Coal plant backers still fired up about prospects

SOUTH DAKOTA - Even though the incoming president has said he doesn't like coal-fired power plants due to environmental concerns, Walworth County boosters are still optimistic such a plant will be built there.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative of Bismarck, N.D., says its preferred site to build a $2 billion, coal-fired electricity plant is near Selby.

"It is a concern, but not a huge concern," Gary Steuck of Mobridge, chairman of the North Central Power Plant Task Force, said of President-elect Barack Obama's concerns.

Once Obama sees all the facts and all the needs, "he is going to moderate his position," Steuck said.

Obama's pre-election talk of bankrupting coal-fired plants might have been just rhetoric, he said.

"Sometimes things like that change after you win an election," he said. "And we do believe it is going to change. From our standpoint, we are still extremely optimistic. So many things are happening and continue to happen."

The permit process continues for Basin, which is still spending money on the 2,360-acre site for the NextGen plant about three miles west of Selby. The Western Area Power Administration continues working on the plant's environmental impact study, said Daryl Hill, a Basin Electric spokesman.

"Sometime the wheels turn agonizingly slowly. But they are turning," he said.

Hill said Basin is working with a New Hampshire company on technology that captures carbon dioxide from emissions, although it's not known if the technology is viable yet.

Steuck said there are slivers of hope even in the recession because the cost of steel and some other raw materials is coming down.

Plans call for construction to start in 2010, with up to 1,700 workers. The plant could start producing electricity four years later. Coal would come from Wyoming's Powder River Basin.

Basin says NextGen would get its water from the Missouri River through 13 miles of new, underground pipe that's not part of the WEB Water Development Association's system.

Basin Electric still needs South Dakota Public Utilities Commission approval.

Related News

US Approves Rule to Boost Renewable Transmission

US Approves Rule to Boost Renewable Transmission

WASHINGTON - On May 13th, 2024, the US took a monumental step towards its clean energy goals. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a long-awaited rule designed to significantly expand the transmission of renewable energy across the nation's power grid. This decision aligns with President Biden's ambitious plan to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with renewable energy playing a central role.

The new rule tackles a critical bottleneck hindering the widespread adoption of renewables – transmission infrastructure. Unlike traditional power plants like coal or natural gas that run constantly, solar and wind power generation fluctuates with weather conditions.…

READ MORE
usda-grants-4-37-billion-for-rural-energy-upgrades

USDA Grants $4.37 Billion for Rural Energy Upgrades

READ MORE

bc hydro meter

Wasteful air conditioning adds $200 to summer energy bills, reveals BC Hydro

READ MORE

expanding-ev-charging-in-condos

Expanding EV Charging Infrastructure in Calgary's Apartments and Condos

READ MORE

lng storage tank

BC Hydro says three LNG companies continue to demand electricity, justifying Site C

READ MORE