LEARN COMPANY
Home

Making electricity

A diverse mix of generation resources

Our power plants generate more than 2,800 megawatts of electricity and several solar arrays are capable of producing 650 kilowatts. In addition, we purchase wind and hydroelectric energy.

We carefully design and maintain a portfolio of power generation facilities and transmission resources to deliver reliable and affordable wholesale electricity to the regional electricity market and our member-owner cooperatives.

Generation resources of varying sizes, locations and fuels each serve a specific purpose within our resource network.

Renewable energy – including 669 megawatts of wind energy – represents an important and growing part of our power supply portfolio.

In May 2020 we announced plans to transform our portfolio of power supply resources in the coming years, significantly reducing member-owner wholesale power costs. We plan to phase out remaining coal resources, add significant renewable energy and explore critical grid-scale battery technology. Learn more about our plan

Power plants

Our power plants use coal and natural gas to generate electricity for our member-owner cooperatives. And, our combined heat & power plant produces more than electricity.

Renewables

Our generation portfolio includes environmentally sound renewable energy sources like solar, wind and hydropower. Great River Energy met Minnesota’s renewable energy standard of 25 percent renewable energy in 2017 – eight years ahead of the requirement. Now, we're committed to supply our member-owner cooperatives with energy that is 50 percent from renewable resources by 2030.

Distributed generation

Distributed generation is small-scale electric generation that is connected to, or located near, homes or businesses for the purpose of serving local power needs. Renewable systems, like small solar or small wind, are often used for distributed generation. Standardized rules are in place for all utilities to ensure safety, reliability and fair costs for these small-scale power producers and utility customers.

Future plans

Our Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is a proposal to reliably and safely meet our member-owner cooperatives’ energy needs in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible way for the next 15 years. The plan also analyzes the future electricity needs of our member-owner cooperatives, which we are well positioned to meet.

Great River Energy’s largest power plant has a capacity of more than 1,100 megawatts.

Coal Creek Station

Spiritwood Station is the first of its kind in North Dakota. The power plant generates two primary products – electricity and steam.

Spiritwood Station

Peaking generation

Cambridge Station

Cambridge Station is a state-of-the-art combustion turbine plant, an approximately 170-MW natural gas-fired power generation facility.

Lakefield Junction Station

Lakefield Junction Station is a state-of-the-art combustion turbine plant capable of producing approximately 495 megawatts of electricity.

Combustion Turbine Stations

We own and operate four combustion turbine plants located to the north and west of the Twin Cities area.

Elk River Peaking Station

Elk River Peaking Station is a 192-MW natural gas peaking facility located in Elk River, Minnesota.

Pleasant Valley Station

Pleasant Valley Station is a 421-MW natural-gas fired combustion turbine plant.

Emergency standby

Arrowhead Emergency
Generating Station

The Arrowhead Emergency Generation Station is an 18-MW, diesel-powered emergency standby electric generator located in the Arrowhead region of Minnesota.

Solar projects

We've developed 21 solar installations across Minnesota - including one in our own front yard.

Hydroelectric power

One of our oldest sources of generation is hydropower from dams.

Wind

We purchase the electric output from six wind projects in Minnesota, one in Iowa and two in North Dakota totaling 669 megawatts.

PURPA qualifying facilities

PURPA places an obligation on electric utilities to purchase electric energy from interconnected qualifying facilities.

Connecting to our transmission facilities

Information and guidelines for power producers wishing to connect to our system.

Standby & supplemental service

Information for eligible members regarding on-site distributed generation.

On-site distributed generation resources

Information for on-site distributed generation resources.

View our most recent IRP
View our North Dakota 10-year plan