Alliant Energy
Reviews and Complaints

May 1, 2018 we were disconnected at 10am. Someone else had used my fiancé's name/account and racked up a $900 bill. We do have proof. Now we have a $900 bill added onto our Alliant account. We are in the process of legal actions for the $900 and we are not paying it. So Alliant came and shut our power off. No 10 day notice or nothing, didn't even wait until our due date was up to disconnect either. We paid the $343 to be turned back on and all day we had people telling us they would have us on within the hour. Then we started getting rude employees telling us how they legally have 24 hours to turn us on and how the last reconnect was at 4pm. I live 30 mins not even away from Alliant Energy in Marion. This is ridiculous. All of our food in the fridge is now bad. We have no water can't flush can't eat and I have no vehicle to be able to leave. Now May 2, 2018 it is over the 24 hours and Alliant is still refusing to come and turn us back on. They claim nobody is in the area (lies, there are 3 Alliant trucks and workers 3 mins away from my house) and won't even give me an ETA of when power will be back on. They are saying they have until the end of the day.. when yesterday it was legally 24 hours? I have a 2 year old at home who is on her second day home and not able to eat.

Two days ago we received a phone call from Cindy, with Alliant Energy, demanding that someone pay for a street light in the alley between I Street and 2nd Street Southwest Cedar Rapids, I bought my house in 2001, on I Street, that light has been on that pole the entire time, everybody in the neighborhood has children, this light is a means of security and keeps people honest around here, 2 days after this phone call the light is turned off, is Alliant Energy that hard up for our money, that they can't leave a street light on that's been on for 17 years plus, I find this to be quite ridiculous, and I will be contacting Executive offices over this issue, as well as the local media, it's okay for them to raise our electricity bill whenever they feel the need, yet they offer nothing in return, and to whoever this Cindy is, thanks for giving our neighborhood no time to get together and discuss this matter before shutting the light off, 2 days, really, I'm curious to see how the CEO will respond

March 9th 9:37pm seen a bright flash of light, which was followed by a huge, seriously loud explosion, then complete power failure in my house. Knew from my previous experiences this was a transformer that blew. Approximately an hour and half later, when they should if been getting close to the problem being fixed, and after checking their outage website to find out the fix would be done by 12:00am, another bright flash of light, followed by a huge bang! Knew immediately again that they screwed up, and were going to have to start all over again! Checked the time on the outage website from my cell, and the time was pushed back to 1am! Seriously alliant! I normally wouldn't be this aggravated/upset but it's freezing cold outside, and it's getting extremly cold in my house and I have children! Not only that but this is the is the 4th the f-o-u-r-t-h time in 2 years this has happened in the same dang spot! You guys seriously need to get your stuff together, and start upgrading our electrical grid before this becomes more, and more frequent. This is not a huge city, nor a small city we live in. It's average size. We shouldn't be having as many outages as we have been especially in the same spot! Oh and as i'm writing this, the dang transformer blew again! This is the third gosh darn time and the time is now pushed back to 2am and it's only 12:16am. It's getting so so cold in my house! My family can't afford to get a hotel room fir the night, and we are not gonna leave our doggies home alone to freeze! It's the middle of winter for crying out loud! I wish y'all would get your crap together cuz i've about had it with y'all! Better yet leave and let another electric company take over who's better than you are cuz your company really stinks bad! Any others reading this, hope you never have to deal with alliant energy. Everything about that company, even their customer call center is god aweful!

I received a subject to disconnect notice, to be due on Oct 11th. The amount paid on the 11th was $180.90 to avoid from being shut off. Now that it is the morning of the 17th our electric is shut off. I called alliant energy to find out what the issue was. I was told 2 different thing by two different ppl. And am currently waiting on a call back from a supervisor. I was told 1st payment didn't post til the 12th, when credit card shows different. 2nd lady told me it was because work order was still in for subject to being shut off. I have to pay the price for alliant energy's mistake of not disregarding the work order? And were not talking just the next day .We're talking from the 11th to the 17th..And now we have to pay $30.00 reconnect fee for that mistake as well as sit without power as our food spoils because no 1 cared about the work order. My records from my card shows the 11th. I plan on disputing this to whatever it may take. Even if I have to go without power in til this is resolved. I will take it public if needed.Yes, I'm upset for your mistakes and customer service will do nothing for the cause, except wanting a reconnection fee, , when it was paid 6 days prior!

Your company tried to take an electrical payment from an account that was not funded, leading to a insufficient funds report. Not only did you not send me the information, I found this out when I called to pay for the next month and found that I had this outrageous bill. Two of your customer service agents were obnoxious, including one that disconnected the call without giving any information. The third told me about the insufficient funds from my checking account. I checked with my bank, who informed me that your company accessed the wrong account - they reversed the additionally charges when I told them what Alliant did, whether it was your computer program or a typo. I also started a payment agreement that Dane day and paid 1/2 of the entire bill, with the rest pending your accessing of the correct account. I set this up by phone on Thursday Sept. 7th between 3:30 pm and 4:45 pm. Despite this the payment agreement was not honored- you called me on a phone that I do not use during the day, left me a message one day AFTER I set up the payment agreement and disconnected the line today.
You WILL reconnect this line and honor the payment agreement. I will also be contacting the boards overseeing this utility as well as the better business bureau.

I am a single, working, mother of 3. Over the past few years trying to continue my education and trying to support a family on my own. It is not easy. I have gotten behind on my bills but I get back on track and recover no matter what I need to do. We sacrifice and find a way. I am very upset with your company at this time. I paid $1000 in July to knock my past due down. I had arranged for 2 payments in August and they were not processed on the dates I had set up and your company ran them through my credit union within 2 days of each other causing overdraft fees through the credit union and return fees on your end ….once again! I can never get ahead because of this and if the transaction occurred on the dates it would have been fine. I have now arranged for 3 payments in September. $40 today 9-6 ( all I have in my account until payday), and then 2 payments on my next pay dates 9-8 and 9-22. I will have paid out an additional $391 this month. I need to pay on a schedule when I have my checks and no one at Alliant will work with me to make this arrangement so I can pay off my past due balance by next month. I am paying and making attempts but have been receiving all these disconnect letters when I have been paying. Why will no one assist me and work with me to get this paid off when I AM TRYING! I have young children at home and animals that we need the electricity and water to function. I would like some help.
Heather Moore

Hello, I cannot find a place to email anyone on alliance website for customer support or complaints. I experienced very poor customer service today. I have owned my house for over 7 years and have never been without power and never missed a payment. I have a baby, a toddler, and I'm married. I am a FT registered nurse as well. Today after work, my family and I went out for dinner after work. We came home to a dark house and the garage door wouldn't open. I thought there was a power outage in the neighborhood. I immediately called Alliant. The woman said it was turned off due to non payment. I have always been on auto-pay, so this is a surprise. I quickly pay the fee to reinstate my electricity...little did I know she did not have any intention of helping me with my outage tonight. I offered to pay an additional fee to have someone turn it back on tonight. I, again, have a family, and a baby, and I need milk from the fridge. I pleaded with the representative. She told me it was too late. This was around 7:30 PM. This is just baffling to me so I ask to speak with the supervisor. Her name was Giani. I asked for her last name and she sarcastically told me its "just Giani". I told her my concern and again pleaded for any other option or way to turn it on tonight. I have never missed a payment and don't know why it's not on auto pay. She was less than helpful and kept saying I'm on the list for "first thing in the morning, 11:00AM to get it turned back on". I told her I'm up at 5 am for work and despirately need the electricity to wash scrubs, and again for my baby's milk. She was not helpful and refused to help me. Ive been in the medical field for 13 years. I've always put my patients first, and I would never leave them without basic necessities. This is a cruel and unusual punishment and there needs to be something in place for people like me who make a mistake and shouldn't have to let their family suffer and their food spoil.

My power was turned off without me receiving a disconnection notice. I quickly got on the phone and paid my bill while the guy was at my house disconnecting me. I asked him to wait just a couple minutes so i could finish my call. He ignored me and drove away as i finished my call (this was 10:55 am on a Tuesday) i was told on the phone my service should be turned back on that day. My service wasn't turned back on until 11:30 am the next day. I now have to figure out how to replace $5000 worth of medicine that needed to be refrigerated and $200 worth of food because you employ people that could save us all time and money by simply not being an [censor].

I am Fred Tietbohl, 390 Eaton Street, Green lake WI 54941. About two days ago a power leak started on the line behind my house. It is in the immediate area within several blocks vicinity as I have walked the line with a portable radio. All is clear outside this area. All AM and shortwave reception has been destroyed beginning at about 1500 Kc., and extending well over 28 MHz. with high intensity interference 10 db over S9. I would appreciate your specialists checking this out when they have the time.

Thanks W0IXQ [protected]@charter.net

My June bill showed I had used 2.5x as many kWh compared to the same period last year. That made no sense to me because I haven't changed my usage pattern and the average temps were comparable. So I did some investigation on the meters for our complex of 12 apartments and found that some had 2 numbers--an original number and a different one that was written in paint pen beside it.
I spoke with the apartment manager and he said that several years ago they had some confusion about the numbers on the meters matching the apartment and an electrician came out, tested them all and found many of them wrong, noted the correct numbers in paint pen beside the original (incorrect) numbers and notified Alliant. As far as the manager knew, that had resolved the problem. But I did some further investigation, turning off the circuit breakers to my apartment, and discovered my meter and apt. 10 were reversed--he was being charged for my usage and I for his. We've both lived here for about the same time, 20 months.
I called Alliant and tried to explain the problem to them. The CS Rep I talked to said she would send a service guy out. He came out 2 weeks ago, I explained the whole thing to him and he confirmed that at least 6 apartments have been having their meters read wrong. He told me (the apartment manager was present also) that they would correct the situation and that, since nobody had been trying to scam the company or steal electricity, they would not back-charge people for Alliant's mistake.
When I checked my bill online today, I found a charge for $450 dollars. Another tenant is apparently being charged $1200. The apartment manager says they're figuring back 18 months and charging/crediting accordingly.
I phoned Alliant Customer Service, and the woman I spoke with told me that there's nothing that can be done about it. I have to pay that amount because I used that amount of electricity and she could set up a payment plan for 12 months.
I didn't make this problem, in fact I brought it to their attention. Granted, I was unaware that I was using more electricity than apartment 10, but it was important to me to have the correct billing for my usage regardless.
If they can legally do this, then I guess there's nothing you or I can do.
Except decrease my usage. I have put my water heater on vacation setting and unplugged my refrigerator. Needless to say, I won't be using any more air conditioning. They may get their 'back' money from me, but I will absolutely curtail their forward money.
To me, this is morally reprehensible. I would appreciate any help you can provide.
Thank you for your time.
Laurel VanWilligen
[protected]

Hello,
We have rental property that has to go through Aliant for energy. The electricity to one section of the building was shut down two nights ago. The bill was paid immediately and we were promised with a confirmation code that it would get turned on with-in the night to early morning... Two days later and still no electricity, every time we have called, the lady on the phone brushes everything off and says to wait one minute while she puts us on hold and then hangs up on us or says we just have to wait because things like turning on power again take time... TWO DAYS? There are animals living in the place and they are whimpering and pacing and getting too hot but Alliant doesn't care! I was finally able to get a nicer lady today and said she would look into it but I have lost faith in Alliant. They're such a big company that we literally can do nothing but let them walk all over us. I'm sorry but keep promises and do what you are paid to do, not get paid to do nothing and watch people and animals suffer.

Alliant was totally unprofessional. I called today & was informed I'd have to wait 20 minutes to talk to a representative.
I called back a few minutes ago & got a call back. After giving them Leroy's phone # & account #, I asked if the realtors' had taken care of the changeover.
She refused to talk to me, since I don't own the account. Dish, Centurylink & MGE had no such problem, so I told her that the Schaefers were ninety, hard of hearing & asked me to do this for them, so what did she suggest? She told me I was out of luck & started laughing. I said, and I quote, "Thank you so much for being of no help whatsoever." She kept laughing & said "Any time" & hung up. Alliant should consider themselves even luckier that I am retired Chief of Utility Taxation, or there would be hell to pay.

Unless the transfer takes care of itself on the 11th, I will just tell Mom & Leroy to ignore any further bills from Alliant Energy.

[account # [protected]] -James O. George Sr.and Mary A. George and James O.George Jr.
Alliant wants to cut off our household on Aug.1st, 2017 because of a payment agreement breach. I paid our bill a few days late, and they want us to pay the balloon payment of $2, 051.00 and some change.Either we fixed our truck so we could go to work, or we lose our job.We are living on S.S. and part time work.I called and they said fine, and then I called back to check on our status, and they did an about face. I am 59, I have a heart condition, bursitis in all joints, and high blood pressure.My husband is 72, he has high blood pressure, and osteo and rheumatoid arthritis. Our 35 year old son has severe sarcoidosis and high blood pressure. He is going to have to have his gall bladder taken out. He can only work a few hours a week.My husband and my son are both U.S. Air Force veterans.All we want is to be treated fairly.I stated that we made our payment for this month online, and our next month's payment early for Aug. the 9th. Obviously that does not matter.I paid $600.00 in May, and they said to make our payment on the 11th of July.I was late so we could repair our vehicle for going to work in.All we want is to make the payments as scheduled because we cannot afford a balloon payment of $2051.00.They took us off of budget billing.Rate increases constantly is bad enough.Why would they do this?

We are on the budget billing plan and our AC system is adapted with the device that allows Alliant to turn off or modify the usage for a period of time. We appreciate the program and have no issues with it.
However, we have noticed when the system is turned off by Alliant, it seems to affect our programable thermostat. In other works, several times we have noticed the temperature rising in the house from it's normalized 73 degrees to a noticable 82 degrees. We go to the thermostat and find it is not working. We turn the system switch off and on again, and it returns to the programed settings (7 days, 8 programs/day). We originally thought it was batteries, but several new sets prove the programmable thermostat is OK. It appears to think there has been a power outage and shuts the system down until we enable it again. This is not an issue unless we leave the house for an extended period and Alliant does it power saving thing...then the house and our pets can suffer an enormous rise in temperature. Hasn't totally happened yet, but with an extended heat wave, we could see a more severe issue.
Is there a different thermostat we should be using? Is this actually related to the power saver program? It is annoying, but not an issue to cause major problems. Are there other cases like this, and is there a solution. No blame, no foul...just a need to know and correct if possible.
Thank You,
Wayne Anderson, 3928 Central Ave, Alburnett, IA 52202
P.S. There was no link for questions like this on the Alliant Website, or the alliant phone number.

We have had multiple problems with Alliant and every time we call to try and resolve it, the people are extremely rude and short with us. As well as they do not get back to us in a timely manner. It's super frustrating because we're trying to solve the problem and they are rude and curt with us about it and seem unwilling to work with us. It took them two weeks and multiple calls for them to finally return our call in order to even attempt to solve the problem then the lady, Tracy, said that she would be out of the office by 2pm today and that if I didn't call her back with my bank account information then she couldn't help me. I informed her I was currently out of town and didn't have instant access to that information but if she could call me back tomorrow that I would be home and have it. She then told me that she couldn't guarantee me a call back tomorrow and that she would be leaving at 2pm again. Then said "I try to contact you tomorrow, K, bye." Then she hung up on me. What kind of customer service is this?! If this was just one person in the company, I'd let it slide, but EVERY SINGLE EMPLOYEE I have spoken to on the phone has been this way. It's ridiculous, no company should be ran this way. It's a joke. I don't see how anything gets done here in a timely manner.

The power went out in my neighborhood this morning and I have the Box in my backyard that they need to get to To ever came to fix it unlocked my gate and came in the backyard which is fine my problem is this is the 2nd time they have unlocked it and left it standing wide-open I have 2 dogs and kids and the gate is on the side of my house I was lucky this time in caught it Before my dogs ran away I find this very unprofessional and rude I will be putting a padlock on my gate .

My power went out at 4:30 pm on May 17. 2017. After following your procedure of reporting an outage online I waited and waited and waited for a status update. Finally receiving an email stating estimated time 8:00 pm again I waited and waited. At 8:30 pm and still sitting in the dark I called and immediately went on hold with and estimated time of 12 to 19 minutes. So again I waited and waited and waited. After 1 hour of being on hold I hung up and called back only to receive a message stating that the office was closed! Closed? After Waiting all this time!? So you put your customers on hold and then close the office and leave them hanging on the line on indefintate hold? I have insulin in my refrigerator that MUST be kept cold. So here I sit at 10:00pm still with no power. Is this the way you treat your customers?

I had just moved into my sisters old place, i took over the lease because needless to say more she cant afford it. I called alliant energy to get the electric and services in my name. I was told multiple times by by multiple people that i could not do this because my sister owes a significant amount, and because she MIGHT be staying here that they will not let her benefit off of the services, and i would have to take responsibility for her bill. ? How does that make any sense in any possible way? That is not my bill, not my obligation, and her bill is not my problem. That is HER problem. Just because she is my sister i have to take responsibility for it? Thats like saying if it was someone who i didnt know who i subleased from and they owed a bill i would have to take responsibility for their past due balance? In no way what so ever is that right.

For the majority of two years, they can't seem to figure out how to read my meter. To be fair, the early months were due to us having a dog that spent most days outside, leaving the meter inaccessible. That being said, we had a plan in place to leave the dog inside during meter reading week. I guess they didn't get the memo, because we continued to get estimated bills. The next plan was that we would take a picture of the meter, and submit that for a reading. That worked for maybe a couple months before we got a letter saying that they still had to read the meter. After multiple phone calls, I thought we were on the same page when I told them that the dog was no longer an issue, and that I wanted them to read the meter every month. Again, estimated bill. Another call reveals that they never took out the note about a dog, so then that was resolved and all was right with the world, right? Another estimated bill. I believe I'm not on the 4th or 5th straight month of calling in trying to get this resolved. I will say that the customer service has been kind throughout this whole process, and I believe that they have genuinely tried to help. I don't know if everyone else is lazy or just incompetent. If I had any other options available I would have dropped Alliant along time ago, because quite frankly, they're worthless.

I am switching service and they told me to call right away so my gas would not get shut off. So i called them yesterday 8/22/16 and was on the phone for three hours. Now today is 08/23/2016 and i am still waiting to talk to customer service... Https://www.Facebook.com/laura.Nissen.16/videos/1088178634594857/

There is a video showing me on the phone for all them hours and by the way i am still on line on hold!