List of power stations in North Dakota

Sources of North Dakota utility-scale electricity generation:
full-year 2023[1]

  Coal (55.3%)
  Wind (36.1%)
  Natural Gas (4.9%)
  Hydroelectric (3.6%)
  Petroleum (0.1%)
  Other Gases (0.1%)

This is a list of electricity-generating power stations in the U.S. state of North Dakota, sorted by type and name. In 2022, North Dakota had a total summer capacity of 9,409 MW through all of its power plants, and a net generation of 44,400 GWh.[2] In 2023, the electrical energy generation mix was 55.3% coal, 36.1% wind, 4.9% natural gas, and 3.6% hydroelectric. Petroleum liquids and other gases generated most of the remaining 0.2%.[1]

North Dakota contains the world's largest known deposit of lignite coal, and hosted 4% of U.S. coal extraction in year 2019. It ranked second behind the state of Texas in U.S. crude oil extraction.[3] Natural gas extraction has been growing as well, and exceeded 1 trillion cubic feet for the first time.[4]

North Dakota oil extraction included the flaring of over 200 billion cubic feet of associated petroleum gas in year 2019.[5] Operations were widely distributed throughout the Bakken Formation which underlays the northwest region of the state. This record-high volume of wasted natural gas could have generated over 30,000 GWh of electrical energy, an amount equal to three-quarters of the state's total generation.[6]

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

Nuclear power stations

North Dakota had no utility-scale plants that used fissile material as a fuel in 2019.[1]

Fossil-fuel power stations

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[7]

Coal and Lignite

A useful map[8] of active and retiring coal generation plants is provided by the Sierra Club.

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Refs Year
Opened		 Notes
American Crystal Sugar - Drayton Pembina County 48°35′36″N 97°10′34″W / 48.5932°N 97.1761°W / 48.5932; -97.1761 (AC Sugar Drayton) 6.0 [9] 1965
American Crystal Sugar - Hillsboro Traill County 47°26′15″N 97°03′47″W / 47.4376°N 97.0631°W / 47.4376; -97.0631 (AC Sugar Hillsboro) 13.3 [10] 1990
Antelope Valley Station Mercer County 47°22′14″N 101°50′09″W / 47.3705°N 101.8357°W / 47.3705; -101.8357 (Antelope Valley Station) 900 [11] 1984/1986
Coal Creek Station McLean County 47°22′40″N 101°09′26″W / 47.3777°N 101.1571°W / 47.3777; -101.1571 (Coal Creek Station) 1150 [12] 1979/1980
Coyote Station Mercer County 47°13′17″N 101°48′57″W / 47.2214°N 101.8157°W / 47.2214; -101.8157 (Coyote Station) 430 [13] 1981
Leland Olds Station Mercer County 47°16′51″N 101°19′16″W / 47.2808°N 101.3212°W / 47.2808; -101.3212 (Leland Olds Station) 650 [14] 1966/1975
Milton R. Young Station Oliver County 47°03′57″N 101°12′47″W / 47.0659°N 101.2131°W / 47.0659; -101.2131 (Milton R. Young Station) 680 [15] 1970/1977

Natural Gas and Petroleum

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Fuel
Type		 Generation
Type		 Number Of
Units		 Refs Year
Opened		 Notes
Coal Creek Plant McLean County 47°22′40″N 101°09′26″W / 47.3778°N 101.1571°W / 47.3778; -101.1571 (Coal Creek) 6.0 petroleum Reciprocating Engine (x2) 2 2016
Grafton Plant Walsh County 48°25′48″N 97°24′12″W / 48.4300°N 97.4033°W / 48.4300; -97.4033 (Grafton) 4.0 petroleum Reciprocating Engine (x4) 4 1937/1949/
1956
Heskett Station Morton County 46°51′57″N 100°53′14″W / 46.8657°N 100.8873°W / 46.8657; -100.8873 (Heskett Station) 178 gas Simple Cycle (x2) 2 [16][17] 2014/2024 Not to be confused with Heskett 1 & 2 coal-fired units (retired 2022, demolished in 2023)[18]
Hillsboro Plant Traill County 47°23′49″N 97°03′38″W / 47.3970°N 97.0606°W / 47.3970; -97.0606 (Hillsboro) 4.0 petroleum Reciprocating Engine (x2) 2 2002
Jamestown GT Stutsman County 46°54′21″N 98°39′44″W / 46.9057°N 98.6622°W / 46.9057; -98.6622 (Jamestown GT) 41.7 petroleum Simple Cycle (x2) 2 1976/1978
Lonesome Creek Station McKenzie County 47°47′48″N 103°34′43″W / 47.7967°N 103.5786°W / 47.7967; -103.5786 (Lonesome Creek Station) 200 gas Simple Cycle (x5) 5 [19] 2013/2015/
2017
Pioneer Generating Station Williams County 48°13′57″N 103°57′10″W / 48.2326°N 103.9528°W / 48.2326; -103.9528 (Pioneer Station) 337 gas,
petroleum		 Simple Cycle (x3)
Reciprocating Engine (x12)		 15 [20] 2014/2017
Spiritwood Station Stutsman County 46°55′35″N 98°29′59″W / 46.9264°N 98.4997°W / 46.9264; -98.4997 (Spiritwood Station) 100 gas Steam Turbine 1 [21][22] 2014 originally coal-fired.
convert to gas in 2017.[23]

Renewable power stations

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[7]

Hydroelectric

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Refs Year
Opened		 Notes
Garrison Hydro Power Plant Mercer County 47°29′40″N 101°24′41″W / 47.4945°N 101.4115°W / 47.4945; -101.4115 (Garrison Hydroelectric) 510 [24] 1956/1960 USACE owned and managed[25]

Wind

See also: Wind power in North Dakota

Also see Wind Industry of North Dakota Map.[26]

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Turbine
Spec		 Number
of Units		 Refs Year
opened		 Note
Ashtabula Wind Farm (I-III) Barnes County
Griggs County
Steele County		 46°39′N 98°00′W / 46.650°N 98.000°W / 46.650; -98.000 (Ashtabula Wind) 378 GE 1.5-91,
GE 1.5-91		 250 [27] 2008/2009/
2010
Aurora Wind Farm Williams County
Mountrail County		 48°21′N 102°56′W / 48.350°N 102.933°W / 48.350; -102.933 (Enel - Aurora Windfarm) 299 Nordex N149/4.8 71 [28] 2021
Baldwin Wind Farm (I-II)
(aka Wilton Wind Farm)		 Burleigh County 47°03′N 100°30′W / 47.050°N 100.500°W / 47.050; -100.500 (Baldwin Wind) 99 GE 1.5-77,
GE 1.5-77,
GE 1.6-91		 66 [29] 2005/2006/
2010
Bison Wind Energy Center (I-IV) Morton County 47°10′N 101°17′W / 47.167°N 101.283°W / 47.167; -101.283 (Bison Wind Energy Center) 497 Siemens SWT-2.3-101,
Siemens SWT-3.0-101,
Siemens SWT-3.2-113		 165 [30][31] 2010/2012/
2015
Border Winds Wind Farm Rolette County 48°59′N 99°34′W / 48.983°N 99.567°W / 48.983; -99.567 (Border Winds) 150 Vestas V100-2.0 75 [32] 2016
Brady Wind Farm (I-II) Stark County 46°42′N 102°46′W / 46.700°N 102.767°W / 46.700; -102.767 (Brady Wind) 299 GE 1.715-103,
GE 2.0-116		 159 [33] 2016
Cedar Hills Wind Farm Bowman County 46°15′N 103°46′W / 46.250°N 103.767°W / 46.250; -103.767 (Cedar Hills Wind) 19.5 GE 1.5-77 13 [34] 2010
Courtenay Wind Farm Stutsman County 46°54′N 98°47′W / 46.900°N 98.783°W / 46.900; -98.783 (Courtenay Wind) 200 Vestas V100-2.0 100 [35][36] 2016
Emmons-Logan Wind Farm Emmons County
Logan County		 46°25′N 99°56′W / 46.417°N 99.933°W / 46.417; -99.933 (Emmons-Logan Wind) 216.4 GE 1.72-103,
GE 2.72-116		 123 2019
Foxtrail Wind Dickey County 46°05′N 98°52′W / 46.083°N 98.867°W / 46.083; -98.867 (Foxtrail Wind) 150 Vestas V110-2.0 75 [26] 2019
Glen Ullin Energy Center Morton County
Mercer County		 46°58′N 101°49′W / 46.967°N 101.817°W / 46.967; -101.817 (Glen Ullin Energy Center) 107 GE 2.5-116 43 2019
Langdon Wind Energy Center Cavalier County 46°06′N 98°31′W / 46.100°N 98.517°W / 46.100; -98.517 (Langdon Wind Energy Center) 200 GE 1.5-77,
GE 1.62-87,
GE 1.62-91		 133 [26] 2007/2008
Lindahl Wind Farm Williams County 48°24′N 102°56′W / 48.400°N 102.933°W / 48.400; -102.933 (Lindahl Wind) 150 Vestas V100-2.0 75 [37][38] 2017
Luverne Wind Farm
(adjacent to Ashtabula)		 Steele County 47°25′N 98°06′W / 47.417°N 98.100°W / 47.417; -98.100 (Luverne Wind) 49.5 GE 1.5-82.5 33 [39] 2009
Merricourt Wind Project Dickey County 46°12′N 98°45′W / 46.200°N 98.750°W / 46.200; -98.750 (Merricourt Wind Project) 150 Vestas V110-2.0 75 [26] 2020
New Frontier Wind McHenry County 48°04′N 100°48′W / 48.067°N 100.800°W / 48.067; -100.800 (New Frontier Wind) 99 Vestas V126-3.45 29 [40] 2018
North Dakota Wind (I-II) LaMoure County 46°20′N 98°52′W / 46.333°N 98.867°W / 46.333; -98.867 (North Dakota Wind) 61.5 GE 1.5-70.5 41 [26] 2003
Northern Divide (Burke) Wind Project Divide County,
Burke County		 48°49′N 102°58′W / 48.817°N 102.967°W / 48.817; -102.967 (Northern Divide (Burke) Wind Project) 193 GE 1.7-103,
GE 2.72-116		 74 [26] 2020
Oliver Wind Energy Center (I-III) Oliver County 47°09′N 101°20′W / 47.150°N 101.333°W / 47.150; -101.333 (Oliver Wind Energy Center) 198 Siemens SWT-2.3-108,
GE 1.6-91,
GE 1.79-100,
GE 2.0-116		 102 [26] 2006/2007/
2017
Prairie Winds Wind Farm (I-II) Ward County 48°14′N 101°17′W / 48.233°N 101.283°W / 48.233; -101.283 (Prairie Winds Wind) 122.6 GE 1.5-77,
GE 1.5-82.5,
Nordex N60		 82 [26] 2002/2009
Rugby Wind Farm Pierce County 48°22′N 100°00′W / 48.367°N 100.000°W / 48.367; -100.000 (Rugby Wind) 149.1 Suzlon S88 71 [26] 2009
Sunflower Wind Farm Morton County 46°50′N 102°04′W / 46.833°N 102.067°W / 46.833; -102.067 (Sunflower Wind Farm) 104 Vestas V100-2.0 52 [26] 2016
Tatanka Wind Farm Dickey County
McIntosh County		 45°56′N 98°58′W / 45.933°N 98.967°W / 45.933; -98.967 (Tatanka Wind Farm) 91.5* Acciona AW82/1500 65 [26] 2008 * portion in North Dakota
Thunder Spirit Wind Farm (I-II) Adams County 46°19′N 102°31′W / 46.317°N 102.517°W / 46.317; -102.517 (Thunder Spirit Wind Farm) 155.5 Nordex N100,
Nordex N117/3000		 59 [41][42][43] 2015/2018
Velva Wind Farm McHenry County 48°05′N 100°55′W / 48.083°N 100.917°W / 48.083; -100.917 (Velva Wind) 11.9 Vestas V47-0.66 18 [26] 2005

Solar

See also: Solar power in North Dakota

There are currently no operating utility-scale solar farms in North Dakota. National Grid Renewables, formerly known as Geronimo Energy, has been developing several potential projects within the state, including the 200 MW Harmony Solar Project in Cass county and the 128 MW Wild Spring Solar Project in Pennington county.[44][45]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, North Dakota, Fuel Type-Check all, Annual, 2001–23". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  2. ^ "North Dakota Electricity Profile". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
  3. ^ "North Dakota Electricity Profile Analysis". U.S. EIA. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  4. ^ "Natural gas gross withdrawals - Gross Withdrawals data series". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  5. ^ "Natural gas gross withdrawals - Vented and Flared data series". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  6. ^ "FAQ-How much coal, natural gas, or petroleum is used to generate a kilowatthour of electricity?". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  7. ^ a b Energy Information Administration (15 September 2020). "Form EIA-860 detailed data with previous form data (EIA-860A/860B)". eia.gov. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020.
  8. ^ Sierra Club - Beyond Coal
  9. ^ "Drayton Factory". American Crystal Sugar Company. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  10. ^ "Hillsboro Factory". American Crystal Sugar Company. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  11. ^ "Antelope Valley Station". Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  12. ^ "Coal Creek Station". Great River Energy. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  13. ^ "Coyote Station". Minnkota Power Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  14. ^ "Leland Olds Station". Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  15. ^ "Milton R. Young Station". Minnkota Power Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  16. ^ "Montana-Dakota Utilities' Heskett 4 Plant Ready To Produce Power". Montana-Dakota Utilites. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  17. ^ "MDU Electric Generation". Montana-Dakota Utilites. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  18. ^ "Montana-Dakota Utilities R.M. Heskett Closure and Post Closure". Montana-Dakota Utilites. Retrieved 2024-07-23.
  19. ^ "Lonesome Creek Station". Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  20. ^ "Pioneer Generating Station". Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  21. ^ "Spiritwood Station". Minnkota Power Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  22. ^ "Spiritwood Station". U.S. EIA. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  23. ^ Keith Norman (2020-05-08). "Spiritwood station converting to natural gas". Jamestown Sun. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  24. ^ "Garrison Dam and Power Plant". Great Plains Energy Corridor/Bismarck State College. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  25. ^ "Garrison Dam & Lake Sakakawea - Hydropower at Garrison". US Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "WIND project map" (PDF). Wind Industry of North Dakota. 2018-07-01. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  27. ^ "Ashtabula Wind Energy Center". www.renewable-technology.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  28. ^ "Aurora Wind Farm". Retrieved 2022-05-07.
  29. ^ "Baldwin Wind Farm". openei.org. NREL/U.S.DOE. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  30. ^ "Bison Wind Energy Center". Minnesota Power. Retrieved 2020-11-17.
  31. ^ "Minnesota Power wind farm in North Dakota is complete". The Duluth News Tribune. January 19, 2015.
  32. ^ Stephanie Rank (2016-07-19). "Xcel Energy opens 19,000 acre Border Winds Farm". www.kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  33. ^ Stephanie Rank (2016-09-20). "NextEra Energy nears completion of Brady Wind Farm project in ND". www.kfyrtv.com. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  34. ^ "Electric Generation - Cedar Hills Wind". Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  35. ^ "FERC Electric Infrastructure Update". Electric Light and Power. PennWell Corporation. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  36. ^ Paul Dvorak (2012-12-01). "Xcel Energy's 200 MW Courtenay Wind Farm now online". www.windpowerengineering.com.
  37. ^ "Wind farm approved for Tioga". WDAY. Retrieved 2015-12-08.
  38. ^ "Enel's Lindahl Wind Farm Kicks Off Operations In North Dakota". nawindpower.com. Zackin Publications, Inc. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  39. ^ "Luverne Wind Farm". Otter Tail Power Company. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012.
  40. ^ "New Frontier Wind Comes Online in North Dakota". North American Windpower. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  41. ^ "Electric Generation - Thunder Spirit Wind". Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  42. ^ Nordex to supply 43, 2.5 MW turbines for Thunder Spirit project in North Dakota
  43. ^ Betsy Lillian (2017-01-03). "Thunder Spirit Wind Farm To Grow In North Dakota". nawindpower.com.
  44. ^ Patrick Springer (2019-02-27). "North Dakota's first commercial solar energy project gets OK". inforum.com.
  45. ^ "Basin Electric has solar purchase agreement with Geronimo". The Washington Times. 2020-02-19.