BISMARCK — State officials on Thursday approved what, if built, would be North Dakota's largest power plant.

The North Dakota Public Service Commission gave the go-ahead to Basin Electric Power Cooperative to construct its proposed 1,470-megawatt "Bison Generation Station." The project would be built in Epping, a small community in northwest North Dakota near Williston.

Basin's nearly $4 billion project is expected to be fully operational by 2030.

The plant could help address two energy issues that the region faces — infrastructure constraints on the electric grid and limited natural gas takeaway capacity for companies in the oil-rich area.

Rising electricity demands associated with the state's recent oil boom and population growth, coupled with power line constraints and not enough lo

See Full Page