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NextEra and Basin Electric present 'River Run' gas plant tied to proposed data center
Summary
Representatives of Basin Electric and NextEra introduced the River Run natural-gas generating plant concept to the Mercer County Planning Commission on April 8, describing a proposed 1,450 MW plant on a possible 150-acre site and a linked data center that project leaders said are interdependent; commercial operation could be as early as 2030.
BEULAH, N.D. — Representatives of Basin Electric and NextEra on April 8 outlined plans for the River Run natural-gas electric generating plant and a partner data center during a presentation to the Mercer County Planning Commission.
Jack Schuh of Basin Electric and Melissa Brooks and Kristy Smith of NextEra said the project team has a purchase option on roughly 150 acres and is evaluating site feasibility, permitting and interconnection to the Leland Olds 245-kV substation. The presenters described a proposed generating capacity of about 1,450 megawatts and said commercial operation could occur as early as 2030 if approvals and planning proceed on schedule.
Brooks said the power plant and the data center are being developed together and that, in the team’s view, “you cannot have the gas plant without the data center and you cannot have the data center without the gas plant.” She and Schuh said the current phase is introductory and that site studies, state permitting and utility interconnection studies are still pending. The presenters said they have met with local emergency-response organizations as part of early outreach.
The team estimated combined employment of about 230 permanent positions across the two projects and roughly 1,000 construction jobs during peak building activity. When commissioners asked that project and tax figures be separated, Brooks said the current public figures combine both projects and that the project is still in equity and customer-selection conversations. She said the data-center customer had not been selected and could be a major corporate operator, but she did not name any potential customer.
Commissioners pressed for detail on operations and employment. When a commissioner asked who would sign paychecks for data-center employees, Brooks said the data-center operator (the as-yet-unidentified customer) would employ those workers and that ownership and equity arrangements are still being negotiated.
Presenters said they are not currently proposing wind or solar at the Mercer County site but are considering battery storage options. They also said nuclear power is not being considered for the county. The presentation emphasized that state permits, utility approvals, and environmental and engineering studies will be required before any construction decision.
The presentation was introduced at the end of the meeting after the commission moved the River Run update to the final agenda item. The commission took no regulatory action on the project at the April 8 meeting; the session served as an informational introduction to the community and the planning board.
What happens next: presenters said they will continue site evaluations and permitting work. Any future local approvals or formal permit requests would return to the commission or other county bodies once proposals and permit applications are filed.
