The North Dakota Public Service Commission has approved the transfer of permits dealing with the Coal Creek Station power plant near Underwood from Great River Energy to Bismarck-based Rainbow Energy Center LLC.
One of the permits deals with a water line, bringing Missouri River water to the plant. The other concerns the high-voltage direct current power line that runs from Coal Creek to Buffalo, Minnesota. A subsidiary of Rainbow – Nexis Line LLC – will own that power line.
Great River was going to shut the plant down in 2022, if a buyer could not be found. Rainbow plans to keep operating the plant, and proposes on-site carbon capture and storage.
"It's an exciting day for North Dakota to see new operators accepting the responsibilities tat go with these permits, and with new plans for moving forward fro a long-term future," said Commissioner Randy Christmann. "It's an exciting moment."
Commission chairman Julie Fedorchak said she’s excited about the plans for carbon capture and storage.
"If we want solutions to global warming, it can't be done with just renewable energy development," Fedorchak said. "We have got to figure out carbon capture and storage."
Rainbow Energy said the sale is expected to be completed later this year.