MDU To Close Sidney Power Plant
The Montana Public Service Commission has moved forward with Montana Dakota Utilities’ decision to close it coal-fired power plant in Sidney during 2021.
The agreement includes MDU to retire its coal-fired electric generation units at the Lewis and Clark station in Sidney during March 2021. Originally, the plan was for closure to take place at the end of 2020.
MDU also plans to close the coal-fired portion of the Heskett Station in Mandan, N.D., around the end of 2021. The company has started the development process to construct an 88-megawatt simple- cycle peaking unit at the Heskett site. MDU officials believe a second combustion turbine at Heskett will be cost-effective because the site has existing infrastructure and natural gas supply that serves an existing combustion unit that went online in 2014.
MDU employs about 75 people between the two coal stations. Once the units are no longer in operation, MDU estimates approximately 10 employees will be needed to operate the two natural gas-fired combustion turbine units at Heskett and thw two natural gas-fired reciprocating internal combustion engines at the Lewis & Clark facility.
Since MDU’s annoucement of the changes in February 2019, there has been concerns expressed in Richland County regarding the impact on the Westmoreland Coal Company in Savage and Savage Public School. The Savage’s coal mine’s largest customer is MDU.
Savage Superintendent of Schools Martha Potter said at a public meeting last winter that the school district receives $125,000 a year in coal gross proceeds. The coal mine is also a key employer in the Savage community.
