Final EIS published for Deer Creek Station

On May 28, the notice of the availability of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for Basin Electric's Deer Creek Station was published in the Federal Register.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative - June 3, 2010

On May 28, the notice of the availability of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for Basin Electric's Deer Creek Station was published in the Federal Register. This is another milestone in the permitting needed to begin construction on the project.

"A lot of work goes into completing all the steps and analyses needed to reach a final EIS," said Cris Miller, Basin Electric senior environmental project administrator. "We appreciate all the hard work so many people put in to reach this point in the process."

The Deer Creek Station will be a 300-megawatt combined cycle power plant located southeast of White, SD, near Brookings. It will be Basin Electric's first combined cycle power plant and will use two turbine-generator sets: one fired by natural gas, the other powered by steam.

The wait period for the final EIS concludes on June 28. "We anticipate receiving the final record of decision shortly after the wait period ends," said Gavin McCollam. "We're excited to be so close to moving onto the construction phase of the project. We are also working with the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources to finalize the air permit, which is also necessary for construction to begin. We are doing everything we can to conclude all permitting and begin construction on July 1, or soon thereafter as permitting is completed."

Once construction begins, construction work force will peak at about 350 workers. The power plant is scheduled for commercial operation in June 2012 and will have about 31 full-time employees.