EX-23.a


DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
    




INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT


Interstate Power Company:

We have audited the financial statements of Interstate Power
Company as of December 31, 1995 and 1994, and for each of the
three years in the period ended December 31, 1995, and have
issued our report thereon dated January 26, 1996; such financial
statements and report are included in your 1995 Annual Report to
Stockholders and are incorporated herein by reference.  Our
audits also included the financial statement schedule of
Interstate Power Company, listed in Item 14.  This financial
statement schedule is the responsibility of the Company's
management.  Our responsibility is to express an opinion based on
our audits.  In our opinion, such financial statement schedule,
when considered in relation to the basic financial statements
taken as a whole, presents fairly, in all material respects, the
information set forth therein.


/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

Deloitte & Touche LLP
Davenport, Iowa  

January 26, 1996