Dry Fork Station groundbreaking

Its a project that started back in 2003. Now, about four years later, 350 of the fine folks of Wyoming came out to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Dry Fork Station.

(Ron Harper): "You know, this is a great day."

November 2, 2007. Basin Electric officials are breaking ground on the co-op's first coal-based power plant in more than 20 years. And project manager Clyde Bush is tops on CEO Ron Harper's list.

(Ron Harper): "He put together a team that has just gone beyond, in my mind, any expectations that we set. They've set them, they've moved the bar, they keep moving the bar and moving the bar. The comments that were made about the communications, the constant communications, and trying to find the ways to meet the regulations in a win-win scenario. These guys created those things."

(Clyde Bush): "There's been a lot of sweat equity from a lot of good people, and those comments from the officials will be very much appreciated by all of them."

The price tag on this plant is more than a billion dollars.

(Ron Harper): "You don't build stuff very easy today, and you don't think you can do it overnight. It takes tremendous planning, it takes a great deal of dedication by a great team of people."

Wyoming governor Dave Freudenthal recognizes Basin Electric's courage continuing on this project despite a set of roadblocks.

(Gov. Dave Freudenthal): "So you arrive today at this question, how is the economy going to move forward in what is going to be a carbon constrained environment. People say, well let's stop all the coal plants in this country. Interesting thought, except for the fact that there is no regulatory basis to do it. And more importantly there is no practical basis to do it."

The plant will put 385-megawatts on the grid and create about 75 permanent jobs. Freudenthal says Basin Electric looked for the cleanest technology available.

(Gov. Dave Freudenthal): "I think Basin has made the right decision, both for themselves and for this region and for this country, recognizing that we are going to move towards a carbon-constrained environment. But as we move forward, we cannot abandon our obligation to maintain the energy supply that is essential to this country."

(Clyde Bush): "It is almost unbelievable. It's extremely exciting to see the work out here today going forward with site preparation. Weve got a great contractor starting this work activity and a tremendous team working to fill in the blanks and cheer them on. So, yes, I can almost not believe that its here, finally."

The Dry Fork Station is scheduled to be complete in 2011.

Category:

News & Politics

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• Dry
• Fork
• Station
• groundbreaking
• Basin
• Electric
• Power
• Cooperative
• Governor
• Dave
• Freudenthal
• coal
• carbon
• dioxide
• technology

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Great Job ! Good luck !