Construction is winding down on Basin Electric's Deer Creek Station, a 300-net megawatt natural gas combined-cycle generation facility near Elkton, SD, in Brookings County. The project was approved by Basin Electric's board of directors in October 2007 and is scheduled for completion during June 2012.
Watch the video: Deer Creek Station construction close to complete
The power plant will use natural gas delivered via the Northern Border Pipeline and a new 14-mile underground pipeline to the plant. The gas will be purchased from Dakota Gasification Company. Deer Creek will be connected to the electric grid by constructing less than one mile of new 345-kilovolt transmission line.
The plant features two turbine-generator sets: one turbine fired by natural gas; the other is driven by steam. Both of the turbines are connected to generators.
On Oct. 25, 2010, the Alstom Power IP/LP (intermediate pressure/low pressure) steam turbine rolled onto the Deer Creek Station construction. Delivery of the turbine was made just before a severe winter storm moved in.The transportation outfit for the turbine was nearly as long as the North Dakota State Capital building is tall. The IP/LP turbine measures 27 feet long, 21 feet wide and 17 feet high and weighs 301,100 pounds. The total length of the two trucks and trailer was 224 feet, 11 inches.
The North Dakota State Capital is 241 feet, 8 inches in height. The turbine traveled to the Deer Creek Station construction site from the Port of Duluth-Superior in Duluth, MN. It had been shipped from Germany Sept. 20. This is the single largest component that will be delivered to the Deer Creek site.
Gavin McCollam, Basin Electric's manager of mechanical and performance engineering, is the project coordinator. McCollam says the power plant is needed to meet growing member load requirements and will serve as an intermediate power supply designed to "cycle" with demand.
Separate "Record of Decisions" for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) were issued by the Western Area Power Administration and the Rural Utilities Service, June 30, 2010, and July 15, 2010, respectively. The Notice of Availability of the Record of Decision was published in the Federal Register July 27, 2010.. A Permit to Construct was issued by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources June 29, 2010. An Energy Conversion Facility Siting Permit and another siting permit for the associated natural gas pipeline required to bring fuel to the plant were both issued from the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission on May 18, 2010.
The project budget for Deer Creek Station is approximately $405 million. Approximately 70 gas pipeline construction works were on-site for three months, ending work in fall 2010. During spring 2011, approximately 8 transmission line construction workers were on site. Estimated number of construction workers at peak (summer 2011) is 350 workers.Deer Creek Station will operate about 12-16 hours per day, five days a week (more, if during peak load periods). The power plant is scheduled for commercial operation in June 2012 and will have about 30 full-time employees.
Miscellaneous videos, including several about Deer Creek Station produced by Basin Electric, can be found on the Combined Cycle Power Plant With Hrsg. Gas Turbine web site. Download the feature article, A look inside Deer Creek Station.
Project facts
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| Commercial operation | Planned for June 2012 |
| Capacity | 300 net megawatts of intermediate power supply |
| Location | Brookings County - eastern South Dakota |
| Project coordinator | Gavin McCollam |
| Fuel | Natural gas |
| Turbines | General Electric combustion 7FA; Alstom Steam Turbine STF15cz |
| Estimated cost | $405 million |
| Number of employees | Approximately 30 full-time employees |
| Grid connection | 345-kilovolt transmission line less than one mile in length |
| Construction | Began July 27, 2010 |
