Proposed Generation in Dakotas Could Increase Capacity to More Than 16,200 Megawatts

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--North Dakota and South Dakota currently have a total operational power generation capacity of more than 8,870 megawatts (MW). About 67%, or 5,940 MW, of that is fossil-fueled generation, and 33% is renewable generation. To meet upcoming growth needs and to replace retiring inefficient units, power producers are proposing a possible 1,857% increase, or 16,200 MW, of new generation capacity. The planned generation in the Dakotas' fuel diversity consists of coal, natural gas, petroleum coke, natural gas, solar and wind.

Click on the image at right to see an analysis of power generation in the Dakotas.

The proposed new generation is predominantly wind, with more than 40 windfarms being planned to add more than 12,800 MW of renewable energy. The developers include major wind energy firms, both national and international, as well as local Native American Tribes: the 200-MW Cheyenne River Tribal Windfarm in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, developed by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (Eagle Butte); a 30-MW windfarm in New Town, North Dakota, by the Manden, Hidatsa and Arikara nations, also known as the Three Affiliated Tribes; and a 10-MW windfarm near St. Francis, South Dakota, by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe (Rosebud, South Dakota). The largest windfarm being proposed is the 5,050-MW Titan Windfarm near Wessington Springs, South Dakota, being proposed by a joint venture of BP Alternative Energy North America Incorporated (Houston, Texas), a subsidiary of BP plc (NYSE:BP) (London), and Clipper Windpower plc (LSE:CWP) (London). The addition of all of this wind power will bring the total renewable energy for the Dakotas to 15,700 MW.

Coal-based power generation will continue strong with 2,700 MW of new generation being developed to bring the total coal generation up to approximately 7,400 MW. One project is the long-planned 600-MW Big Stone II project at the existing 475-MW Big Stone Station in South Dakota. It is a joint venture of Otter Tail Corporation (NASDAQ:OTTR) (Fergus Falls, Minnesota), MDU Resources Group Incorporated (NYSE:MDU) (Bismarck, North Dakota), Great River Energy (Maple Grove, Minnesota), the Heartland Consumers Power District (Madison, South Dakota), Missouri River Energy Services (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (Rochester, Minnesota), and the Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (Blue Earth, Minnesota).

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