- About 30 million tons of lignite coal are mined each year in North Dakota.
- North Dakota lignite is used in the following ways:
- About 79 percent – generating electricity.
- 13.5 percent – creating synthetic natural gas;
- 7.5 percent – producing fertilizer products
- In order to save money on transportation costs, North Dakota lignite used for electricity generation goes to mine-mouth plants.
- The following power plants generate electricity from North Dakota or Montana lignite coal (electric companies are in parentheses):
- Coal Creek Station (Great River Energy) – Underwood
- Antelope Valley Station (Basin Electric) – Beulah
- Coyote Station (Otter Tail Power Company) – Beulah
- Leland Olds Station (Basin Electric) – Stanton
- Milton R. Young Station (Minnkota Power Cooperative) – Center
- Spiritwood Station (Great River Energy) – Spiritwood
- This is a combined heat and power plant, in which the steam created to generate electricity, will also be used to provide steam at a nearby malting plant and an ethanol plant.
- The lignite used at this station has been upgraded using a technique called “Dry-Fining™ Fuel Enhancement Process,” which was developed by Great River Energy.