The Public Service Commission has given its 2019 Mining and Reclamation Award to Great River Energy, for the reclamation work done after the shutdown of the Stanton Station.
The 188 megawatt power plant shut down on May first, 2017. The plant was imploded in 2018.
Commissioner Randy Christmann said the Stanton Station was built in 1966, before the state’s siting and reclamation laws.
"There's no certificate or anything we have here that would require them to do that," Christmann said. "GRE is not a rate-regulated company, so we don't have a reach over them. This is a volunteer effort."
Christmann said GRE was kind enough to give him a heads-up after the company decided to close the Stanton Station, and before there was a public announcement.
"I pointed out that I would be really disappointed if, in 10 or 20 years from now, I'm still driving by some falling-apart facility with tin blowing off, and a big mess out there," Christmann said. "They assured me that day, without hesitation, that it was their full intention of reclaiming."
Christmann said the reclamation work is being done in phases – and the company expects to start the second phase later this year.
"It's sad that the plant needed to go," Christmann said. "But I'm happy for the progress on reclamation, and looking forward to it looking almost like a greenfield site another year or two from now."
Commissioner Julie Fedorchak said GRE has been a "responsible corporate citizen."
