In January 2018, NextEra Energy announced that it was unlikely that DAEC would operate beyond 2025.Staff Writer (January 29, 2018). "NextEra: Duane Arnold Nuclear Could Shut Down Early". Power Engineering. Retrieved January 30, 2018. The plant was given a 20-year license extension to 2034 but considered closing after Alliant Energy, which contracts for 70% of the plant's electricity, announced it would instead be buying electricity from subsidized sources such as wind and natural gas.Patane, M. (2015). Iowa nuclear power plant may close in 2025. Cedar Rapids Gazette. January 29, 2018. In July 2018 the expected closure date was amended to October 2020.
