Tyler Bosch, construction coordinator at Basin Electric, said watching the first foundations of a transmission project be poured are typically lowkey events, but it is exciting to see a new project get underway.
Where to drill the first foundation holes—in the more rugged northernmost part of the project—was dictated, in part, by the Dakota Skipper, an endangered butterfly whose flight season on the prairie is in June and July when the females lay their eggs.
“We can’t work within a half mile of the butterflies and so they dictated where we started the project,” Bosch said. Among other environmental aspects the Basin Electric team must consider is to not disturb bird nests between April and October and not interfere with wetlands.
Bosch said these avoidance issues sometimes make work challenging, but it’s important to heed the rules because it’s part of the cooperative mission to be environmentally responsible.
“There’s always something that makes the work challenging,” he said.
Southwest Power Pool, a regional transmission organization, deemed the project necessary for the reliability of the transmission system through its 2021 Integrated Transmission Planning process. Basin Electric evaluated more than 700 miles of different route options and made numerous iterations based on landowner feedback.
Bosch said the new transmission line, once complete, will benefit northwest North Dakota, providing reliable transmission for the region.
“We’ll burn through these foundations through the summer and fall,” he said. “Once the foundations are in, the next step will be putting up the structures.” The 15-month construction project is scheduled for completion in October 2026.
Basin Electric wants all interested and qualified candidates to apply for employment opportunities. If you are an applicant with a disability who is unable to use our online tools to search and apply for jobs, or who needs other assistance or accommodations, please contact us at 701-223-0441. Please indicate the specifics of the assistance needed or provide your contact information, and a Basin Electric Human Resources representative will contact you. Basin Electric is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer regarding race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, and veterans status.
