Permit received, work begins on Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV

Basin Electric is set to begin construction on a series of natural gas generators near Williston, North Dakota. The Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV project consists of six reciprocating internal combustion engines and two combustion turbines with a generating capacity of up to 583 megawatts total.

A Certificate of Site Compatibility from the North Dakota Public Service Commission, necessary for the start of construction, was received in February. Other permits from the state and Williams County are in process, pending approval.

Jim Lund, Basin Electric senior mechanical engineer and project coordinator, said Basin Electric has engaged Burns and McDonnell to engineer, procure, and construct the project. “The cooperative will have a continuous presence on site throughout construction and eventual startup,” Lund said.

Contractors mobilized in late February, and site work is slated to begin by mid-March. “Contractors will clear the snow from the plant site, prepare laydown areas for the eventual arrival of major equipment, and start earthwork,” he said.

Foundation work, initial generation equipment assembly, and above-ground building construction are also slated for the 2023 construction season.

The units are planned to be in service between 2025 and 2026.