Basin Electric makes progress on wind and solar projects in 2020

Basin Electric Power Cooperative and its member signed purchase power agreements for approximately 500 megawatts (MW) of new energy from wind and solar in the past year.

Among the new projects in 2020 are 200 MW Northern Divide Wind Energy Project in North Dakota, the 150 MW Cabin Creek Solar Project in Montana, the 128 MW Wild Springs Solar Project in South Dakota, and the 20 MW West River Solar Project in South Dakota.

“Our energy mix at Basin Electric continues to evolve and become more diverse,” Basin Electric CEO and General Manager Paul Sukut said. “We have long-standing, reliable baseload resources that give us flexibility to grow our renewable portfolio.”

In 2020, the Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah, N.D., owned by Basin Electric subsidiary Dakota Gasification Company, reached a new milestone of 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) captured over the life of the facility.

“As an electric cooperative, we have always pursued environmental initiatives for the benefit of our members. Renewable power purchases, CO2 research, and process improvements are consistent with past practices,” Sukut said.

Further, the Wyoming Integrated Test Center, located at Basin Electric’s Dry Fork Station in Gillette, Wy., received a climate leadership award for work in carbon capture and sequestration.

Basin Electric is based in North Dakota and serves 140 cooperatives throughout a nine-state region.