Hydropower

Hydroelectric power (hydropower) accounts for approximately five percent of the electric power generation in North Dakota and is generated by the Garrison Dam and Power Plant.

Garrison Dam during the 2011 flood. Photo courtesy of Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

Garrison Dam and Power Plant

Located approximately 75 miles north of Bismarck on the Missouri River, the Garrison Dam and adjoining Lake Sakakawea are an integral part of the landscape of western North Dakota.  The Garrison Dam was constructed in the late 1940′s and early 1950′s and is the fifth largest earth dam in the world.  Garrison Dam and Power Plant utilizes five turbines rated at a total capacity of 515 megawatts and generates between 1.8 and 2.6 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.

The Garrison Dam produces, on average, 2.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. In 2011, due to additional water release from flooding of the Missouri River, the dam’s generators produced 2.6 billion kilowatt-hours.

Western Area Power Administration

The electricity generated by the Garrison Dam and Power Plant is marketed through the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA).  Click here to view a list of WAPA customers in the Upper Great Plains Region.

Resources

Facts about the Garrison Dam and Powerhouse
North Dakota Water Commission
US Army Corps of Engineers
Western Area Power Administration