Basin Electric and Dakota Gas receive recognition and awards

At Basin Electric and Dakota Gas, hard work doesn’t go unnoticed when it comes to safety and security. 

In March, Basin Electric headquarters was awarded a Highly Protected Risk (HPR) designation from its property insurance company, FM. Following that, in April, teams traveled to the FM Research Campus, located in Rhode Island, to take a tour and was awarded the Significant Progress Award. 

These awards mark significant achievements, and reflect a deep commitment to safety, risk management, and operational excellence. These prestigious recognitions are granted only to businesses that demonstrate exceptional standards in minimizing property and operational risks through rigorous preventative measures, robust infrastructure, and a culture of continuous improvement. 

“Basin Electric was selected to receive the HPR designation and a Significant Progress Award in recognition of our diligent efforts and investment in risk improvement since hosting a meeting with our plant managers and FM in 2023,” says John Frank, Basin Electric director of Risk and Insurance. “The proactive approach to risk management, including the installation of sprinklers throughout the headquarters building, has significantly contributed to mitigating the potential for a large loss.” 

The process of attaining an HPR designation involves thorough assessments conducted by insurance or risk management professionals who evaluate fire protection systems, maintenance programs, safety protocols, and overall risk profile. It requires meeting stringent criteria and often necessitates upgrades or process changes to align with best-in-class standards. 

The Significant Progress Award is given in recognition of Basin Electric’s significant risk improvement to property loss prevention. “Receiving this award is essentially like getting an A grade in loss prevention, backed by engineering- and research-based recommendations,” says Frank. 

Achieving these awards was a combined effort by Basin Electric and Dakota Gas. Frank works closely with FM, plant managers, and staff to coordinate risk improvement efforts with engineering visits from FM. “The plants play a critical role in reviewing and prioritizing risk improvement recommendations to ensure the safety and efficiency of operations,” Frank says. “This process involves systematically evaluating potential hazard recommendations, assessing their impact, and determining the necessary actions to mitigate or eliminate risks and associated recommendations.” 

From there, engineering studies are conducted to support those decisions, providing technical insights and feasibility analyses. Based on the evaluations, a budget is allocated to implement the most urgent and impactful recommendations. The plant then works to complete these improvements as resources allow, ensuring that risk levels are continually reduced, and operational reliability is enhanced. 

Since 2023, Basin Electric has made significant strides in enhancing reliability and operational efficiency, successfully closing 49 recommendations, which has directly contributed to mitigating $450 million in potential losses. “This underscores a commitment to reliability that FM is proud to support,” says Ray Dhimogjini, account engineer of Chemical Operations at FM. “Maintaining and protecting our assets directly supports reliable and affordable service to our members. Basin Electric’s focus on well-maintained assets and resilient infrastructure ensures not only reliable power, but also resilience against economic shocks — avoiding costly emergency repairs and unscheduled downtime.” 

Katy Shannon, Operations senior vice president and Chemical Operations manager at FM, says Basin Electric's commitment to risk improvement is integral to its mission of providing reliable, affordable service. “The cooperative has consistently demonstrated that investing effort and capital in loss prevention — from diligent maintenance to strategic infrastructure investments — ultimately serves its member-owners' interests. By proactively reducing the likelihood of unplanned outages and system failures, Basin Electric ensures consistent power flow and stability for its members, a commitment FM has proudly supported for nearly 50 years.” 

Ultimately, these awards underscore Basin Electric’s and Dakota Gas’ unwavering commitment to safeguarding its people, property, and mission, while fostering a culture of accountability across all levels of the organization.