The commission approved permits for the Deer Creek Station power plant and a natural gas pipeline to bring fuel to the plant. Basin Electric Power Cooperative still has an environmental impact study under way.
The company expects to start construction of the power plant in July and have the plant operating by 2012.
The plant is expected to have a generating capacity of upto 300MW and will use natural gas to fire one turbine. Heat from the gas turbine’s exhaust will be used to create steam to run the second turbine.
Dusty Johnson, chairman of South Dakota PUC, is quoted by Associated Press as saying: “This is $400m worth of investment and 30 full-time jobs. It is a nice benefit that can accrue from building a safe, reliable and affordable energy supply.”
