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]

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″N97°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″N97°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″N101°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″N101°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″N101°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″N101°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″N101°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″N101°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″N97°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″N100°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″N97°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″N98°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″N103°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″N103°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″N98°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″N101°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′N98°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′N102°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′N100°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′N101°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′N99°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′N102°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′N103°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′N98°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′N99°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′N98°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′N101°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′N98°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′N102°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′N98°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′N98°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′N100°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′N98°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′N102°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′N101°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′N101°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′N100°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′N102°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′N98°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′N102°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′N100°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]}

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• North Dakota portal

References

1. "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. 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. "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.