Infrastructure Milestone: Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV

After years of planning, construction, and teamwork, Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV (PGSIV) is now officially complete, marking a major milestone in Basin Electric’s commitment to delivering reliable electricity to its members. This project is more than just steel and turbines; it’s a symbol of progress, resilience, and innovation. With the plant now online, Basin Electric is powering homes, businesses, and communities with greater efficiency and flexibility than ever before, positioning its system to meet growing demand while supporting a reliable energy future.

The new natural gas-fueled generation facility is a combination of combustion turbine and reciprocating engine units that provide dispatch flexibility while addressing near-term load growth and long-term grid stability in the Bakken region. Located near the existing Pioneer Generation Station northwest of Williston, North Dakota, PGSIV is Basin Electric’s largest generation project built in North Dakota since the 1980s. It will generate approximately 580 megawatts of electricity.

Gavin McCollam, Basin Electric senior vice president and chief operating officer, says the successful completion of the PGSIV project – on time, under budget, and with a great safety record – is exactly what the team strives for every single time. “They skillfully met every challenge, and the end result aligns with our mission to provide energy to rural America.”

Operations, maintenance, and reliability were central to the facility’s design. “Our team made sure systems were designed with necessary space and isolation points to allow maintenance to be completed safely while minimizing outage requirements,” explains Dana Jensen, Basin Electric senior electrical engineer. “Backup equipment was provided on critical systems to allow the plant to continue operating if those key components were to fail or require maintenance.” These design choices help ensure the plant’s performance, resilience, and long-term reliability.

The success of the project also came down to teamwork. Every task relied on people collaborating, sharing expertise, and supporting one another to reach key milestones. “I valued the chance to work on a complex, schedule-driven project with the dedicated teams from Basin Electric and Burns & McDonnell, where we tackled challenges together and brought the project to a successful finish,” says Jim Lund, Basin Electric senior mechanical engineer.

Exciting milestones throughout the project include:

• Groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 11, 2023
• Arrival of six Wärtsilä reciprocating engines, each weighing approximately 450,000 pounds (Jan. 2024)
• Delivery of the 700,000-pound generator and 470,000-pound simple-cycle combustion turbine (Feb. 2024)
• Completion of the 345-kilovolt back feed for turbine commissioning
• Commercial operation of the reciprocating internal combustion engine (April 11, 2025)
• First fire of Unit 4 (June 20, 2025) and Unit 5 (April 14, 2025) combustion turbines
• Turnover of the administration building and control room to the operations team
• Commercial operation of Unit 5 combustion turbine (June 16, 2025)
• Commercial operation of Unit 4 combustion turbine (Aug. 18, 2025)

With a budget of $805 million, the project drew subcontractors and craft professionals from across the country, peaking at close to 500 workers on-site and totaling over 1.6 million work hours. Now in operation, the facility has employees on-site 24 hours a day.

The completion of PGSIV represents far more than an operational achievement; it is a testament to Basin Electric’s dedication to its members and the communities it serves. “I’m incredibly proud of the team for successfully delivering what was essentially two projects in parallel, blending multiple technologies into the existing facility,” Matt Ehrman, vice president of Engineering and Construction, says. “The facility is ready to provide reliable power for our members for many years to come.”

By investing in infrastructure that strengthens reliability and enhances flexibility, the cooperative is ensuring that its system remains strong and adaptable for years to come. This milestone sets the stage for continued growth and innovation, reinforcing Basin Electric’s role in delivering safe, affordable, and sustainable energy for the future.