Basin Today - Basin Electric Power Cooperative

Construction begins on Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV

Angela Magstadt
21 June 2023

Construction has begun on Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV (PGSIV), Basin Electric's newest generation project near the existing Pioneer...

Fixed on Physics: How Basin Electric maintains reliability and stability when the laws won't change

Tracie Bettenhausen
21 June 2023

The Laws of Physics say that at the very second electricity is being used, it must be generated somewhere. So, every time you turn on a light...

Basin Electric experts explain transmission congestion

Angela Magstadt
21 June 2023

With Basin Electric’s most recent load forecast projecting growth over the next 10 years and the clean energy transition in full swing,...

How We Serve: Environmental Controls

Jenifer Gray
21 June 2023

Between environmental controls and the work of the scrubber operator, dispatchable generation at plants like Laramie River Station are able to...

Innovative solutions for carbon management

Kalli Senske
21 June 2023

Basin Electric has made a responsible decision to put resources into figuring out how to capture and store carbon dioxide (CO2) to continue...

North West Rural Electric members contribute to the success of Annual Tulip Festival

Angela Magstadt
21 June 2023

While the Tulip Festival doesn’t take place on co-op lines, the impact it has on its members is immeasurable, both financially and in terms of...

Value during volatility: Protecting the membership in times of uncertainty

Lindsey Chumley
23 February 2023

In recent years, the energy industry has been challenged by market price volatility. Because Basin Electric is dedicated to providing reliable,...

Ensuring reliability: Aging substation infrastructure replacement initiative continues to make progress

Jenifer Gray
23 February 2023

As new technology emerges it's critical to the lifespan of a substation to upgrade equipment before there's a problem. Basin Electric is on track...

Basin Electric to add megawatts at Pioneer Generation Station

Tracie Bettenhausen
23 February 2023

Basin Electric is pursuing its largest single-site electric generation project since the 1980s.

From rookie to retiree: the 'transmission' of Tom Christensen

Angela Magstadt
23 February 2023

On Dec. 30, Tom Christensen, Basin Electric senior vice president of Transmission, Engineering, and Construction, retired after nearly 40 years of...

How we serve with the GIS team

Jenifer Gray
23 February 2023

At Basin Electric, the team of GIS specialists makes sure we're heading in the right direction to provide members with reliable electricity.

Basin Electric focuses on sustainability

Jenifer Gray
30 November 2022

At Basin Electric, sustainability is the commitment we make to our members to meet their needs while ensuring future generations will thrive.

Strength and value as a generation and transmission cooperative

Kalli Senske
30 November 2022

Unlike other energy providers whose rates may only include energy, Basin Electric's rates include many other essential services that others charge...

Battery storage system means extra reliability for NIPCO

Jenifer Gray
30 November 2022

In 2019, Basin Electric introduced a member-owned trial battery rate allocating up to 150 kilowatts (kW) per Class C member.

How we serve with Montana Limestone Company

Kalli Senske
30 November 2022

Montana Limestone Company is a relatively small operation that has a big impact on Basin Electric and its membership.

Regular maintenance means continued dependability at Laramie River Station

Jenifer Gray
29 November 2022

Plants like Laramie River Station have a direct impact on long-term power, and that's why scheduled outages and regular maintenance are so important.

Changes to bylaws & resolutions approved at 2022 Annual Meeting

Angela Magstadt
29 November 2022

A change to Basin Electric's bylaws was approved at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Membership on Nov. 9.

South Dakota co-op and dairy have an 'udderly' good partnership

Angela Magstadt
15 August 2022

“We don’t just want to be a business that just happens to be located there, we want to develop partnerships and relationships with the people and...

How we serve: with distributed generation

Kalli Senske
15 August 2022

"Basically everything we do affects the membership. What's good for the membership is good for us."

Reliability remains top priority after summer assessment points to possible shortfalls

Angela Magstadt
15 August 2022

This spring and summer, reports of energy shortfalls that could potentially lead to power interruptions were featured on numerous media outlets....

Adding major transmission infrastructure in western North Dakota

Tracie Bettenhausen
15 August 2022

The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) conducted an Integrated Transmission Planning study and in 2021 determined the need for extensive new transmission...

Rural America becomes even more electrified

Kalli Senske
31 May 2022

Today, agriculture and energy are more closely entwined than ever before.

Vastness and variety set Montana co-op apart

Angela Magstadt
31 May 2022

Central Montana Electric’s distribution cooperatives serve some of the most rural areas in Montana.

A day in the life of Senior Fleet and Logistics Administrator Nathan Johnson

Angela Magstadt
31 May 2022

Johnson says his goal is always to minimize the landed cost of a shipment, meaning what it costs to get a part or equipment to one of the facilities.

Working hard and taking opportunities: Steve Johnson retiring after 40 years

Kalli Senske
31 May 2022

Johnson’s career with the cooperative began in 1982 when he crossed paths with a former college classmate who told him that she was a budget...

Cryptocurrency - The modern-day gold rush

Angela Magstadt
31 May 2022

Basin Electric’s service area is prime real estate for data centers and cryptocurrency developers.

Dave Raatz retires after 41 years

Kalli Senske
04 February 2022

Some of Dave Raatz’s favorite work has had to do with negotiating power sale and purchase arrangements, resource planning, and member rate design.

Cracking the code: Carbon sequestration project will benefit environment, co-op

Angela Magstadt
04 February 2022

Basin Electric is embarking on an innovative project that will benefit the environment by sequestering and permanently storing carbon dioxide from...

Iowa's Electric Cooperatives shine the light on exemplary community service volunteers

Angela Magstadt
04 February 2022

The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of Iowa sponsored a new contest to highlight their cooperative commitment to community.

How Basin Electric's new partnership in Wisconsin builds on a long-term strategy

Tracie Bettenhausen
04 February 2022

Basin Electric announced in September a partnership with Dairyland Power Cooperative of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and ALLETE, of Duluth, Minnesota, to...

A day in the life of Load Forecast Analysts

Kalli Senske
04 February 2022

The team monitors changes in a variety of industries, including agriculture, ethanol, oil and gas, coal, housing, and more.

Meet new Basin Electric Director Jerry Beck

Angela Magstadt
04 February 2022

Jerry Beck represents District 11 replacing retired director Charlie Gilbert.

Dry Fork Station upgrades air quality controls, saves cooperative $1 million annually

Kalli Senske
04 February 2022

Going forward, the team plans to continue looking for ways to increase efficiencies to save even more money.

Great Plains Synfuels Plant's ability to shift production has meant millions for Dakota Gas this summer

Angela Magstadt
22 October 2021

In addition to increased demand and high prices on DEF, urea and natural gas prices have been higher than normal as well.

Using their noodles: How Dakota Growers Pasta works with Northern Plains Electric

Tracie Bettenhausen
22 October 2021

Dakota Growers, which is a member of Northern Plains Electric Cooperative, a Basin Electric Class C member headquartered in Carrington, sources its...

Basin Electric's Paul Sukut retires after 38 years at the cooperative

Tracie Bettenhausen
22 October 2021

While Paul Sukut’s time as CEO features several flashy milestones, the decades he spent previously at Basin Electric are what shaped his time...

East River Electric supports individuals with differing abilities through local organization

Angela Magstadt
22 October 2021

For nearly 60 years, East River, a Basin Electric Class A member headquartered in Madison, South Dakota, has hosted an annual “mountain oyster”...

Daring to innovate: 60 years of ambition

Kalli Senske
31 August 2021

A look back at some of the pivotal decisions that made Basin Electric the successful cooperative it is today.

Wright-Hennepin Electric Cooperative builds an environmental oasis outside the big city

Angela Magstadt
31 August 2021

Not far from the buzz of the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, lies a cooperative that has created a haven for bees,...

Basin Electric's first female senior vice president ends 40-year career

Angela Magstadt
31 August 2021

Diane Paul, Basin Electric senior vice president of Human Resources is retiring after a 40-year career, and looks back on her time with the...

A day in the life of Lead Substation Electrician Adam Malsom

Angela Magstadt
31 August 2021

Adam Malsom is one of six people that make up the Huron, South Dakota, Transmission System Maintenance (TSM) outpost.

Basin Electric employees battle below zero to get unit on grid

Erin Laverdure
20 May 2021

Employees from Basin Electric’s Transmission System Maintenance (TSM) division stepped up for what became a marathon battle in the cold.

How we are notified of potential and impending energy emergencies

Angela Magstadt
20 May 2021

It is important for Basin Electric, its member cooperatives, and members at the end of the line to understand what energy emergency alerts mean so...

Rainy day funds help Basin Electric weather the storm

Angela Magstadt
20 May 2021

What did Basin Electric do differently than these other energy providers – the ones that had to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars or even file...

Member co-ops communicate through crisis

Erin Laverdure
20 May 2021

Electric cooperatives stepped up with answers, deploying a variety of tools from their communication toolboxes to prepare, inform, and connect with...

Firm pipeline capacity instrumental during energy emergency

Joan Dietz
20 May 2021

Dakota Gasification Company’s Great Plains Synfuels Plant in Beulah, North Dakota, fits uniquely in the picture as it produces natural gas as well...

A day in the life of Station Operator Zachary Wager

Lindsey Chumley
20 May 2021

On a daily basis, Zachary Wager looks at the boiler, where the main combustion of the coal takes place, and at all of the equipment that goes with...

How Basin Electric's power plant professionals prepared and performed during the February energy emergency

Tracie Bettenhausen
20 May 2021

To understand how unusual this February was, “There are years I didn’t run this station at all. Since we’ve been in SPP (Southwest Power Pool), I...

New Western Energy Imbalance Service Market will launch Feb. 1

Angela Magstadt
02 February 2021

WEIS is a real-time market that takes advantage of a diverse mix of generating resources to optimize the use of the Western Interconnection...

Members assemble virtually for the first time ever at 2020 Basin Electric annual meeting

Tracie Bettenhausen
02 February 2021

The meeting’s theme, “Listen and Lead,” was chosen to represent the cooperative’s focus on listening to member concerns as Basin Electric leads the...

Could WEIS lead to a full RTO?

Angela Magstadt
02 February 2021

A recent SPP study found that a full RTO could produce $49 million a year in savings to its members, compared to present operations.

Basin Electric's strategic focus on ratings

Tracie Bettenhausen
02 February 2021

Meetings with ratings agencies Fitch Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, and S&P Global Ratings are conducted twice a year to keep the agencies up...

A day in the life of North Dakota lead lineman Wayne Bentz

Angela Magstadt
02 February 2021

Basin Electric employs 22 lineworkers to cover more than 2,500 miles of line. The crews are based out of seven outposts in four states across the...

Dakota Gas carbon capture: Improving the environment and the bottom line

Kalli Senske
02 February 2021

On Nov. 10, 2020, the Beulah, North Dakota, plant reached the milestone of capturing 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2). The Great...

Whetstone Valley Electric family recognized in national #whopowersyou contest

Erin Laverdure
02 February 2021

Now in its fifth year, the national contest elevates co-op members who embody the cooperative principle of commitment to community.

A day in the life of Alarm Monitor/Service Dispatcher Donavon Dick

Erin Huntimer
27 October 2020

On the security side, Donavon Dick monitors cameras, access logs, and alarms throughout the Headquarters complex and at the cooperative’s remote...

Measuring the value of membership

Kalli Senske
27 October 2020

“It’s a volatile world out there. Basin has a long-standing history and a tremendous amount of assets, and they’ve managed those assets well. So I...

Basin Electric Bylaw Review Committee recommends changes to bylaws

Angela Magstadt
27 October 2020

As required by the bylaws, the four proposed amendments were included in the Notice of Annual Meeting, which was mailed Oct. 13.

Basin Electric Resolutions Committee meets

Angela Magstadt
27 October 2020

No new resolutions were brought forward by the membership thus far.

Wyoming CarbonSAFE to determine whether carbon dioxide can be stored underground near Dry Fork Station

Tracie Bettenhausen
27 October 2020

Wyoming CarbonSAFE, implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy, is investigating the feasibility of underground CO2 emissions storage from...

Delayed plant outages at Basin Electric ensure safety, save money

Angela Magstadt
11 August 2020

In addition to the cost savings, delaying the outages will allow Basin Electric the foresight to see if a four-year outage schedule would be...

Black Hills Electric employee brings more than wheelchairs to people in need

Kalli Senske
11 August 2020

Hope Haven International Ministries’ goal is to deliver wheelchairs to people in desperate need from 109 different countries (due to U.S....

After 41 years, John Jacobs hangs up his hard hat

Angela Magstadt
11 August 2020

As those three or four years at Antelope Valley turned into 35, Jacobs’ roles shifted from civil engineer to administrative supervisor of...

A day in the life of Medical Services Supervisor Stephanie Hottman

Kalli Senske
11 August 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted everyone, but those who work in the medical industry experienced the pandemic up close and personal. Stephanie...

Initiative strengthens, modernizes cooperative's infrastructure

Lindsey Chumley
18 May 2020

The concern of aging infrastructure is not only an issue at Basin Electric, but for the electric utility industry as a whole across the country.

New technology will improve efficiency of Wilton Wind Projects

Angela Magstadt
18 May 2020

Performance upgrades on Wilton 2 were completed in late 2019 and Wilton 1 was completed in late April.

Basin Electric moving forward with Lonesome Creek Station Unit 6

Angela Magstadt
18 May 2020

Employees are currently assembling a revised 2020 load forecast, since much of the load growth projected in the Bakken may not materialize as...

A day in the life of Financial Reporting Manager Katrina Wald

Kalli Senske
18 May 2020

Katrina Wald says one of the best parts about working at Basin Electric is the many opportunities to be part of cross-functional working groups.

Basin Electric's use of drones improves efficiency and safety while reducing costs

Grady Blewett
18 May 2020

With Basin Electric’s increasing use of drones, the cooperative is developing procedures so there are clear guidelines to follow. A task force led...

Strategic planning meetings: the start and heart of every plan

Tracie Bettenhausen
27 December 2019

In 2019, Basin Electric set the strategic goal of “stability” in its strategic planning meetings, to stabilize the rates and the cooperative.

Membership approves change to bylaws, electric vehicle resolution at Annual Meeting

Angela Magstadt
27 December 2019

The Bylaws Committee is made up of one manager and one director from each of Basin Electric’s 11 districts. The Resolutions Committee is made up of...