Progress 2026: Construction of new Bobcat Energy Center to begin late this summer | News, Sports, Jobs
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Pictured is a portion of the interior of Alliant Energy’s Marshalltown Generating Station. The facility went online in 2017 and provides electrical power to approximately 500,000 homes.
A new chapter in Marshalltown’s pivotal role as a partner in electricity generation is being written.
In December of 2025, the Iowa Utilities Commission in Des Moines granted approval for Alliant Energy of Madison, Wisc., to build a 720-megawatt power plant in Marshalltown, according to an Alliant press release.
The Bobcat Energy Center (BEC) will sit adjacent to Alliant’s existing Marshalltown Generating Station (MGS) — in the 2000 block of East Nevada Street and Gene Beach Drive — which produces 650 megawatts of energy. That facility was completed in 2017 at a cost of between $600-$650-million, according to Times-Republican (T-R) archives.
Fittingly, the BEC was named to reflect the Marshalltown High School’s Bobcat mascot, said Taylor Adams, a company spokeswoman.
Dave Herkert, the assistant vice president strategic projects for Alliant, said Marshalltown “checked all of the boxes” for the location of the new facility during a telephone interview with the T-R earlier this month.
Other sites were evaluated, but Marshalltown was victorious.
“Construction of the new plant is expected to begin late in the third quarter,” said Herkert,
Additionally, he said BEC project costs are “fluid.” Consequently, a cost estimate for BEC was not available during the interview.
Mayuri Farlinger, president of Alliant Energy’s Iowa energy company and vice president of energy delivery, said in the press release announcing the project that building the BEC will position the region for “growth and energy security for years to come.”
“Unanimous siting approval reinforces our commitment to delivering reliable, cost-effective energy while strengthening the communities we serve,” said Farlinger.
The company plans for the facility to be operational in 2029. Once operational, Alliant said BEC will serve as a “flexible resource,” that will activate as needed during peak energy demands.
The facility will be able to start and reach its full load in less than 15-minutes, Alliant stated, adding that its placement near the MGS will allow the two plans to work together to “provide dependable, consistent energy for customers.”
“This milestone for the BEC shows great momentum for the Marshalltown community in terms of economic development, from new construction jobs and tax revenue, to strengthening our capacity to attract new industrial and manufacturing opportunities,” said John Hall, president and CEO of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce in the Alliant press release.
Before construction started, the MGS project was expected to generate an estimated $1.7 million in property tax revenue annually, according to Times-Republican archives.
“Real growth begins with reliable, consistent access to energy,” said Hall.
Marshalltown mayor Mike Ladehoff was thrilled about the number of construction jobs and their economic impact via a recent telephone interview with the T-R.
“The BEC positions will be high-paying professional-level jobs such as skilled construction workers, electricians, heavy-equipment pipe-fitters, plumbers, truck drivers and more,” he said. “The MGS project was a boon for Marshalltown and the area. Motels, restaurants and service stations experienced significant revenue gains during a three-year construction phase. I expect the same for BEC … I also expect a number of workers will bring in trailers to reside during the project.”
Throughout the regulatory approval process, the BEC proposal earned strong backing from the Marshall County Board of Supervisors, the Central Iowa Building and Construction Trades, the Iowa Federation of Labor, LIUNA Local 177 and Operators Engineers Local 234.
Richie Schmidt, the president of Laborers Local 177 in Des Moines, told the T-R in a telephone interview recently that the project will create “a big demand for construction workers as well as new workers to enter the construction trades … there will be room for that … and for Marshalltown residents as well.”
Concerning reports of a labor shortage in Iowa for some construction trades Schmidt replied confidently.
“We may have to work a little bit harder, but we have been able to fill every job … we have not had shortage,” he said.
Schmidt, who has been president six years, is not overly concerned that skilled laborers will be difficult to find for BEC. Local 177 has 1,200 members in 32 Iowa counties.
“We are looking forward to this opportunity,” he said.
Alliant project manager Eric Curtis, who also participated in the telephone interview with Herkert, said 10 workers will be needed to staff the BEC. MGS has 22.
About Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) provides regulated energy service to more than one- million electric and 435,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy’s mission is to deliver energy solutions and exceptional service customers and communities count on – safely, efficiently and responsibly. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are Alliant Energy’s two wholly-owned subsidiaries. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com and follow Alliant Energy on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and X.
