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November 2006 - Basin Electric Power Cooperative announced that its aggregate sales of "green tags" have exceeded one billion kilowatt-hours (kWh). Since 2001, Basin Electric has sold green tags or renewable energy certificates (RECs) associated with wind farms that it owns or purchases power from in North and South Dakota. The utility sells green tags to its member systems, to green power brokers, and directly to end-use customers such as Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.
News Release - Green Tag Sales Pass One Million Mark
August 2005 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it has entered into contracts to purchase another 26.3 million kWh of renewable energy certificates (RECs) for its Chelmsford, Edison, Fort Meade, and Richmond laboratories and its Chicago Regional Office.
Under a three-year contract with Select Energy, EPA will purchase 9 million kWh of RECs from new wind farms in North and South Dakota and Wyoming to meet the needs of its Chelmsford and Edison laboratories. For its Richmond laboratory, the agency signed a three-year agreement with 3 Phases Energy (now serviced by 3Degrees) for 1.9 million kWh of RECs sourced from wind energy projects in California. Finally, EPA entered into a one-year agreement with Basin Electric Power Cooperative for 15.4 million kWh of RECs from wind farms in North and South Dakota for the Fort Meade lab and the Chicago Regional Office.
With these new contracts, EPA now purchases green power to serve more than 80% of its electricity needs nationwide.
Information Release - EPA procures Green Power for multiple facilities (PDF 64 KB) Download Acrobat Reader
EPA Contact: Justin A Spenillo (202) 564.0639
September 2002 - Basin Electric Power Cooperative, a regional power cooperative that generates and transmits electricity to 124 member rural electric systems in nine states, announced that it reached an agreement with FPL Energy to build two 40-megawatt wind energy projects, one in each of the Dakotas. The agreement calls for Basin to purchase the energy output and the associated renewable energy certificates from the projects, which are scheduled to be operational by the end of 2003. Basin plans to market renewable energy certificates to consumers interested in paying a premium to support the development of new green power sources. FPL Energy will construct, own and operate the facilities.
Basin Electric also recently installed two 1.3-MW wind turbines in South Dakota and is constructing another two turbines in North Dakota to supply its Prairie Winds green pricing program. Basin teamed with its member cooperative, East River Electric Power Cooperative, to develop the South Dakota project and with another member, Central Power Electric Cooperative, on the North Dakota project. The U.S. Air Force base near Minot, ND has committed to purchase a significant portion of the North Dakota project output.
To date, 49 distribution coops in five states offer the Prairie Winds program to their members. Currently, program participants purchase 100-kWh blocks of wind power for an additional $3.00 per month. However, Basin plans to lower the price premium to $2.50 per block because the wind power development costs have been less than originally estimated.
News Release - Basin Electric announces two 40-MW wind projects in Dakotas - No longer online at basinelectric.com
News Release - Construction begins on PrairieWinds Minot - No longer online at basinelectric.com
Basin Contact: Ron Rebenitsch (701) 255-5120
November 2001 - Marking the completion of the first commercial wind power project in South Dakota, East River Electric Power Cooperative and Basin Electric Power Cooperative dedicated two, 1.3-MW wind turbines that will supply their Prairie Winds green pricing program. Rural electric customers supplied by the two utilities can purchase 100-kWh blocks of wind power for an extra $3.00 per month. To date, nearly 4,000 consumers have signed up to participate in the program.
News Release - PrairieWinds Dedication Held - No longer online at asinelectric.com
PrairieWinds Newsletter - November 2001 - No longer online at www.eastriver.coop
East River Contact: Jim Edwards (605) 256-8002
April 2000 - East River Electric Power Cooperative, a wholesale power supply cooperative serving 22 member distribution systems in South Dakota and western Minnesota, is offering customers the option to purchase wind power. Under its Prairie Winds program, residential and business customers of participating distribution cooperatives can sign up to purchase 100-kWh blocks of wind energy for an extra $3.50 each month or 3.5¢/kWh. Customers must commit to the wind purchases for a minimum of one year. East River plans to construct a 1-MW wind project in collaboration with its all requirements power provider, Basin Electric, if customers commit to purchasing 2000 blocks. Basin will finance and own the project. East River customers will not be charged for the wind energy until the project is operational in 2001.
More Information - Prairie Winds Program
East River Contact: Jim Edwards (605) 256-8002
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