Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	3 Months Ended
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)	Mar. 31, 2017
General, Basis of Accounting	The interim unaudited Financial Statements included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, although management believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the latest combined Annual Report on Form 10-K.
General, Use of Estimates	In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which unless otherwise noted are normal and recurring in nature, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows have been made. Results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. A change in management’s estimates or assumptions could have a material impact on financial condition and results of operations during the period in which such change occurred.
General, Reclassification	Certain prior period amounts in the Financial Statements and Notes have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation for comparative purposes. Unless otherwise noted, the Notes herein exclude discontinued operations for all periods presented. As required by GAAP, all prior period financial statements and disclosures presented herein, including all Alliant Energy share and per share amounts, have been restated to reflect a two-for-one common stock split distributed in May 2016.
New Accounting Standards	New Accounting Standards - Revenue Recognition - In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard providing principles for recognizing revenue for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers with the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This standard also requires disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL will adopt this standard on January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the standard can be applied retrospectively to all prior reporting periods presented, or retrospectively with a cumulative effect to the opening retained earnings balance on January 1, 2018. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations and do not anticipate a significant change in revenue recognition for retail electric and gas sales, which represent the majority of Alliant Energy’s, IPL’s and WPL’s revenues. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL continue to evaluate additional impacts of this standard, as well as which transition method will be utilized. Leases - In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard requiring lease assets and lease liabilities, including operating leases, to be recognized on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. The standard also requires disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL currently expect to adopt this standard on January 1, 2019 and are evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations and expect an increase in assets and liabilities from recognizing operating leases on their balance sheets. Presentation of Net Periodic Pension and Postretirement Benefit Costs - In March 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard amending the income statement presentation of the components of net periodic benefit costs for defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans. The standard requires entities to (1) disaggregate the current service cost component from the other components of net periodic benefit costs and present it with other employee compensation costs in the income statement; and (2) include the other components in the income statement outside of operating income. In addition, only the service cost component of net periodic benefit costs is eligible for capitalization into property, plant and equipment, when applicable. IPL and WPL, as rate-regulated entities, currently expect to capitalize the other components of net periodic benefit costs into regulatory assets or regulatory liabilities, when applicable in accordance with regulations by FERC and various state regulatory commissions. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL will adopt this standard on January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the standard must be applied retrospectively for the presentation requirements and prospectively for the capitalization requirements. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations.
IPL [Member]
General, Basis of Accounting	The interim unaudited Financial Statements included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, although management believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the latest combined Annual Report on Form 10-K.
General, Use of Estimates	In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which unless otherwise noted are normal and recurring in nature, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows have been made. Results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. A change in management’s estimates or assumptions could have a material impact on financial condition and results of operations during the period in which such change occurred.
General, Reclassification	Certain prior period amounts in the Financial Statements and Notes have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation for comparative purposes. Unless otherwise noted, the Notes herein exclude discontinued operations for all periods presented. As required by GAAP, all prior period financial statements and disclosures presented herein, including all Alliant Energy share and per share amounts, have been restated to reflect a two-for-one common stock split distributed in May 2016.
New Accounting Standards	New Accounting Standards - Revenue Recognition - In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard providing principles for recognizing revenue for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers with the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This standard also requires disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL will adopt this standard on January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the standard can be applied retrospectively to all prior reporting periods presented, or retrospectively with a cumulative effect to the opening retained earnings balance on January 1, 2018. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations and do not anticipate a significant change in revenue recognition for retail electric and gas sales, which represent the majority of Alliant Energy’s, IPL’s and WPL’s revenues. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL continue to evaluate additional impacts of this standard, as well as which transition method will be utilized. Leases - In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard requiring lease assets and lease liabilities, including operating leases, to be recognized on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. The standard also requires disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL currently expect to adopt this standard on January 1, 2019 and are evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations and expect an increase in assets and liabilities from recognizing operating leases on their balance sheets. Presentation of Net Periodic Pension and Postretirement Benefit Costs - In March 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard amending the income statement presentation of the components of net periodic benefit costs for defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans. The standard requires entities to (1) disaggregate the current service cost component from the other components of net periodic benefit costs and present it with other employee compensation costs in the income statement; and (2) include the other components in the income statement outside of operating income. In addition, only the service cost component of net periodic benefit costs is eligible for capitalization into property, plant and equipment, when applicable. IPL and WPL, as rate-regulated entities, currently expect to capitalize the other components of net periodic benefit costs into regulatory assets or regulatory liabilities, when applicable in accordance with regulations by FERC and various state regulatory commissions. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL will adopt this standard on January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the standard must be applied retrospectively for the presentation requirements and prospectively for the capitalization requirements. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations.
WPL [Member]
General, Basis of Accounting	The interim unaudited Financial Statements included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accordingly, certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, although management believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the notes thereto included in the latest combined Annual Report on Form 10-K.
General, Use of Estimates	In the opinion of management, all adjustments, which unless otherwise noted are normal and recurring in nature, necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows have been made. Results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. A change in management’s estimates or assumptions could have a material impact on financial condition and results of operations during the period in which such change occurred.
General, Reclassification	Certain prior period amounts in the Financial Statements and Notes have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation for comparative purposes. Unless otherwise noted, the Notes herein exclude discontinued operations for all periods presented. As required by GAAP, all prior period financial statements and disclosures presented herein, including all Alliant Energy share and per share amounts, have been restated to reflect a two-for-one common stock split distributed in May 2016.
New Accounting Standards	New Accounting Standards - Revenue Recognition - In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard providing principles for recognizing revenue for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers with the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This standard also requires disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL will adopt this standard on January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the standard can be applied retrospectively to all prior reporting periods presented, or retrospectively with a cumulative effect to the opening retained earnings balance on January 1, 2018. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations and do not anticipate a significant change in revenue recognition for retail electric and gas sales, which represent the majority of Alliant Energy’s, IPL’s and WPL’s revenues. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL continue to evaluate additional impacts of this standard, as well as which transition method will be utilized. Leases - In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard requiring lease assets and lease liabilities, including operating leases, to be recognized on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. The standard also requires disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL currently expect to adopt this standard on January 1, 2019 and are evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations and expect an increase in assets and liabilities from recognizing operating leases on their balance sheets. Presentation of Net Periodic Pension and Postretirement Benefit Costs - In March 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an accounting standard amending the income statement presentation of the components of net periodic benefit costs for defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans. The standard requires entities to (1) disaggregate the current service cost component from the other components of net periodic benefit costs and present it with other employee compensation costs in the income statement; and (2) include the other components in the income statement outside of operating income. In addition, only the service cost component of net periodic benefit costs is eligible for capitalization into property, plant and equipment, when applicable. IPL and WPL, as rate-regulated entities, currently expect to capitalize the other components of net periodic benefit costs into regulatory assets or regulatory liabilities, when applicable in accordance with regulations by FERC and various state regulatory commissions. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL will adopt this standard on January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the standard must be applied retrospectively for the presentation requirements and prospectively for the capitalization requirements. Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on their financial condition and results of operations.