SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                             _______________________

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT


                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                             _______________________


                  Date of Report
                  (Date of earliest
                  event reported):    August 15, 1996


                        Wisconsin Power and Light Company         
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


     Wisconsin                        0-337                    39-0714890    
   (State or other              (Commission File             (IRS Employer   
   jurisdiction of                   Number)              Identification No.)
   incorporation)


                222 West Washington Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53703      
          (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)


                                 (608) 252-3311          
                         (Registrant's telephone number)

  

   Item 5.     Other Events.

          On November 10, 1995, WPL Holdings, Inc. ("WPL"), a holding company
   incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin and the parent
   corporation of Wisconsin Power and Light Company (the "Company"), IES
   Industries Inc., a holding company incorporated under the laws of the
   State of Iowa ("IES"), and Interstate Power Company, an operating public
   utility incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware ("IPC"),
   among others, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, providing for
   the strategic three-way business combination of WPL, IES and IPC
   (hereinafter referred to as the "Merger").  In the Merger, WPL, as the
   surviving holding company, will change its name to Interstate Energy
   Corporation ("Interstate Energy").  On May 22, 1996, the Agreement and
   Plan of Merger was amended to increase the exchange ratio pursuant to
   which the outstanding shares of IES common stock would be converted into
   shares of Interstate Energy common stock in the event a certain
   contingency was satisfied (which contingency has since been satisfied and
   which resulted in the IES exchange ratio being increased from 0.98 to
   1.01).

          On August 15, 1996, the Boards of Directors of WPL, IES and IPC
   authorized the execution and delivery of a second amendment to the
   Agreement and Plan of Merger increasing the IES exchange ratio from 1.01
   to 1.14.  The IES exchange ratio was adjusted in conjunction with the
   rejection by the IES Board of an unsolicited proposal made for IES by Des
   Moines, Iowa-based MidAmerican Energy Company.  The parties subsequently
   entered into the second amendment, dated as of August 16, 1996, to the
   Agreement and Plan of Merger.  As a result of the second amendment, the
   Agreement and Plan of Merger now provides that each outstanding share of
   IES common stock will be cancelled and converted into the right to receive
   1.14 shares of Interstate Energy common stock rather than the 1.01 shares
   of Interstate Energy common stock each outstanding share of IES common
   stock was entitled to receive under the terms of the Agreement and Plan of
   Merger as amended on May 22, 1996.  The Merger Agreement continues to
   provide that each outstanding share of IPC common stock will be cancelled
   and converted into the right to receive 1.11 shares of Interstate Energy
   common stock and that the outstanding shares of WPL common stock will
   remain unchanged and outstanding as shares of Interstate Energy common
   stock.

          The Merger Agreement and the amendments thereto are filed as
   exhibits to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by
   reference.  The brief summary of certain revised provisions of the Merger
   Agreement, as amended, set forth above is qualified in its entirety by
   reference to that agreement and the amendments thereto.

   Item 7.     Financial Statements and Exhibits.

          (a)  Not Applicable.

          (b)  Not Applicable.

          (c)  Exhibits.

               The exhibits listed in the accompanying Exhibit Index are
               filed as part of this Current Report on Form 8-K.

   
                                   SIGNATURES


          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
   1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
   behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                        WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY


   Date:  August 27, 1996.              By:  /s/ Edward M. Gleason           
                                        Edward M. Gleason
                                        Controller, Treasurer and
                                        Corporate Secretary

   
                        WISCONSIN POWER AND LIGHT COMPANY

                            EXHIBIT INDEX TO FORM 8-K


                         Exhibit

    (2.1) Amendment No. 2  to Agreement and Plan of
          Merger, dated as of August 16, 1996, by
          and among WPL Holdings, Inc., IES
          Industries Inc., Interstate Power Company,
          WPLH Acquisition Co. and Interstate Power
          Company.

    (2.2) Amendment No. 1 to Agreement and Plan of
          Merger and Stock Option Agreements, dated
          as of May 22, 1996, by and among WPL
          Holdings, Inc., IES Industries Inc.,
          Interstate Power Company, AMW Acquisition,
          Inc., WPLH Acquisition Co. and Interstate
          Power Company. [Incorporated by reference
          to Exhibit (2.1) to Wisconsin Power and
          Light Company's Current Report on Form
          8-K, dated May 22, 1996]

    (2.3) Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of
          November 10, 1995, by and among WPL
          Holdings, Inc., IES Industries Inc.,
          Interstate Power Company and AMW
          Acquisition, Inc.  [Incorporated by
          reference to Exhibit (2.1) to Wisconsin
          Power and Light Company's Current Report
          on Form 8-K, dated November 10, 1995]