BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota’s largest power plant is making operational changes to remain competitive in a changing market.
The Coal Creek Station will be able to ramp its electrical output up and down more quickly depending on whether the wind is blowing and more renewable energy is available, The Bismarck Tribune (https://bit.ly/2i4qZLx ) reported. Most of North Dakota’s other coal plants aren’t designed to do that, while gas-fired plants can.
“In the past, we wanted to park our power plants at the top (capacity),” GRE spokesman Rick Lancaster said in a statement. “In today’s energy market, there is added value for plants that can reduce output - flexibility is an enviable trait.”
Great River Energy spokesman Lyndon Anderson said the company is adapting the plant’s operations in a process called cycling, which allows it to fluctuate between its full capacity of more than 1,100 megawatts to 300 megawatts or less when the wind is blowing.
“By reducing production at the right times, we not only reduce costs, we also reduce our carbon dioxide emissions,” GRE official Jon Brekke said in a statement. “There is significant- and growing - value in flexibility.”
The plant will not require new equipment or investment, just a fine-tuning of operations.
Anderson said the plant will never completely cease operations, but will change its output to match the market.
Coal Creek’s changes in processes might result in less need for coal from the nearby Falkirk Mine. However, Anderson said it will take time to see the full impact on the North American Coal’s operation.
“We’re not making any changes in terms of how we do business,” North American spokesman David Straley said, adding that the goal will still be to ensure the mine provides the plant with the fuel it needs.
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Information from: Bismarck Tribune, https://www.bismarcktribune.com
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