At least two companies are interested in acquiring the McLean County power plant and the transmission line that runs to Minnesota, according to the director of the North Dakota Transmission Authority.
The current owner, Great River Energy, intends to close Coal Creek Station in 2022 unless a buyer can be found, a sale that state officials are helping facilitate.
The authority’s director, John Weeda, told state lawmakers Tuesday plans for the Coal Creek plant include building a system to capture carbon emissions from the plant, as well as constructing energy storage infrastructure and wind farms in the area, a potential $2 billion investment, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
“It’s not just business as usual,” Weeda said. “It’s business as usual, plus enhancements.”
Weeda said he’s hopeful a new plant owner would retain most workers at the plant and the adjacent Falkirk Mine, which feeds the facility with lignite coal.
Coal Creek has struggled to compete in a market saturated with cheap natural gas and renewable power.
Weeda said at least four companies are interested in purchasing the current power line alone, without Coal Creek.