting in no loss. In March 2016, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal with the Supreme Court of Iowa, and the plaintiffs’ right to appeal has been challenged by another defendant. There is no deadline for the Supreme Court of Iowa to rule on the motion challenging the appeal.

NOTE 13(d) Guarantees and Indemnifications -
RMT - In 2013, Alliant Energy sold RMT. RMT provided renewable energy services, including construction and high voltage connection services for wind and solar projects. As part of the sale, Alliant Energy indemnified the buyer for any claims, including claims of warranty under the project obligations that were commenced or are based on actions that occurred prior to the sale, except for liabilities already accounted for through adjustments to the purchase price. The indemnification obligations either cease to exist when the statute of limitation for such claims is met or, in the case of RMT’s projects, when the warranty period under the agreements expires. The contractual warranty periods for RMT’s projects generally range from 12 to 60 months with the latest expiring in 2016. Limited warranties may be extended in certain cases for warranty work performed.

Alliant Energy also continues to guarantee RMT’s performance obligations related to certain of RMT’s projects that were commenced prior to Alliant Energy’s sale of RMT. As of March 31, 2016, Alliant Energy had $123 million of performance guarantees outstanding, with $48 million and $75 million currently expected to expire in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The expiration of these performance guarantees may be extended depending on when all valid warranty claims are resolved for the respective projects.

Although Alliant Energy has received warranty claims related to certain of these projects, it does not currently believe that material losses are both probable and reasonably estimated, and therefore, has not recognized any material liabilities related to these matters as of March 31, 2016. Alliant Energy does not currently believe that the range of future potential loss from any warranty claims will be material. Refer to Note 16 for further discussion of RMT, including amounts Alliant Energy recorded to “Operating expenses” during the three months ended March 31, 2016 related to certain warranty claims.

Whiting Petroleum - In 2004, Alliant Energy sold its remaining interest in Whiting Petroleum. Whiting Petroleum is an independent oil and gas company. Resources, as the successor to a predecessor entity that owned Whiting Petroleum, continues to guarantee the partnership obligations of an affiliate of Whiting Petroleum under general partnership agreements in the oil and gas industry, including with respect to the future abandonment of certain platforms off the coast of California and related onshore plant and equipment owned by the partnerships. The guarantees do not include a maximum limit. As of March 31, 2016, the present value of the abandonment obligations is estimated at $29 million. Alliant Energy is not aware of any material liabilities related to these guarantees of which it is probable that Resources will be obligated to pay and therefore has not recognized any material liabilities related to this guarantee as of March 31, 2016.

IPL’s Minnesota Electric Distribution Assets - IPL provided indemnifications associated with the July 2015 sale of its Minnesota electric distribution assets for losses resulting from potential breach of IPL’s representations, warranties and obligations under the sale agreement. Alliant Energy and IPL believe the likelihood of having to make any material cash payments under these indemnifications is remote. IPL has not recorded any material liabilities related to these indemnifications as of March 31, 2016. The general terms of the indemnifications provided by IPL included a maximum limit of $17 million and expire in October 2020.

NOTE 13(e) Environmental Matters -
MGP Sites - IPL and WPL have current or previous ownership interests in various sites that are previously associated with the production of gas for which IPL and WPL have, or may have in the future, liability for investigation, remediation and monitoring costs. IPL and WPL are working pursuant to the requirements of various federal and state agencies to investigate, mitigate, prevent and remediate, where necessary, the environmental impacts to property, including natural resources, at and around these former MGP sites in order to protect public health and the environment. IPL and WPL are currently monitoring and/or remediating 24 and 5 sites, respectively.

Environmental liabilities related to the MGP sites are recorded based upon periodic studies. Such amounts are based on the best current estimate of the remaining amount to be incurred for investigation, remediation and monitoring costs for those sites where the investigation process has been or is substantially completed, and the minimum of the estimated cost range for those sites where the investigation is in its earlier stages. There are inherent uncertainties associated with the estimated remaining costs for MGP projects primarily due to unknown site conditions and potential changes in regulatory agency requirements. It is possible that future cost estimates will be greater than current estimates as the investigation process proceeds and as additional facts become known. The amounts recognized as liabilities are reduced for expenditures incurred and are adjusted as further information develops or circumstances change. Costs of future expenditures for environmental remediation obligations are not discounted. At March 31, 2016, estimated future costs expected to be incurred for the investigation, remediation and monitoring of the MGP sites, as well as environmental liabilities recorded on the balance sheets for these sites, were as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
Range of estimated future costs

$12

-
$28
 

$10

-
$24
 

$2

-
$4
Current and non-current environmental liabilities
16
 
13
 
3


WPL Consent Decree - In 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin approved a Consent Decree that WPL, along with the other owners of Edgewater and Columbia, entered into with the EPA and the Sierra Club, thereby resolving claims against WPL. Such claims included allegations that the owners of Edgewater, Nelson Dewey and Columbia violated the Prevention of Significant Deterioration program requirements, Title V Operating Permit requirements of the CAA and the Wisconsin State Implementation Plan designed to implement the CAA.

WPL has completed various requirements under the Consent Decree. WPL’s remaining requirements include installing a scrubber and baghouse at Edgewater Unit 5 by December 31, 2016 and an SCR system at Columbia Unit 2 by December 31, 2018. WPL is also required to fuel switch or retire Edgewater Unit 4 by December 31, 2018. In addition, the Consent Decree establishes emission rate limits for SO2, NOx and particulate matter for Columbia Units 1 and 2, Nelson Dewey Units 1 and 2 and Edgewater Units 4 and 5. The Consent Decree also includes annual plant-wide emission caps for SO2 and NOx for Columbia, Edgewater and Nelson Dewey. WPL is in the process of completing approximately $7 million in environmental mitigation projects.

Alliant Energy and WPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by WPL related to compliance with the terms of the Consent Decree from WPL’s electric customers. The recovery of such costs will be decided by the PSCW in future rate cases or other proceedings.

IPL Consent Decree - In 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa approved a Consent Decree that IPL entered into with the EPA, the Sierra Club, the State of Iowa and Linn County in Iowa, thereby resolving potential CAA issues associated with emissions from IPL’s coal-fired generating facilities in Iowa. IPL has completed various requirements under the Consent Decree. IPL’s remaining requirements include installing an SCR system or equivalent NOx reduction system at the Ottumwa Generating Station by December 31, 2019; fuel switching or retiring Prairie Creek Unit 4 by June 1, 2018, the Burlington Generating Station by December 31, 2021 and Prairie Creek Units 1 and 3 by December 31, 2025; and either installing combined cycle technology at, or retiring, the Dubuque and Sutherland Generating Stations by June 1, 2019.

The Consent Decree also establishes SO2, NOx and particulate matter emission rate limits with varying averaging times for the Burlington, Lansing, M.L. Kapp, Ottumwa and Prairie Creek Generating Stations. In addition, the Consent Decree includes calendar-year SO2 and NOx emission caps for the Prairie Creek Generating Station, and calendar-year SO2 and NOx emission caps in aggregate for the Burlington, Dubuque, Lansing, M.L. Kapp, Ottumwa, Prairie Creek and Sutherland Generating Stations. IPL will also complete approximately $6 million in environmental mitigation projects.

Alliant Energy and IPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by IPL related to the environmental control systems and environmental mitigation projects from IPL’s electric customers. The recovery of such costs will be decided by IPL’s regulators in future rate cases or other proceedings.

Other Environmental Contingencies - In addition to the environmental liabilities discussed above, various environmental rules are monitored that may have a significant impact on future operations. Several of these environmental rules are subject to legal challenges, reconsideration and/or other uncertainties. Given uncertainties regarding the outcome, timing and compliance plans for these environmental matters, the complete financial impact of each of these rules is not able to be determined; however future capital investments and/or modifications to EGUs to comply with certain of these rules could be significant. Specific current, proposed or potential environmental matters include, among others: Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, Ozone NAAQS Rule, Federal Clean Water Act including Section 316(b), Effluent Limitation Guidelines, Hydroelectric Fish Passage Device, CCR Rule, and various legislation and EPA regulations to monitor and regulate the emission of greenhouse gases, including carbon emissions from new (CAA Section 111(b)) and existing (CAA Section 111(d)) fossil-fueled EGUs.
IPL [Member]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
NOTE 13(a) Capital Purchase Obligations - Various contractual obligations contain minimum future commitments related to capital expenditures for certain construction projects. IPL’s projects include generation maintenance and performance improvements for Marshalltown Combustion Turbine Units 1-3. WPL’s projects include generation maintenance and performance improvements at Columbia Units 1 and 2, the installation of a scrubber and baghouse at Edgewater Unit 5 to reduce SO2 and mercury emissions, and the installation of an SCR system at Columbia Unit 2 to reduce NOx emissions at the EGU. At March 31, 2016, Alliant Energy’s, IPL’s and WPL’s minimum future commitments related to certain contractual obligations for these projects were $30 million, $15 million and $15 million, respectively.

NOTE 13(b) Operating Expense Purchase Obligations - Various commodity supply, transportation and storage contracts help meet obligations to provide electricity and natural gas to utility customers. Other operating expense purchase obligations with various vendors provide other goods and services. At March 31, 2016, minimum future commitments related to these operating expense purchase obligations were as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
Purchased power (a):
 
 
 
 
 
DAEC (IPL)

$1,390

 

$1,390

 

$—

Other
145

 
1

 
144

 
1,535

 
1,391

 
144

Natural gas
408

 
225

 
183

Coal (b)
238

 
102

 
136

SO2 emission allowances
8

 
8

 
—

Other (c)
24

 
5

 
2

 

$2,213

 

$1,731

 

$465


(a)
Includes payments required by purchased power agreements for capacity rights and minimum quantities of MWhs required to be purchased.
(b)
Corporate Services entered into system-wide coal contracts on behalf of IPL and WPL that include minimum future commitments. These commitments were assigned to IPL and WPL based on information available as of March 31, 2016 regarding expected future usage, which is subject to change.
(c)
Includes individual commitments incurred during the normal course of business that exceeded $1 million at March 31, 2016.

NOTE 13(c) Legal Proceedings -
Flood Damage Claims - In 2013, several plaintiffs purporting to represent a class of residential and commercial property owners filed a complaint against CRANDIC, Alliant Energy and various other defendants in the Iowa District Court for Linn County. Plaintiffs assert claims of negligence and strict liability based on their allegations that CRANDIC (along with other defendants) caused or exacerbated flooding of the Cedar River in June 2008. In February 2016, the Iowa District Court for Linn County ruled in favor of Alliant Energy and CRANDIC and dismissed all claims against them, resulting in no loss. In March 2016, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal with the Supreme Court of Iowa, and the plaintiffs’ right to appeal has been challenged by another defendant. There is no deadline for the Supreme Court of Iowa to rule on the motion challenging the appeal.

NOTE 13(d) Guarantees and Indemnifications -
RMT - In 2013, Alliant Energy sold RMT. RMT provided renewable energy services, including construction and high voltage connection services for wind and solar projects. As part of the sale, Alliant Energy indemnified the buyer for any claims, including claims of warranty under the project obligations that were commenced or are based on actions that occurred prior to the sale, except for liabilities already accounted for through adjustments to the purchase price. The indemnification obligations either cease to exist when the statute of limitation for such claims is met or, in the case of RMT’s projects, when the warranty period under the agreements expires. The contractual warranty periods for RMT’s projects generally range from 12 to 60 months with the latest expiring in 2016. Limited warranties may be extended in certain cases for warranty work performed.

Alliant Energy also continues to guarantee RMT’s performance obligations related to certain of RMT’s projects that were commenced prior to Alliant Energy’s sale of RMT. As of March 31, 2016, Alliant Energy had $123 million of performance guarantees outstanding, with $48 million and $75 million currently expected to expire in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The expiration of these performance guarantees may be extended depending on when all valid warranty claims are resolved for the respective projects.

Although Alliant Energy has received warranty claims related to certain of these projects, it does not currently believe that material losses are both probable and reasonably estimated, and therefore, has not recognized any material liabilities related to these matters as of March 31, 2016. Alliant Energy does not currently believe that the range of future potential loss from any warranty claims will be material. Refer to Note 16 for further discussion of RMT, including amounts Alliant Energy recorded to “Operating expenses” during the three months ended March 31, 2016 related to certain warranty claims.

Whiting Petroleum - In 2004, Alliant Energy sold its remaining interest in Whiting Petroleum. Whiting Petroleum is an independent oil and gas company. Resources, as the successor to a predecessor entity that owned Whiting Petroleum, continues to guarantee the partnership obligations of an affiliate of Whiting Petroleum under general partnership agreements in the oil and gas industry, including with respect to the future abandonment of certain platforms off the coast of California and related onshore plant and equipment owned by the partnerships. The guarantees do not include a maximum limit. As of March 31, 2016, the present value of the abandonment obligations is estimated at $29 million. Alliant Energy is not aware of any material liabilities related to these guarantees of which it is probable that Resources will be obligated to pay and therefore has not recognized any material liabilities related to this guarantee as of March 31, 2016.

IPL’s Minnesota Electric Distribution Assets - IPL provided indemnifications associated with the July 2015 sale of its Minnesota electric distribution assets for losses resulting from potential breach of IPL’s representations, warranties and obligations under the sale agreement. Alliant Energy and IPL believe the likelihood of having to make any material cash payments under these indemnifications is remote. IPL has not recorded any material liabilities related to these indemnifications as of March 31, 2016. The general terms of the indemnifications provided by IPL included a maximum limit of $17 million and expire in October 2020.

NOTE 13(e) Environmental Matters -
MGP Sites - IPL and WPL have current or previous ownership interests in various sites that are previously associated with the production of gas for which IPL and WPL have, or may have in the future, liability for investigation, remediation and monitoring costs. IPL and WPL are working pursuant to the requirements of various federal and state agencies to investigate, mitigate, prevent and remediate, where necessary, the environmental impacts to property, including natural resources, at and around these former MGP sites in order to protect public health and the environment. IPL and WPL are currently monitoring and/or remediating 24 and 5 sites, respectively.

Environmental liabilities related to the MGP sites are recorded based upon periodic studies. Such amounts are based on the best current estimate of the remaining amount to be incurred for investigation, remediation and monitoring costs for those sites where the investigation process has been or is substantially completed, and the minimum of the estimated cost range for those sites where the investigation is in its earlier stages. There are inherent uncertainties associated with the estimated remaining costs for MGP projects primarily due to unknown site conditions and potential changes in regulatory agency requirements. It is possible that future cost estimates will be greater than current estimates as the investigation process proceeds and as additional facts become known. The amounts recognized as liabilities are reduced for expenditures incurred and are adjusted as further information develops or circumstances change. Costs of future expenditures for environmental remediation obligations are not discounted. At March 31, 2016, estimated future costs expected to be incurred for the investigation, remediation and monitoring of the MGP sites, as well as environmental liabilities recorded on the balance sheets for these sites, were as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
Range of estimated future costs

$12

-
$28
 

$10

-
$24
 

$2

-
$4
Current and non-current environmental liabilities
16
 
13
 
3


WPL Consent Decree - In 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin approved a Consent Decree that WPL, along with the other owners of Edgewater and Columbia, entered into with the EPA and the Sierra Club, thereby resolving claims against WPL. Such claims included allegations that the owners of Edgewater, Nelson Dewey and Columbia violated the Prevention of Significant Deterioration program requirements, Title V Operating Permit requirements of the CAA and the Wisconsin State Implementation Plan designed to implement the CAA.

WPL has completed various requirements under the Consent Decree. WPL’s remaining requirements include installing a scrubber and baghouse at Edgewater Unit 5 by December 31, 2016 and an SCR system at Columbia Unit 2 by December 31, 2018. WPL is also required to fuel switch or retire Edgewater Unit 4 by December 31, 2018. In addition, the Consent Decree establishes emission rate limits for SO2, NOx and particulate matter for Columbia Units 1 and 2, Nelson Dewey Units 1 and 2 and Edgewater Units 4 and 5. The Consent Decree also includes annual plant-wide emission caps for SO2 and NOx for Columbia, Edgewater and Nelson Dewey. WPL is in the process of completing approximately $7 million in environmental mitigation projects.

Alliant Energy and WPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by WPL related to compliance with the terms of the Consent Decree from WPL’s electric customers. The recovery of such costs will be decided by the PSCW in future rate cases or other proceedings.

IPL Consent Decree - In 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa approved a Consent Decree that IPL entered into with the EPA, the Sierra Club, the State of Iowa and Linn County in Iowa, thereby resolving potential CAA issues associated with emissions from IPL’s coal-fired generating facilities in Iowa. IPL has completed various requirements under the Consent Decree. IPL’s remaining requirements include installing an SCR system or equivalent NOx reduction system at the Ottumwa Generating Station by December 31, 2019; fuel switching or retiring Prairie Creek Unit 4 by June 1, 2018, the Burlington Generating Station by December 31, 2021 and Prairie Creek Units 1 and 3 by December 31, 2025; and either installing combined cycle technology at, or retiring, the Dubuque and Sutherland Generating Stations by June 1, 2019.

The Consent Decree also establishes SO2, NOx and particulate matter emission rate limits with varying averaging times for the Burlington, Lansing, M.L. Kapp, Ottumwa and Prairie Creek Generating Stations. In addition, the Consent Decree includes calendar-year SO2 and NOx emission caps for the Prairie Creek Generating Station, and calendar-year SO2 and NOx emission caps in aggregate for the Burlington, Dubuque, Lansing, M.L. Kapp, Ottumwa, Prairie Creek and Sutherland Generating Stations. IPL will also complete approximately $6 million in environmental mitigation projects.

Alliant Energy and IPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by IPL related to the environmental control systems and environmental mitigation projects from IPL’s electric customers. The recovery of such costs will be decided by IPL’s regulators in future rate cases or other proceedings.

Other Environmental Contingencies - In addition to the environmental liabilities discussed above, various environmental rules are monitored that may have a significant impact on future operations. Several of these environmental rules are subject to legal challenges, reconsideration and/or other uncertainties. Given uncertainties regarding the outcome, timing and compliance plans for these environmental matters, the complete financial impact of each of these rules is not able to be determined; however future capital investments and/or modifications to EGUs to comply with certain of these rules could be significant. Specific current, proposed or potential environmental matters include, among others: Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, Ozone NAAQS Rule, Federal Clean Water Act including Section 316(b), Effluent Limitation Guidelines, Hydroelectric Fish Passage Device, CCR Rule, and various legislation and EPA regulations to monitor and regulate the emission of greenhouse gases, including carbon emissions from new (CAA Section 111(b)) and existing (CAA Section 111(d)) fossil-fueled EGUs.
WPL [Member]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
NOTE 13(a) Capital Purchase Obligations - Various contractual obligations contain minimum future commitments related to capital expenditures for certain construction projects. IPL’s projects include generation maintenance and performance improvements for Marshalltown Combustion Turbine Units 1-3. WPL’s projects include generation maintenance and performance improvements at Columbia Units 1 and 2, the installation of a scrubber and baghouse at Edgewater Unit 5 to reduce SO2 and mercury emissions, and the installation of an SCR system at Columbia Unit 2 to reduce NOx emissions at the EGU. At March 31, 2016, Alliant Energy’s, IPL’s and WPL’s minimum future commitments related to certain contractual obligations for these projects were $30 million, $15 million and $15 million, respectively.

NOTE 13(b) Operating Expense Purchase Obligations - Various commodity supply, transportation and storage contracts help meet obligations to provide electricity and natural gas to utility customers. Other operating expense purchase obligations with various vendors provide other goods and services. At March 31, 2016, minimum future commitments related to these operating expense purchase obligations were as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
Purchased power (a):
 
 
 
 
 
DAEC (IPL)

$1,390

 

$1,390

 

$—

Other
145

 
1

 
144

 
1,535

 
1,391

 
144

Natural gas
408

 
225

 
183

Coal (b)
238

 
102

 
136

SO2 emission allowances
8

 
8

 
—

Other (c)
24

 
5

 
2

 

$2,213

 

$1,731

 

$465


(a)
Includes payments required by purchased power agreements for capacity rights and minimum quantities of MWhs required to be purchased.
(b)
Corporate Services entered into system-wide coal contracts on behalf of IPL and WPL that include minimum future commitments. These commitments were assigned to IPL and WPL based on information available as of March 31, 2016 regarding expected future usage, which is subject to change.
(c)
Includes individual commitments incurred during the normal course of business that exceeded $1 million at March 31, 2016.

NOTE 13(c) Legal Proceedings -
Flood Damage Claims - In 2013, several plaintiffs purporting to represent a class of residential and commercial property owners filed a complaint against CRANDIC, Alliant Energy and various other defendants in the Iowa District Court for Linn County. Plaintiffs assert claims of negligence and strict liability based on their allegations that CRANDIC (along with other defendants) caused or exacerbated flooding of the Cedar River in June 2008. In February 2016, the Iowa District Court for Linn County ruled in favor of Alliant Energy and CRANDIC and dismissed all claims against them, resulting in no loss. In March 2016, plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal with the Supreme Court of Iowa, and the plaintiffs’ right to appeal has been challenged by another defendant. There is no deadline for the Supreme Court of Iowa to rule on the motion challenging the appeal.

NOTE 13(d) Guarantees and Indemnifications -
RMT - In 2013, Alliant Energy sold RMT. RMT provided renewable energy services, including construction and high voltage connection services for wind and solar projects. As part of the sale, Alliant Energy indemnified the buyer for any claims, including claims of warranty under the project obligations that were commenced or are based on actions that occurred prior to the sale, except for liabilities already accounted for through adjustments to the purchase price. The indemnification obligations either cease to exist when the statute of limitation for such claims is met or, in the case of RMT’s projects, when the warranty period under the agreements expires. The contractual warranty periods for RMT’s projects generally range from 12 to 60 months with the latest expiring in 2016. Limited warranties may be extended in certain cases for warranty work performed.

Alliant Energy also continues to guarantee RMT’s performance obligations related to certain of RMT’s projects that were commenced prior to Alliant Energy’s sale of RMT. As of March 31, 2016, Alliant Energy had $123 million of performance guarantees outstanding, with $48 million and $75 million currently expected to expire in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The expiration of these performance guarantees may be extended depending on when all valid warranty claims are resolved for the respective projects.

Although Alliant Energy has received warranty claims related to certain of these projects, it does not currently believe that material losses are both probable and reasonably estimated, and therefore, has not recognized any material liabilities related to these matters as of March 31, 2016. Alliant Energy does not currently believe that the range of future potential loss from any warranty claims will be material. Refer to Note 16 for further discussion of RMT, including amounts Alliant Energy recorded to “Operating expenses” during the three months ended March 31, 2016 related to certain warranty claims.

Whiting Petroleum - In 2004, Alliant Energy sold its remaining interest in Whiting Petroleum. Whiting Petroleum is an independent oil and gas company. Resources, as the successor to a predecessor entity that owned Whiting Petroleum, continues to guarantee the partnership obligations of an affiliate of Whiting Petroleum under general partnership agreements in the oil and gas industry, including with respect to the future abandonment of certain platforms off the coast of California and related onshore plant and equipment owned by the partnerships. The guarantees do not include a maximum limit. As of March 31, 2016, the present value of the abandonment obligations is estimated at $29 million. Alliant Energy is not aware of any material liabilities related to these guarantees of which it is probable that Resources will be obligated to pay and therefore has not recognized any material liabilities related to this guarantee as of March 31, 2016.

IPL’s Minnesota Electric Distribution Assets - IPL provided indemnifications associated with the July 2015 sale of its Minnesota electric distribution assets for losses resulting from potential breach of IPL’s representations, warranties and obligations under the sale agreement. Alliant Energy and IPL believe the likelihood of having to make any material cash payments under these indemnifications is remote. IPL has not recorded any material liabilities related to these indemnifications as of March 31, 2016. The general terms of the indemnifications provided by IPL included a maximum limit of $17 million and expire in October 2020.

NOTE 13(e) Environmental Matters -
MGP Sites - IPL and WPL have current or previous ownership interests in various sites that are previously associated with the production of gas for which IPL and WPL have, or may have in the future, liability for investigation, remediation and monitoring costs. IPL and WPL are working pursuant to the requirements of various federal and state agencies to investigate, mitigate, prevent and remediate, where necessary, the environmental impacts to property, including natural resources, at and around these former MGP sites in order to protect public health and the environment. IPL and WPL are currently monitoring and/or remediating 24 and 5 sites, respectively.

Environmental liabilities related to the MGP sites are recorded based upon periodic studies. Such amounts are based on the best current estimate of the remaining amount to be incurred for investigation, remediation and monitoring costs for those sites where the investigation process has been or is substantially completed, and the minimum of the estimated cost range for those sites where the investigation is in its earlier stages. There are inherent uncertainties associated with the estimated remaining costs for MGP projects primarily due to unknown site conditions and potential changes in regulatory agency requirements. It is possible that future cost estimates will be greater than current estimates as the investigation process proceeds and as additional facts become known. The amounts recognized as liabilities are reduced for expenditures incurred and are adjusted as further information develops or circumstances change. Costs of future expenditures for environmental remediation obligations are not discounted. At March 31, 2016, estimated future costs expected to be incurred for the investigation, remediation and monitoring of the MGP sites, as well as environmental liabilities recorded on the balance sheets for these sites, were as follows (in millions):
 
Alliant Energy
 
IPL
 
WPL
Range of estimated future costs

$12

-
$28
 

$10

-
$24
 

$2

-
$4
Current and non-current environmental liabilities
16
 
13
 
3


WPL Consent Decree - In 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin approved a Consent Decree that WPL, along with the other owners of Edgewater and Columbia, entered into with the EPA and the Sierra Club, thereby resolving claims against WPL. Such claims included allegations that the owners of Edgewater, Nelson Dewey and Columbia violated the Prevention of Significant Deterioration program requirements, Title V Operating Permit requirements of the CAA and the Wisconsin State Implementation Plan designed to implement the CAA.

WPL has completed various requirements under the Consent Decree. WPL’s remaining requirements include installing a scrubber and baghouse at Edgewater Unit 5 by December 31, 2016 and an SCR system at Columbia Unit 2 by December 31, 2018. WPL is also required to fuel switch or retire Edgewater Unit 4 by December 31, 2018. In addition, the Consent Decree establishes emission rate limits for SO2, NOx and particulate matter for Columbia Units 1 and 2, Nelson Dewey Units 1 and 2 and Edgewater Units 4 and 5. The Consent Decree also includes annual plant-wide emission caps for SO2 and NOx for Columbia, Edgewater and Nelson Dewey. WPL is in the process of completing approximately $7 million in environmental mitigation projects.

Alliant Energy and WPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by WPL related to compliance with the terms of the Consent Decree from WPL’s electric customers. The recovery of such costs will be decided by the PSCW in future rate cases or other proceedings.

IPL Consent Decree - In 2015, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa approved a Consent Decree that IPL entered into with the EPA, the Sierra Club, the State of Iowa and Linn County in Iowa, thereby resolving potential CAA issues associated with emissions from IPL’s coal-fired generating facilities in Iowa. IPL has completed various requirements under the Consent Decree. IPL’s remaining requirements include installing an SCR system or equivalent NOx reduction system at the Ottumwa Generating Station by December 31, 2019; fuel switching or retiring Prairie Creek Unit 4 by June 1, 2018, the Burlington Generating Station by December 31, 2021 and Prairie Creek Units 1 and 3 by December 31, 2025; and either installing combined cycle technology at, or retiring, the Dubuque and Sutherland Generating Stations by June 1, 2019.

The Consent Decree also establishes SO2, NOx and particulate matter emission rate limits with varying averaging times for the Burlington, Lansing, M.L. Kapp, Ottumwa and Prairie Creek Generating Stations. In addition, the Consent Decree includes calendar-year SO2 and NOx emission caps for the Prairie Creek Generating Station, and calendar-year SO2 and NOx emission caps in aggregate for the Burlington, Dubuque, Lansing, M.L. Kapp, Ottumwa, Prairie Creek and Sutherland Generating Stations. IPL will also complete approximately $6 million in environmental mitigation projects.

Alliant Energy and IPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by IPL related to the environmental control systems and environmental mitigation projects from IPL’s electric customers. The recovery of such costs will be decided by IPL’s regulators in future rate cases or other proceedings.

Other Environmental Contingencies - In addition to the environmental liabilities discussed above, various environmental rules are monitored that may have a significant impact on future operations. Several of these environmental rules are subject to legal challenges, reconsideration and/or other uncertainties. Given uncertainties regarding the outcome, timing and compliance plans for these environmental matters, the complete financial impact of each of these rules is not able to be determined; however future capital investments and/or modifications to EGUs to comply with certain of these rules could be significant. Specific current, proposed or potential environmental matters include, among others: Cross-State Air Pollution Rule, Ozone NAAQS Rule, Federal Clean Water Act including Section 316(b), Effluent Limitation Guidelines, Hydroelectric Fish Passage Device, CCR Rule, and various legislation and EPA regulations to monitor and regulate the emission of greenhouse gases, including carbon emissions from new (CAA Section 111(b)) and existing (CAA Section 111(d)) fossil-fueled EGUs.