Great River Energy went from replacing coal with wind to signing up for more coal power
MINOT, N.D. —Earlier this year, Great River Energy reached an agreement with Rainbow Energy to sell Coal Creek Station, North Dakota’s largest coal-fired power plant, which, for decades, has helped power customers in Minnesota.
But that agreement had to be approved by GRE’s 28 member cooperatives.
That happened today.
Approval required a supermajority, and that threshold was met.
“This is another huge step forward in securing a long-term, viable future for Coal Creek Station, its workers and the communities that depend on the hundreds of jobs at Coal Creek and the nearby Falkirk Mine,” Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford said in a joint statement. “We’re grateful to GRE and its member cooperatives for approving this sale, and to Rainbow Energy Center and Nexus Line for their investment, which will support U.S. energy security and help maintain a strong regional power grid for consumers who depend on the reliable, affordable electricity provided by North Dakota’s abundant lignite coal.”
