Basin Electric Power Cooperative Laramie River Station

The Laramie River Station has three coal-based units: Unit 1 began operating in 1980; Unit 2 began operating in 1981; Unit 3 began operating in 1982. The power plant was built for $1.6 billion.

Laramie River is unique because it delivers electricity to two separate electrical grids. Unit 1 is connected to the Eastern Interconnection, while Unit 2 and Unit 3 are connected to the Western Interconnection. These grids, which divide the United States into two sections, were developed independently and must be served separately.

The electricity produced at Laramie River is delivered to Missouri Basin Power Project (MBPP) participants:

Basin Electric
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association
The Lincoln Electric System
The Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency/Missouri River Energy Services

Laramie River Station’s fuel source is sub-bituminous coal supplied by Western Fuels Association, a cooperative fuel supplier for consumer-owned utilities, and delivered by rail from surface mines near Gillette, Wyoming.