Great River Energy schedules community celebration to recognize significant achievement at Elk River Station

Elk River, MN (September 26, 2003)
Great River Energy's Elk River Station, a waste-to-energy power plant, will convert its four millionth ton of processed municipal solid waste (residential garbage) into electricity in November.

To mark this milestone, Great River Energy has scheduled a community celebration on Tuesday, October 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Elk River Station.

Activities will include a program at 5 p.m., tours, exhibits and refreshments.

“We’re inviting the public, community leaders and others who have been instrumental in the success of Elk River Station to help us celebrate this significant achievement,” says Wayne Hanson, Manager Minnesota Generation.

As a waste-to-energy power plant, the Elk River Station diverts about 300,000 tons of municipal solid waste annually from landfills to its electric generating station in Elk River. Anoka, Benton, Hennepin, Stearns and Sherburne counties supply the waste material, which is used to power three steam generators, producing enough electricity for approximately 30,000 homes.

Elk River Station was built in the 1940s as a coal and oil burning power plant. During the 1960s, it was converted to a nuclear energy plant, before being decommissioned in 1968. The plant was then converted to a "waste-to-energy" facility in 1989.

According to legislation passed by the State in 2003, the power plant is classified as renewable energy and recognizes Elk River Station as an environmentally safe and beneficial power plant to the residents of Minnesota.

The community celebration will be held at the Elk River Station, on Great River Energy's headquarters campus, at Highway 10 and 169. Parking is available at the rear of the headquarters facility. A shuttle will take guests to and from the event site.