XML 56 R24.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.22.0.1
Commitments And Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Commitments And Contingencies COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES(a) Capital Purchase Commitments - Various contractual obligations contain minimum future commitments related to capital expenditures for certain construction projects, including WPL’s expansion of solar generation. At December 31, 2021, Alliant Energy’s and WPL’s minimum future commitments in 2022 for these projects were $178 million and $177 million, respectively.(b) Other Purchase Commitments - Various commodity supply, transportation and storage contracts help meet obligations to provide electricity and natural gas to utility customers. In addition, there are various purchase commitments associated with other goods and services. At December 31, 2021, the related minimum future commitments were as follows (in millions):
Alliant Energy20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$307$196$144$102$88$175$1,012
Coal6346253137
Other (a)821485225136
$452$256$177$110$90$200$1,285
IPL20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$148$108$84$52$42$65$499
Coal322717379
Other (a)3442222367
$214$139$103$57$44$88$645
WPL20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$159$88$60$50$46$110$513
Coal3119858
Other (a)33111137
$223$108$69$51$47$110$608

(a)Includes individual commitments incurred during the normal course of business that exceeded $1 million at December 31, 2021.
(c) Legal Proceedings - Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are involved in legal and administrative proceedings before various courts and agencies with respect to matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Although unable to predict the outcome of these matters, Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL believe that appropriate reserves have been established and final disposition of these actions will not have a material effect on their financial condition or results of operations.(d) Guarantees and Indemnifications -
Whiting Petroleum - Whiting Petroleum is an independent oil and gas company. In 2004, Alliant Energy sold its remaining interest in Whiting Petroleum. Alliant Energy Resources, LLC, as the successor to a predecessor entity that owned Whiting Petroleum, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of AEF, continues to guarantee the partnership obligations of an affiliate of Whiting Petroleum under multiple general partnership agreements in the oil and gas industry. The guarantees do not include a maximum limit. Based on information made available to Alliant Energy by Whiting Petroleum, the Whiting Petroleum affiliate holds an approximate 6% share in the partnerships, and currently known obligations include costs associated with the future abandonment of certain facilities owned by the partnerships. The general partnerships were formed under California law, and Alliant Energy Resources, LLC may need to perform under the guarantees if the affiliate of Whiting Petroleum is unable to meet its partnership obligations.

As of December 31, 2021, the currently known partnership obligations for the abandonment obligations are estimated at $60 million, which represents Alliant Energy’s currently estimated maximum exposure under the guarantees. Alliant Energy estimates its expected loss to be a portion of the $60 million of known partnership abandonment obligations of the Whiting Petroleum affiliate and the other partners. Alliant Energy is not aware of any material liabilities related to these guarantees that it is probable that it will be obligated to pay; however, as of both December 31, 2021 and 2020, a liability of $5 million is recorded in “Other liabilities” on Alliant Energy’s balance sheets for expected credit losses related to the contingent obligations that are in the scope of these guarantees.

Non-utility Wind Farm in Oklahoma - In 2017, a wholly-owned subsidiary of AEF acquired a cash equity ownership interest in a non-utility wind farm located in Oklahoma. The wind farm provides electricity to a third-party under a long-term PPA. Alliant Energy provided a parent guarantee of its subsidiary’s indemnification obligations under the related operating agreement and PPA. Alliant Energy’s obligations under the operating agreement were $67 million as of December 31, 2021 and will reduce annually until expiring in July 2047. Alliant Energy’s obligations under the PPA are subject to a maximum limit of $17 million and expire in December 2031, subject to potential extension. Alliant Energy is not aware of any material liabilities related to this guarantee that it is probable that it will be obligated to pay and therefore has not recognized any material liabilities related to this guarantee as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.
(e) Environmental Matters - Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are subject to environmental regulations as a result of their current and past operations. These regulations are designed to protect public health and the environment and have resulted in compliance, remediation, containment and monitoring obligations, which are recorded as current and non-current environmental liabilities. Substantially all of the environmental liabilities recorded on the balance sheets relate to MGP sites.
Manufactured Gas Plant 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. At December 31, 2021, 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, which are not discounted, were as follows (in millions). At December 31, 2021, such amounts for WPL were not material.
Alliant EnergyIPL
Range of estimated future costs$8 -$24$6 -$18
Current and non-current environmental liabilities118

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 fuel switching or retiring Prairie Creek Units 1 and 3 by December 31, 2025. Alliant Energy and IPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by IPL related to compliance with the terms of the Consent Decree from IPL’s electric customers.

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 and electric and gas distribution systems to comply with certain of these rules could be significant. Specific current, proposed or potential environmental matters include, among others: Effluent Limitation Guidelines, CCR Rule, and various legislation and EPA regulations to monitor and regulate the emission of GHG, including the CAA.
(f) Credit Risk - IPL provides retail electric and gas services in Iowa and wholesale electric service in Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. WPL provides retail electric and gas services and wholesale electric service in Wisconsin. The geographic concentration of IPL’s and WPL’s customers did not contribute significantly to overall credit risk exposure. In addition, as a result of a diverse customer base, IPL and WPL did not have any significant credit risk concentration for receivables arising from the sale of electricity or gas services.
Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are subject to credit risk related to the ability of counterparties to meet their contractual payment obligations or the potential non-performance of counterparties to deliver contracted commodities and other goods or services at the contracted price. Credit policies are maintained to mitigate credit risk. These credit policies include evaluation of the financial condition of certain counterparties, use of credit risk-related contingent provisions in certain agreements that require credit support from counterparties not meeting specific criteria, diversification of counterparties to reduce concentrations of credit risk and the use of standardized agreements that facilitate the netting of cash flows associated with certain counterparties. Based on these credit policies and counterparty diversification, as well as utility cost recovery mechanisms, it is unlikely that counterparty non-performance would have a material effect on financial condition or results of operations. However, there is no assurance that these items will protect against all losses from counterparty non-performance.

Refer to Notes 5(a) and 15 for details of allowances for expected credit losses and credit risk-related contingent features, respectively.
(g) Collective Bargaining Agreements - At December 31, 2021, employees covered by collective bargaining agreements represented 54%, 69% and 83% of total employees of Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL, respectively. In May 2022, WPL’s collective bargaining agreement with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 965 expires, representing 26% and 83% of total employees of Alliant Energy and WPL, respectively.
IPL [Member]  
Commitments And Contingencies COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES(b) Other Purchase Commitments - Various commodity supply, transportation and storage contracts help meet obligations to provide electricity and natural gas to utility customers. In addition, there are various purchase commitments associated with other goods and services. At December 31, 2021, the related minimum future commitments were as follows (in millions):
Alliant Energy20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$307$196$144$102$88$175$1,012
Coal6346253137
Other (a)821485225136
$452$256$177$110$90$200$1,285
IPL20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$148$108$84$52$42$65$499
Coal322717379
Other (a)3442222367
$214$139$103$57$44$88$645
WPL20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$159$88$60$50$46$110$513
Coal3119858
Other (a)33111137
$223$108$69$51$47$110$608

(a)Includes individual commitments incurred during the normal course of business that exceeded $1 million at December 31, 2021.
(c) Legal Proceedings - Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are involved in legal and administrative proceedings before various courts and agencies with respect to matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Although unable to predict the outcome of these matters, Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL believe that appropriate reserves have been established and final disposition of these actions will not have a material effect on their financial condition or results of operations.(e) Environmental Matters - Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are subject to environmental regulations as a result of their current and past operations. These regulations are designed to protect public health and the environment and have resulted in compliance, remediation, containment and monitoring obligations, which are recorded as current and non-current environmental liabilities. Substantially all of the environmental liabilities recorded on the balance sheets relate to MGP sites.
Manufactured Gas Plant 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. At December 31, 2021, 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, which are not discounted, were as follows (in millions). At December 31, 2021, such amounts for WPL were not material.
Alliant EnergyIPL
Range of estimated future costs$8 -$24$6 -$18
Current and non-current environmental liabilities118

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 fuel switching or retiring Prairie Creek Units 1 and 3 by December 31, 2025. Alliant Energy and IPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by IPL related to compliance with the terms of the Consent Decree from IPL’s electric customers.

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 and electric and gas distribution systems to comply with certain of these rules could be significant. Specific current, proposed or potential environmental matters include, among others: Effluent Limitation Guidelines, CCR Rule, and various legislation and EPA regulations to monitor and regulate the emission of GHG, including the CAA.
(f) Credit Risk - IPL provides retail electric and gas services in Iowa and wholesale electric service in Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. WPL provides retail electric and gas services and wholesale electric service in Wisconsin. The geographic concentration of IPL’s and WPL’s customers did not contribute significantly to overall credit risk exposure. In addition, as a result of a diverse customer base, IPL and WPL did not have any significant credit risk concentration for receivables arising from the sale of electricity or gas services.
Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are subject to credit risk related to the ability of counterparties to meet their contractual payment obligations or the potential non-performance of counterparties to deliver contracted commodities and other goods or services at the contracted price. Credit policies are maintained to mitigate credit risk. These credit policies include evaluation of the financial condition of certain counterparties, use of credit risk-related contingent provisions in certain agreements that require credit support from counterparties not meeting specific criteria, diversification of counterparties to reduce concentrations of credit risk and the use of standardized agreements that facilitate the netting of cash flows associated with certain counterparties. Based on these credit policies and counterparty diversification, as well as utility cost recovery mechanisms, it is unlikely that counterparty non-performance would have a material effect on financial condition or results of operations. However, there is no assurance that these items will protect against all losses from counterparty non-performance.

Refer to Notes 5(a) and 15 for details of allowances for expected credit losses and credit risk-related contingent features, respectively.
(g) Collective Bargaining Agreements - At December 31, 2021, employees covered by collective bargaining agreements represented 54%, 69% and 83% of total employees of Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL, respectively. In May 2022, WPL’s collective bargaining agreement with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 965 expires, representing 26% and 83% of total employees of Alliant Energy and WPL, respectively.
WPL [Member]  
Commitments And Contingencies COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES(a) Capital Purchase Commitments - Various contractual obligations contain minimum future commitments related to capital expenditures for certain construction projects, including WPL’s expansion of solar generation. At December 31, 2021, Alliant Energy’s and WPL’s minimum future commitments in 2022 for these projects were $178 million and $177 million, respectively.(b) Other Purchase Commitments - Various commodity supply, transportation and storage contracts help meet obligations to provide electricity and natural gas to utility customers. In addition, there are various purchase commitments associated with other goods and services. At December 31, 2021, the related minimum future commitments were as follows (in millions):
Alliant Energy20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$307$196$144$102$88$175$1,012
Coal6346253137
Other (a)821485225136
$452$256$177$110$90$200$1,285
IPL20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$148$108$84$52$42$65$499
Coal322717379
Other (a)3442222367
$214$139$103$57$44$88$645
WPL20222023202420252026ThereafterTotal
Natural gas$159$88$60$50$46$110$513
Coal3119858
Other (a)33111137
$223$108$69$51$47$110$608

(a)Includes individual commitments incurred during the normal course of business that exceeded $1 million at December 31, 2021.
(c) Legal Proceedings - Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are involved in legal and administrative proceedings before various courts and agencies with respect to matters arising in the ordinary course of business. Although unable to predict the outcome of these matters, Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL believe that appropriate reserves have been established and final disposition of these actions will not have a material effect on their financial condition or results of operations.(e) Environmental Matters - Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are subject to environmental regulations as a result of their current and past operations. These regulations are designed to protect public health and the environment and have resulted in compliance, remediation, containment and monitoring obligations, which are recorded as current and non-current environmental liabilities. Substantially all of the environmental liabilities recorded on the balance sheets relate to MGP sites.
Manufactured Gas Plant 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. At December 31, 2021, 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, which are not discounted, were as follows (in millions). At December 31, 2021, such amounts for WPL were not material.
Alliant EnergyIPL
Range of estimated future costs$8 -$24$6 -$18
Current and non-current environmental liabilities118

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 fuel switching or retiring Prairie Creek Units 1 and 3 by December 31, 2025. Alliant Energy and IPL currently expect to recover material costs incurred by IPL related to compliance with the terms of the Consent Decree from IPL’s electric customers.

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 and electric and gas distribution systems to comply with certain of these rules could be significant. Specific current, proposed or potential environmental matters include, among others: Effluent Limitation Guidelines, CCR Rule, and various legislation and EPA regulations to monitor and regulate the emission of GHG, including the CAA.
(f) Credit Risk - IPL provides retail electric and gas services in Iowa and wholesale electric service in Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. WPL provides retail electric and gas services and wholesale electric service in Wisconsin. The geographic concentration of IPL’s and WPL’s customers did not contribute significantly to overall credit risk exposure. In addition, as a result of a diverse customer base, IPL and WPL did not have any significant credit risk concentration for receivables arising from the sale of electricity or gas services.
Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL are subject to credit risk related to the ability of counterparties to meet their contractual payment obligations or the potential non-performance of counterparties to deliver contracted commodities and other goods or services at the contracted price. Credit policies are maintained to mitigate credit risk. These credit policies include evaluation of the financial condition of certain counterparties, use of credit risk-related contingent provisions in certain agreements that require credit support from counterparties not meeting specific criteria, diversification of counterparties to reduce concentrations of credit risk and the use of standardized agreements that facilitate the netting of cash flows associated with certain counterparties. Based on these credit policies and counterparty diversification, as well as utility cost recovery mechanisms, it is unlikely that counterparty non-performance would have a material effect on financial condition or results of operations. However, there is no assurance that these items will protect against all losses from counterparty non-performance.

Refer to Notes 5(a) and 15 for details of allowances for expected credit losses and credit risk-related contingent features, respectively.
(g) Collective Bargaining Agreements - At December 31, 2021, employees covered by collective bargaining agreements represented 54%, 69% and 83% of total employees of Alliant Energy, IPL and WPL, respectively. In May 2022, WPL’s collective bargaining agreement with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 965 expires, representing 26% and 83% of total employees of Alliant Energy and WPL, respectively.