Category Archive: Utility

1. State-Owned Power Plant Receives Grant to Study Uses for Excess Capacity

   July 25, 2014 Leave a Comment

   The Agricultural Products Utilization Commission has awarded a grant to the Red River Regional Council to study whether excess capacity at a state-owned power plant in Grafton can be successfully utilized to support a proposed greenhouse and other industrial energy park projects. The plant is located at Grafton’s Life Skills and Transition Center, which has had declining demand for energy produced from the facility. Read more in Prairie Business Magazine and Farm and Ranch Guide.

2. North Dakotans See Low-Cost Energy, But High Energy Bills

   July 18, 2014 Leave a Comment

   A study released this week looks closely at the price paid by consumers for energy. North Dakota ranks first in the nation for the lowest price per kilowatt hour for electricity. The study ranked North Dakota 41st in the nation on total energy costs, with a average monthly energy cost of $378 per consumer. Read the Wallet Hub study results here.

3. Stutsman County Wind Farm Delayed Until 2015

   June 26, 2014 Leave a Comment

   Officials from Geronimo Energy say that a wind farm planned for Stutsman County is delayed until 2015 due to difficulty in completing engineering studies needed for connection to the national electrical grid. The proposed 200 MW Courtenay Wind Farm is planned to include 100 wind turbines. The project received the largest single project construction permit issued by the North Dakota Public Service Commission. Read more in Prairie Business Magazine.

4. GPEC Annual Energy Report Now Available

   June 11, 2014 Leave a Comment

   The 4th Annual “Spotlight on North Dakota Energy” is now available. You can request a printed copy or view the publication online at www.energynd.com/spotlight.

5. Railport proposal debated

   February 28, 2014 Leave a Comment

   Residents of Beach, North Dakota recently had the opportunity to express concerns about a new railport that has been proposed outside of town. The port, which would cost approximately $65 million, would be designed to bring in supplies for the oil fields, and would also be capable of shipping oil a few years from now. The railport would potentially be built around a mile and a half outside of town and would sit on 275 acres. When complete, it would create 45-60 permanent jobs. Read more from Prairie Business.

6. ND PSC accepts rate increase schedule from Xcel Energy

   February 28, 2014 Leave a Comment

   Xcel Energy has been discussing potential rate increases for some time with the North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC), and the two entities have come to an agreement. The agreement will allow Xcel to increase rates for its customers in North Dakota by 4.9 percent each year between 2013-2014, which may add upwards of $1.22 to a customer’s bill each month this year and potentially $3.43 in 2015. The increase will allow Xcel to increase their revenue; this revenue will be used to expand service it currently offers, including a larger transmission grid and better distribution system. Read the full article from the Fargo-Morehead Forum.

7. New regulations developing for rail cars

   February 28, 2014 Leave a Comment

   The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently working on new regulations to ensure that rail cars are considerably safer in the next few years. The NTSB developed some changes to standards in 2011, but some still view them as not safe enough. Cynthia Quarterman, NTSB’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration head, estimates that the new standards may be released as early as the end of 2014. Major regulations must be reviewed by the White House before they are issued to the public, and the final approval process for the standards may take months or years to complete. Read more from the Bismarck Tribune.

8. New rail cars to be implemented

   February 24, 2014 Leave a Comment

   A fleet of new railroad cars will soon be put to work by Tesoro Corp. The rail cars meet standards passed in 2011 and incorporate reinforced shields and relief devices into their design. Tesoro said that they are moving to the new rail cars to increase safety and ensure that they have an environmentally sound method of handling crude oil. Read the full update from the Bismarck Tribune.

9. BNSF adding resources in North Dakota

   February 14, 2014 Leave a Comment

   BNSF Railway Co. is looking to decrease delays in North Dakota by adding as many as 5,000 crew members in their system, which will include 250 additional temporary workers in North Dakota alone. BNSF also plans to add 5,000 additional rail cars and 125 locomotives to help combat delays that have been affecting the state during recent months. The railway plays a major role in oil production in the state by hauling crude oil out and needed supplies in. Because much rail resource has been devoted to the oil production, other industries, such as agriculture, are experiencing up to 40 day delays in moving product. Read the full article from the Bismarck Tribune.

10. Third ethanol plant purchased by group

    January 21, 2014 Leave a Comment

    Hankinson Renewable Energy, LLC has been purchased be a group of cooperatively organized ethanol producers known as Murphy USA Inc. Hankinson is the third purchase by the group since 2009. The ethanol plant was acquired for over $170 million in a membership, all-cash purchase agreement. Murphy USA also owns the former VeraSun plant in Janesville, Minn. and a majority stake in another plant in Lima, Ohio. The original article can be seen on the Ethanol Producer Magazine website.