Basin Electric Power Cooperative is adding another 350 miles of high voltage transmission line in western North Dakota.
There are five projects — and the buildout will continue until 2026.
"Obviously, we have 131 member cooperatives that we supply wholesale power to," said Basin Vice-President of Strategic Planning and Communication Andy Buntrock. "One of our major drivers is to make sure we are providing reliable power to those members."
Buntrock said it was determined that with large growth within our member co-ops, especially those in the Bakken area, Basin neede to insure it had enough transmission to insure that reliability.
"It's what the members expect," Buntrock said.
The projects have a price tag of $725 million.
They are:
Leland Olds Station-to-Tande 345-kV transmission project, which includes 175-miles of 345-kV transmission line and a new 345/115-kV substation. Pending easement acquisition and permitting, the project goal is to energize in 2025. The line will originate at the Leland Olds Station near Stanton, continue around the east end of Lake Sakakawea, and travel west to the Tande substation near Tioga.
Roundup-to-Kummer Ridge 345-kV transmission line, a 35-mile line north of Killdeer is set to be energized in 2025. Final energization date will depend on easement acquisition and permitting.
East Fork 345/115-kV substation near Wheelock, which will intersect an existing transmission line and add a new delivery point for Basin Electric Class C member Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative, is set to be energized in 2024.
The fifth project, identified by SPP’s Aggregate Transmission Service process, is required to provide additional transmission capability into Saskatchewan, Canada.
Wheelock-to-Saskatchewan and Tande-to-Saskatchewan, 230-kV transmission lines, will connect to SaskPower transmission equipment at the Canadian border. The lines are approximately 50 and 60 miles in length, respectively. Basin Electric is the designated transmission owner for the upgrade in the United States, and SaskPower will complete the circuit within Canada. The project will provide export and import capabilities of up to 650 megawatts of electricity, strengthening the local and regional electric system.
