Information meeting set for proposed power plant
Elk River, MN (March 18, 2003) - Great River Energy of Elk River will hold a public information meeting Thursday, March 27, about its proposed power plant project in Dakota County. The March 27 meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Rosemount City Council chamber, 2875 145th Street West, Rosemount. A short presentation about the project will begin at 7:15 p.m.
Great River Energy proposes building a 300-megawatt to 600-megawatt combined cycle power plant fueled primarily by natural gas. The plant would supply electricity to Great River Energy's 28 member cooperatives including nearby Dakota Electric Association and its customers. Displays at the public meeting will include information about this power generation technology, Great River Energy's environmental efforts and how the organization works with its neighbors and landowners.
"Great River Energy just completed a lengthy study of the future electric needs of our member cooperatives and carefully examined various types of power generating facilities to best determine how to meet those needs," says Rick Lancaster, Great River Energy vice president of corporate services. "Our studies shows that an intermediate, or combined cycle, power plant fueled primarily by natural gas would best serve the future electric needs of our member cooperatives, particularly those near the metro area."
An intermediate power plant is designed to run up to 65 percent of the time. Natural gas is an environmentally friendly fuel with few emissions. "The Dakota County area has a well-developed electric transmission system and natural gas pipelines that would minimize our need to build many new facilities," Lancaster adds. "In addition, we've located a site suitable for the plant that is in an industrial area."
Great River Energy's construction schedule calls for power plant permitting and engineering activities to occur in 2003-2004 with construction beginning in late 2004. Commercial operation of the plant could begin in mid-2007. Great River Energy plans to hold several informational meetings about the project during this time period.
Great River Energy is a not-for-profit wholesale electric cooperative, serving 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota that cover 60 percent of the state, geographically. It is the second largest power supplier in Minnesota. The Great River Energy system saw an annual energy growth of 6 percent in 2002, nearly three times the national average. It supplies power to distribution cooperatives serving the outer-ring suburbs of the Twin Cities, including Dakota Electric Association of Farmington.
