The Public Service Commission has approved three projects that could bring more power to northwestern North Dakota.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative is adding a 28 mile long high voltage power line, and two substations. Those would serve an area around Watford City. Basin has also been okayed for expansions of its Pioneer Generating Station near Williston, and the Lonesome Creek Station in McKenzie County. Both use natural gas for electric generation.
"These are 'peaking' plants," said Commissioner Randy Christmann. "They are not a cheap form of energy by any means, and not something that the consumers really want to be running. It's something you want to be there, but not running."
Christmann says these correspond to Basin’s wind power acquisitions over the past 10 to 15 years.
"They're necessary for the times when the wind doesn't blow," said Christmann. "Without these, Basin will have a power shortage when the wind's not blowing. So, they're very important facilities."
The total cost of the three projects is close to half a billion dollars.
