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Belfield-to-Rhame transmission line operational

Basin Electric energizes its newest tranmission line - the Belfield-to-Rhame transmission line in southwest North Dakota.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative - April 12, 2010

Bismarck, N.D. – Less than a year after construction began, Basin Electric has energized its newest transmission line -- the Belfield-to-Rhame line in southwest North Dakota. Construction began last May on the 74-mile, 230-kilovolt transmission line. Planning for the line began in 2007.

Bryan Keller, Basin Electric’s manager of transmission system maintenance, said the line was placed in operation at 4:44 p.m. April 7. The transmission line structures are galvanized steel, single-poles with no guy wires.

The transmission line project also included construction of a new substation south of Rhame, and expansion of an existing Western Area Power Administration substation east of Belfield.

The North Dakota Transmission Authority – through the Bank of North Dakota – financed $25 million of the $39.8-million project cost. The Authority was created in 2005 to aid in the development of new transmission lines in the state.
Duey Marthaller, project coordinator, said an increasing demand for electricity related to energy growth is the main reason for building this line. “In addition to serving more load, this line will also improve the reliability of the transmission system in the southwest part of North Dakota.”

Facts about the Belfield-to-Rhame transmission line:
No. of tower structures: 524 (about seven structures per mile)
No. of feet of conductor: 1.2 million feet
No. of support arms: 1,407
Height of each transmission line structure: 95 feet
Dimensions of each tower: 42-inches in diameter at the base, tapering to 10 inches at top

About Basin Electric Power cooperative

Basin Electric is a consumer-owned, regional cooperative headquartered in Bismarck, N.D. It generates and transmits electricity to 135 member rural electric systems in nine states: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. These member systems distribute electricity to about 2.8 million consumers. Basin Electric’s generating resources include: two coal-based power plants in North Dakota – the Antelope Valley Station, Beulah, and the Leland Olds Station, Stanton; a coal-based power plant in Wyoming – the Laramie River Station, Wheatland; three peaking stations – the Spirit Mound Station, Vermillion, S.D.; the Groton Generation Station Groton, S.D., and the Wisdom Unit 2 Station, Spencer, Iowa; nine combustion-turbine generators (natural gas) in the Gillette, Wyo., area; 82 wind turbines near Minot, N.D., and two near Chamberlain, S.D. Basin Electric is also the sole purchaser of electricity from sources operated by others including: eight baseload waste-heat stations owned and operated by Ormat Technologies Inc. along the Northern Border Pipeline; the output of four wind farms owned and operated by NextEra Energy Resources, Juno Beach, Fla. (These wind farms are located near Wilton and Edgeley/Kulm, N.D; Highmore and Groton, S.D.)

Basin Electric has long-term, purchase power agreements of varying capacities from the George Neal Station Unit 4 (coal-based), Sioux City, Iowa, operated by MidAmerican Energy; the Walter Scott, Jr. Energy Center (coal-based) units 3 and 4, Council Bluffs, Iowa, operated by MidAmerican Energy; the Wisdom Station (coal based), Spencer, Iowa, operated by Corn Belt Power Cooperative; peaking stations located in Spencer, Estherville, Pocahontas, and Webster City, Iowa; the Duane Arnold Energy Center (nuclear), Cedar Rapids, Iowa, operated by NextEra Energy Resources; the Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska; and three Iowa wind farms – near Superior/Lakota, operated by Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative; in Hancock County operated by NextEra Energy Resources and in Palo Alto County operated by Crosswind Energy, LLC. For more information, go to www.basinelectric.com.