Basin Electric to buy power from South Dakota wind farm

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Bismarck-based Basic Electric Power Cooperative has reached a 25-year deal to buy power from a new South Dakota wind project being developed by a Houston company.

The 200 megawatts of power Basin will purchase from ENGIE North America’s North Bend Wind project will help meet the monthly electricity needs of about 73,000 households, the Bismarck Tribune reported.

The project in central South Dakota is expected to begin operations late next year, with 71 wind turbines on about 47,000 acres outside Harold, South Dakota, near the co-op’s service area. The power Basin will buy will help support its 131 member cooperatives across nine states.

ENGIE operates or is building almost 5 gigawatts of wind, solar and battery storage projects across the U.S. and Canada.