Benefit Plans (Summary Of Performance Shares Activity) (Details) (Performance Shares [Member], USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012		Mar. 31, 2011
Performance Shares [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Nonvested shares/units, Jan. 1	236,979	[1]	234,518	[1]
Granted	45,612	[1]	64,217	[1]
Vested	(111,980)	[1],[2]	(57,838)	[1],[2]
Nonvested shares/units, March 31	170,611	[1]	240,897	[1]
Stock payout value	$ 8.0		$ 1.6
Actual number of shares paid out upon vesting, minimum percentage of target shares	0.00%
Actual number of shares paid out upon vesting, maximum percentage of target shares	200.00%
Vested percentage of the target	162.50%		75.00%
Common stock shares from vested performance shares	6,399		1,387

[1] Share amounts represent the target number of performance shares. Each performance share's value is based on the price of one share of Alliant Energy's common stock at the end of the performance period. The actual number of shares that will be paid out upon vesting is dependent upon actual performance and may range from zero to 200% of the target number of shares.

[2] In the first quarter of 2012, 111,980 performance shares granted in 2009 vested at 162.5% of the target, resulting in payouts valued at $8.0 million, which consisted of a combination of cash and common stock (6,399 shares). In the first quarter of 2011, 57,838 performance shares granted in 2008 vested at 75% of the target, resulting in payouts valued at $1.6 million, which consisted of a combination of cash and common stock (1,387 shares).