The rate of growth in western North Dakota is causing a race to a finish line that keeps advancing forward.

Continued economic development in western North Dakota is contributing heavily to Basin Electric’s projected load growth. Data processing and crypto mining loads, along with other commercial and industrial development, are putting stress on the systems that generate and deliver reliable and affordable electricity to the entire region.

The Basin Electric Generation team is working to maintain and enhance the existing assets in the region, and the Engineering and Construction team is working to build the additional infrastructure needed to serve members with ever-growing electricity needs.

Because Basin Electric’s existing dispatchable gas-fueled facilities are so critical to reliability, spare turbines have been ordered to keep on site for the ability to get the units back online again quickly in case of failure. Equipment will be able to be changed out more quickly than sending it in for repair, a process that can take months.

The Transmission team is pursuing short-term solutions to address congestion in the region until future transmission is added. One initiative involves collaborating with SPP to expedite the approval and installation of a Remedial Action Scheme (RAS). This scheme is designed to shed load in the region in the event of a specific transmission line outage. By creating additional capacity on the transmission system during such events, the RAS enables other generation sources to serve the region without taking up precious run hours at generation facilities. While this serves as a short-term solution, it is crucial until additional transmission infrastructure is put in place.

In parallel, the Transmission team is exploring innovative devices capable of assessing line ratings and line capacity more effectively. These Dynamic Line Rating devices offer real-time data to transmission operators and reliability coordinators, providing accurate insights into how much electricity a transmission line can carry at any given moment. Unlike traditional assumptions based on seasonal considerations, this dynamic approach allows for a more flexible and efficient use of transmission lines, enabling increased generation and load service during certain conditions.

While Basin Electric adjusts to ensure electricity is reliable in the region, members, partners, and stakeholders are kept informed on a regular basis.