Superheroes among us
Contents Volume 16
Number 3
On the cover: The 6th annual Brave the Shave campaign for St. Baldrick’s has grown exponentially in communities across the region. Two young brothers and shavees, Zachary Weiand (left) and Aiden Weiand, shaved on the team Cut to Conquer in support of honoree Mia Thinnes. Read more about the participants in this year’s campaign on page 8.
In Every Issue 14 Feature Series: A day in the life of an environmental hydrologist 16 Member Focous: Capturing the future 19 News Briefs 23 Employee Highlights Feature Stories 2 Preparations in place to go black at Synfuels Plant 4 Generating change 6 Small plant, big job 8 Superheroes unite for childhood cancer research
Editor: Andrea Blowers, ablowers@bepc.com Publications Manager: Mary Miller Graphic Designer: Nicole Perreault Photographers: Steve Crane & Chelsy Ciavarella Contributors: Traice Bettenhausen, Erin Huntimer, Chris Gessele, Dain Sullivan, Lindsey DeKrey, Daryl Hill & Joan Dietz
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CEO and General Manager’s Column:
Andrew M. Serri It’ll take cooperation, time and flexibility
Changing times require a change in our thinking New national energy leadership … economic shifts … aging workforce … new NRECA leadership … familiar Basin Electric faces saying goodbye … ever-increasing EPA regulations … the RTO evaluation … Western shift in leadership … rising housing costs … shortage of skilled labor … community growth … Cue Billy Joel’s song “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” While the start of this column bears a distinct resemblance to the song, today is a new era. Friends, times are a-changin’. While change is scary, it’s really okay, and it can be good. Basin Electric has experienced a series of changes since it celebrated its first 50 years, and these changes are really the tip of the iceberg. I am proud to serve you as Basin Electric’s fourth CEO and general manager. However, many of the friendly faces that I’ve come to know this past year and a half are retiring. New faces have joined the family. New positions are being developed to address Basin Electric’s energy evolution. Our national trade association, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, has indicated that more than 70 percent of cooperative managers are due to retire in the next 10 years. We are determining whether to join an RTO (regional transmission organization). The byproducts and co-product at our Great Plains Synfuels Plant are now a larger revenue source for Dakota Gasification Company than the sale of natural gas. We are exploring additional co-products, such as urea, which would be another fertilizer to join the two already produced there. On a regional level, our membership is seeing many changes. While the coasts are falling victim to economic turmoil, the Midwest has proven that slow and steady does indeed win the race. North Dakota and beyond have struck oil, and the communities surrounding the Williston Basin are feeling it – the good and the bad. Economies are thriving, populations are increasing, and this domestic energy source is helping to fuel the nation. With growth, however, comes growing pains. Schools are full. The homeless population is increasing. More social services are needed. Restaurants have hour-long waiting lists. Yes, it is a new era in North Dakota.
On a national level, we’ve seen a change in leadership across President Obama’s Cabinet. We will have a new EPA head, and new Energy and Interior secretaries. Increasing coal regulations and declining natural gas prices have made natural gas the fuel of choice for many utilities. Coal companies are shipping coal abroad, as we see China and India build newer and bigger coal facilities every day. These changes are just a handful of many issues that we face as a cooperative, region, country and world. And, they aren’t necessarily bad. While many of the growing pains I mentioned above can be viewed negatively, I see them as opportunities – opportunities to improve our communities and to put our problem-solving skills to use. It is human nature to shy away from change. Many of us actually fear it. In my years, I’ve accepted the fact that change is inevitable and rather than fear it, embrace it. Simply closing the door and hoping the storm passes will not help. Facing it head on and managing it will open your eyes, increase awareness and broaden your vision. Folks, there is nothing so huge that we can’t get through it together. In the end, we will all be better for it. So, what’s next? We must accept what we can control, and what we can’t. I pledge to keep you updated on Basin Electric activities, and I look forward to working with you to position the cooperative for the next era. After all, there has been change in our past 50 years, and from my perspective, Basin has not only adapted to change, but has held the torch and led the way! God bless and be safe.
Andrew M. Serri, CEO and general manager
May – June 2013
1
Preparations in place to go black at Synfuels Plant By Chris Gessele
Scaffolding was erected in several areas where outage work will be done at the Synfuels Plant, such as this scaffolding that will help workers replace the cold service insulation in the Rectisol area of the plant.
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Basin Today
Black plant. The term sounds frighteningly foreboding. In reality, it’s quite the opposite. It’s part of a process to ensure safe, efficient and reliable operation of Dakota Gasification Company’s Great Plains Synfuels Plant long into the future. Black plant describes the upcoming complete outage at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant. The plant is configured into two trains, or two series of linked mechanical parts. When work is done on plant elements that are common to both trains, operation ceases and the plant goes dark, or black. The complete outage is expected to run from late May to late June, with 18 days of zero synthetic natural gas production within that span. The plant will be operating at half rate the remainder of that time, says Jerome Kramer, maintenance planning supervisor. Annual half-plant maintenance outages generally consist of five to seven days of work on elements that affect only one of the plant’s trains, while the other half remains in operation. A half-plant outage is still scheduled for this year, in addition to the black plant event. Much of the preparation for the black plant is in the capable hands of Dakota Gas employees Kramer, Ron Jorgenson and Tim Seidler. Kramer and his department are breaking down outage work requests into details and determining which materials will be needed for each task. Jorgenson, director of project controls, then loads those details into project management software that arranges the tasks into a schedule. Seidler, Dakota Gas’ shift superintendent, will coordinate the plant’s shutdown to allow these projects to be done and prepare for eventual startup. The order of activities is based mostly on logic and the startup and shutdown sequence of equipment, Seidler says. Once the order of activities is determined, they allot the appropriate level of manpower to each task. Within the outage schedule are critical path projects that are common to both trains and must be done in a set time frame, Jorgenson explains. Such projects include tying in elements of the clean cooling water system, a $77-million project that will segregate the dirty water from the main plant heat exchangers, and replacing the flare tip on the plant’s main flare stack, which burns off waste gas from the gasification process.
Dakota Gasification Company employees (from left) Ron Jorgenson, director of project controls; Tim Seidler, shift superintendent; and Jerome Kramer, maintenance planning supervisor, are helping lead preparations for the Great Plains Synfuels Plant’s black plant outage this spring.
Synfuels Plant fast facts
The only commercial-scale coal gasification plant in the United States that manufactures natural gas. Synfuels Plant products fertilizer
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refrigeration and oil field services
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Other planned projects include work on spray coolers in the oxygen plant, cold service insulation work in the Rectisol area of the plant and changing out the economizer in one of the plant boilers. Kramer says a rough count showed 5,800 individual activities will be done in the month-long outage. Some of those tasks have been on hold since the Synfuels Plant’s most recent, and first ever, black plant outage in 2004. All of the plant’s several hundred maintenance staff will be on hand for the outage, as well as 500-600 contracted personnel during the day and around 400 at night, Kramer says. Dakota Gas’ maintenance staff will work six 12-hour shifts per week, while contractors will set their own schedule with some likely to work seven 10-hour shifts per week. Available housing may be difficult for contracted employees to find in the area, though Jorgenson says Dakota Gas has not heard any requests for help. Many contracts were secured by December 2012, which likely gave contractors plenty of time to secure housing. “I think we realize the whole key to this process is planning early and getting the information out there early,” Kramer says. “Not waiting until the last minute is beneficial for us and for them.” From past project experience, workers have a good idea of what they’ll encounter during the outage – though there are never any 100-percent guarantees. “We can make some really good assumptions of what that work’s going to be, but there’s some stuff that we can’t see, so we don’t always know exactly what we’re going to find,” Jorgenson says. “There will be plenty of responding to unknowns,” Kramer says. Physical preparation is well under way at the plant. Crews have been setting up scaffolding and cranes, and assembling break facilities for contractors for several weeks, along with taking care of logistics such as lighting, generator placement and parking space. The outage will cost Dakota Gas millions in maintenance costs and lost production, however, the benefits of the turnaround – such as increased safety, efficiency and reliability – will far exceed those costs. “We’re looking at two to three years between future train turnarounds, and that will be the payoff,” Seidler says. “The viability of the plant – that’s what it’s all about. We’re working to have a plant that will run longer into the future.”
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chemical industry
about
3MM metric tons of
captured per year
May – June 2013
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Generating change
Laramie River Station pursues Reliability Excellence By Erin Huntimer
Basin Today
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relia asse ble ts
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The business world is certainly not lacking for quippy, based on data and not emotion. It’s stocking the right parts quirky quotes about change. Some are meant to spur it, for critical equipment and being able to plan and execute others to take the fear out of it. But for those words to work on a schedule instead of simply reacting truly generate change, they need to strike a minute to minute. It’s understanding how personal chord. critical operators are in their ability to d e a For the employees at the Laramie recognize when a piece of equipment rsh le i p smells, sounds, or feels different. River Station, that chord was struck by It’s precision maintenance and a magazine article that read more like Reliability diligent work by everyone.” a biography. Another power plant in Excellence Thompson says Laramie River another state saw reliability suffer as waded into the process in waves a result of reacting instead of being starting in 2008. Wave 1 provided proactive. an overview of the process, and “It was like reading a diary of the l e Wave 2 assessed the situation at daily activities here at Laramie River,” ss ed v l e o i e n v the power plant. A gap analysis says Brad Thompson, plant superintens e e mpl oy covering 29 elements of reliability dent. “We had a few key areas where we was conducted. “Wave 2 showed that, were proactive, but for the most part, our work although we had pockets of excellence, practices were highly reactive.” there were significant opportunities for improvement,” The article detailed the power plant’s transformation to Thompson says. proactive practices. It served as proof that a change in course The analysis found not only reactive work practices, but for the better is indeed possible. That prospect inspired the also gaps in job planning and prioritization, and an asset team at Laramie River to pursue a similar change. Thus management system, meant to increase work efficiency, began Laramie River’s journey to Reliability Excellence®. being underutilized. “We also faced a crisis in knowledge retention; up to 30 percent of our workforce was projected Rx for change to retire within five years,” Thompson says. With analysis In 2007, Laramie River reached out to consultants Life in hand, the team moved on to the next wave. Cycle Engineering to help them find ways to improve reliWave 3, the implementation, was approved for the ability and work processes at the power plant. The process 2012 budget. In the spring of that year, a leadership team is called Reliability Excellence, or Rx. According to Life composed of plant management and union leadership was Cycle Engineering’s website, Rx is built around the concepts formed. Next came Focus Teams of hourly employees in the of asset reliability, business and work process reliability, areas of Reliability Engineerand an empowered workforce ing, Materials Management, supported by effective leadership Education and understanding Work Management and Operaand robust change management. Vision of the opportunities Wave 1 tor Care. Thompson describes it in Rx assessment “The teams are tasked with more relatable terms: “It’s being Master plan and business case developing formal processes proactive in identifying impending Wave 2 to address how we would do equipment or asset failure. It’s Rx implementation basically everything in the having the right people doing the right things. It’s making decisions Wave 3 Measurement and sustainability facility. Life Cycle Engineering
Rx focus team progress
They have spent a tremendous amount of time and bled their souls in working through this process and developing the future course of the facility. Brad Thompson
provided subject matter experts for each team to help guide them and to provide best-practice recommendations,” Thompson says. The teams initially met for four hours, twice a week to develop the power plant’s new road map. They defined work processes and built Responsibility, Authority, Support, Inform (RASI) charts to define roles and responsibilities. Representatives from Life Cycle Engineering trained employees across the plant on the process through one-day sessions. The teams then started implementing new, more precise work flows in pilot areas (see sidebar for examples). Thompson says the level of dedication shown by members of the Leadership and Focus teams has been outstanding. “They have spent a tremendous amount of time and bled their souls in working through this process and developing the future course of the facility.”
Next steps to success
The next steps will be to expand the pilot areas and gather data on key performance indicators to measure progress. Some of the indicators include annual expedited shipping costs, compliance with preventative maintenance schedules, cost savings from reduced inventory, average time between equipment failures, job kit accuracy, and equipment inspections and resulting corrective work requests written. “We already know this is a three-to-five year process to fully implement this massive change in culture,” Thompson says. “The change can be daunting, but we have some things that make the success of this initiative a foregone conclusion: outstanding employees, progressive union leadership, and management who understand the need to improve. Brian Larson’s unflagging support and leadership has been especially encouraging.” Larson is plant manager at Laramie River. Thompson says the Rx process is in line with CEO and General Manager Andrew M. Serri’s objective to reduce costs in the cooperative’s core business. “The Rx process will ultimately keep this facility up and running by making us more efficient and reducing costs,” Thompson says. “Our members deserve nothing less.”
Reliability Engineering The team is ranking equipment criticality and history, and developing formal maintenance strategies using more predictive technologies to help identify pending equipment failures. • Sponsors: John Ciz, Mike Nordeen • Leader: Myron Singleton • Members: Amy Windmeier, Marty Finnerty, Nick Moore, Matthew McAnelly, John Atterbury, Lee Apodaca Materials Management The team has started issuing high-volume materials at the point of use to help reduce time needed to travel to the warehouse. They are also building kits for jobs where applicable and evaluating opportunities to reduce inventory in the warehouse. • Sponsors: Brad Thompson, Eric Roesler • Leader: Ken Gall • Members: Gary Lockman, Joann Hubbard, Scott Woolsey, John Shields, Joshua Barnes Work Management The team has defined processes for everything from work identification to work scheduling and execution. They are also training employees on a new interface in the cooperative’s asset management software. • Sponsors: Willie Allison, Arnie Minear • Leader: Keith Hepker • Members: Troy Gunter, Daniel Bowen, Torey Hanks, Mark Walker, Joe Bowman, Don Moede Operator Care The team has developed structured rounds and activities for operators, defined maintenance tasks that can be performed by operators, and simplified lubrication activities. • Sponsors: Anthony Lucero, Dave Herriott • Leader: Wayne Koerwitz • Members: Scott Olson, Kelly Tyson, Dave Patterson, Jim Jackson, John Huston, Tyler Sorensen
May – June 2013
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Small plant,
big job A look at Pioneer Generation Station construction By Tracie Bettenhausen
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Basin Today
In the list of Basin Electric power plants, the Pioneer Generation Station looks like a lightweight. Weighing in at 45 megawatts, the power plant looks to be a small fraction of some of the more recent additions in Basin Electric generation, like the 300-net megawatt Deer Creek Station in South Dakota and 385-megawatt Dry Fork Station in Wyoming. But Pioneer Generation Station, located northwest of Williston, ND, was built small for a big task. The natural gas-fueled plant will serve the quickly increasing demand for electricity in northwest North Dakota, and it will do so soon. It is a simple cycle plant, which means it doesn’t have a steam cycle, and it will have the capability to provide voltage support to the area transmission grid through the use of a synchronous clutch when additional electricity is not required. The technology, a General Electric LM 6000 combustion turbine generator, is used all over the world, and the experience means construction moves quickly, according to Craig Muilenburg, Basin Electric construction coordinator II. “There are more than a thousand of these units in operation,” Muilenburg says. “Everything comes in components. You basically hook them together and away you go.” Myron Steckler, Basin Electric generation resource project manager, says the layout of the turbine generator package is largely determined by General Electric. “The components come in skids, which are required to be very close to the main turbine generator unit. It’s congested, but very typical of these types of units. We set each skid in place and tie them together with piping and electrical,” Steckler says. The remainder of the plant equipment and layout needed to make this facility a fully functional plant is designed by Basin Electric’s Engineering & Construction department, along with the project engineering consultant, Harris Group.
At the height of construction, about 120 workers were on-site at a time. “Wanzek Construction has been excellent on safety,” Steckler says. “We have no lost time accidents to date on the project.” The step between construction and the plant generating electricity is called commissioning. Muilenburg says commissioning started in mid-April with the water system. “Once we get rural water on-site, we can start filling our water tanks to hydro test them.” Around the same time, electrical backfeed can occur when the electrical interconnection is completed with the transmission system and the plant begins to pull electricity from the power grid. “Once we get that power on-site, the commissioning phase really takes off,” Muilenburg says. “You can start bringing on the individual skids with the motors and things like that.” Construction started on Phase I of Pioneer Generation Station in June 2012, with commercial operation anticipated early this summer. And construction season at this location will continue into another phase immediately. Phase II construction is slated to start a month earlier than first expected, in June after all the necessary permits have been acquired. Phase II will add two turbine generators and 90 megawatts in generation. Muilenburg says construction of Phase II is able to move more quickly because both phases will use the same utility interconnections and balance of plant equipment such as the water tanks and administration building. “We have a couple things going for us. General Electric has been helpful with getting the extra equipment for us on a timely basis, and permitting has been going well,” Steckler says. “We are trying to take advantage of the summer construction season and should be able to be commercial with the second phase by January 2014.”
Contractors and Basin Electric employees work together. (From left) Trenton Schwahn, Basin Electric electrical engineer II; Ben Cannon, Tidal Power Services, Houston, TX; Eric Lempke, Tidal Power Services; and Craig Muilenburg, Basin Electric construction coordinator II.
Need for power
In April, Basin Electric’s board of directors approved the 2013 load forecast update, which shows continued electricity demand INCREASE throughout the membership and especially in northwest North Dakota and northeast Montana. Jay Lundstrom, Basin Electric senior forecast analyst, says the 2013 load forecast is the second annual update of the 2011-2025 forecast period. “The 2013 update shows member requirement has increased about 280 megawatts from the previous forecast completed just one year ago,” Lundstrom says. The weather-normalized forecast expects Basin Electric’s demand to grow about 3.7 percent annually.
280 MW
May – June 2013
7
!
M A H W
BAM
!
lUCKY
pow! Superheroes unite for childhood cancer research By Andrea Blowers
Not all superheroes wear capes. In fact, some are so cleverly disguised there’s only one way to uncover their life-saving powers. They unexpectedly go bald or suddently appear with short hair. Spotting these heroes is slightly easier knowing their disguises are lifted only once a year – usually in March, but sometimes in April. Their mission: To help find a way to end childhood cancers. These superheroes are participants in the annual Brave the Shave – St. Baldrick’s events. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. 8
Basin Today
Since they began appearing throughout the Midwest in 2008, more than 1,500 heroes have been spotted following the Brave the Shave events. In each of the first years Basin Electric coordinated the events, the number of participants averaged 150-200. In 2013, this mix of champions for children battling cancer grew exponentially. More than 400 people participated in the Brave the Shave campaign this year from eight states – North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington and Hawaii. There are numerous stories about why each participant elected to lose their hair – more stories than space to share them. But, there is no doubt, each and every hero has a story. Following are a few from this year’s campaign.
If my five minutes is able to buy years’ worth of a good life for a child, that’s a no-brainer for me. (From left) Dr. Parag Kumar and Dr. Rafael Ocejo.
White-coat protectors unmasked
Bismarck pediatricians Dr. Rafael Ocejo and Dr. Parag Kumar walked into their staff meeting at Sanford Health Children’s Clinic in February unaware of the request they were about to receive. Tom Petrik, Sanford Health Foundation vice president of development, was there with information about St. Baldrick’s in hand. Petrik explained that Sanford was planning to hold an event under the Brave the Shave campaign, and they were looking for volunteers to face the clippers. Dr. Ocejo wouldn’t say he energetically volunteered, but he’s not one to turn down a challenge. “Dr. Seibel, she’s a sweetheart, she pushed me into the pool,” Dr. Ocejo says. “You know how sometimes people say let’s jump into the pool together, and you jump and then find yourself alone in the pool? She said to me, ‘I’ll do it,’” he explains. So Dr. Ocejo told her if she was going to shave her head, he would shave his. As Sanford’s event approached Dr. Ocejo learned Dr. Seibel decided not to shave this year. “I said, ‘You have to be kidding me!’ … But now that I’ve done it, I think it was a good thing she pushed me,” Dr. Ocejo says. “My story is different,” Dr. Kumar says. “I volunteered. My past experience showed that even if I do something for five or 10 minutes, it has huge dividends. … If my five minutes is able to buy years’ worth of a good life for a child, that’s a no-brainer for me,” Dr. Kumar says. The Sanford event was held March 8 at the Ritterbush Auditorium at the UND Center for Family Medicine building. The event overall raised nearly $14,000 for the campaign and each of the doctors raised around $1,500. They were part of the team Amber’s Baldies, which had participants
Dr. Parag Kumar
shaving at both the Sanford event and the flagship event at the Missouri Valley Family YMCA on March 15. The team’s fundraising totaled more than $24,000. “The last few days (before the Sanford event) it was busy,” Dr. Kumar says. “My wife had to keep the tea flowing all the time. All the people, they just kept coming to our place. I was so happy that even without soliciting I was able to raise $1,500.” Both Drs. Ocejo and Kumar were intrigued with different parts of the event and the inquiries that followed once their heads were bald. “I was absolutely totally surprised there was a 16-year-old beautiful young girl that had her head shaved,” Dr. Ocejo says. “I think for a girl to do that at her age … to be able to say, ‘I’m going to do it, and I’m proud to do it,’ that to me was like, ‘Why should I be concerned about my head?’” Dr. Kumar remembers a 5- or 6-year-old chronic-needs child that comes to his office. “She said to her mom, ‘Look, mommy, Dr. Kumar has no hair.’ This mom gave a really nice reply, she said, ‘Dr. Kumar has no hair because he likes kids like you so much.’ I was touched,” Dr. Kumar says. As with anything they do for their patients, the hospital, the clinic or the community, they never look back. “We are always looking to improve the hospital experience for children,” Dr. Kumar says. “How good we are in society is how well we can take care of other people. … I think children’s welfare; there is no negotiation to this.” “I was really happy I went through it,” Dr. Ocejo says. “Any time that there are things we can do to improve the care of children, I am all for it.” Both doctors agreed they would shave again. Both also agreed they would like to recruit other doctors to shave with them. May – June 2013
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Why wouldn’t you do it? … It’s such a small sacrifice for anyone to do. Tiffany Hardy
Forces collide for community
Alone, superheroes are mighty forces. When they merge, they are forces to be reckoned with. That’s certainly the case for a mighty duo from this year’s Guns n’ Hoses event at the Blarney Stone in Bismarck held on March 12. The duo is Chad Nicklos and Tiffany Hardy. Hardy was the top fundraiser and shavee for the Guns – Missouri Valley Fraternal Order of Police team and Nicklos was the top fundraiser and shavee for the Hoses – Firefighters of North Dakota team. This was the first annual Guns n’ Hoses event. Local law enforcement and local fire departments challenged each other to see who could raise more for St. Baldrick’s. The goal for the event was $5,000. The participants raised more than $14,000; Hardy and Nicklos together pulled in more than $3,500 of that. This isn’t the first time Nicklos and Hardy have teamed up (unknowingly) for a cause. The two met while sandbagging in 2011 when the Missouri River threatened to flood homes. However, neither knew the other was participating in the Brave the Shave Blarney Stone event. When Nicklos saw Hardy’s name on the website he says they exchanged 10
Basin Today
a few messages and razzed each other to see who was going to be the top fundraiser. “We met each other helping other people out so to meet up again for this event was pretty cool,” Nicklos says. In their everyday lives, Hardy is a massage therapist at HealthSource Chiropractic of Bismarck and Nicklos is a contractor through his business Chad Nicklos Construction. Nicklos is also a volunteer firefighter with the Mandan Fire Department. “I actually heard about it (St. Baldrick’s) through Andy Beck who is our training officer for Mandan Fire Station One. It was something he asked me if I wanted to do with him,” Nicklos says. Nicklos didn’t hesitate. “I’ve always had short hair, so it wasn’t a big deal for me as far as the haircut goes. If I can help others, I will,” he says. Hardy didn’t hesitate either. She joined the Guns team because one of her good friends is a police officer. “I was at the Blarney Stone and saw the flyer. It was just one of those things where I thought that would be a blast,” she says. “Why wouldn’t you do it? … When you’re healthy and have a good life, you don’t
I think a lot of people take their health for granted. So, to be able to give back in any way I can, I feel, is just the right thing to do. Chad Nicklos
2013 campaign sponsors
think about a whole lot of other people who are going through things like that. It’s such a small sacrifice for anyone to do.” But, she says, “You really have to take all the vanity out of it.” Nicklos echoed Hardy’s intentions. “This day and age I think everybody knows someone who has gone through, maybe it’s not cancer, but has really gone through a life-changing event and I think a lot of people take our health for granted. So, to be able to give back in any way I can, I feel, is just the right thing to do,” Nicklos says. Each was really impressed with how much they were able to raise in such a short amount of time. They sent text messages and used Facebook. In less than two days Hardy was able to raise nearly $2,000 alone. That surprised her, but what also amazed her was the energy at the event. “I’ve been to the Blarney Stone hundreds of times, but the energy was just different. Everyone was there for a common tie,” Hardy says. Nicklos was impressed with the turnout as well and says he’s sure he’ll do it again next year. Hardy says she too will do it again, “in a heartbeat.” May – June 2013
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You can see the smiles on their faces and know it has deep meaning, and that’s what we want. Kurt Weinberg
(Clockwise from top left) Kurt Weinberg, Austin Henschel, Ryan Johnson and Jayden Scott.
Young heroes mobilize
They may be smaller than the average hero, but the goodness in their hearts makes them larger than life. They are Jayden Scott, Austin Henschel and Ryan Johnson, 6th graders at Highland Acres Elementary School in Bismarck. Scott and Henschel participated for the first time during the Brave the Shave event at the Missouri Valley Family YMCA on March 15. It was the middle of a school day, but that didn’t stop the rest of their class from flashing signs of encouragement like “Be Brave and Go Bald,” while crowding near the front of the stage to cheer on their classmates. “The original plan was to walk (from Highland Acres to the YMCA), but because it was so chilly a couple of parents offered to drive all the kids over and wait,” says Kurt Weinberg, the boys’ physical education teacher and a shavee himself. Johnson got to have his own head-shaving the day before. Because he wasn’t able to attend the event at the YMCA, his mom shaved his head during gym class with a number of Highland Acres students as his audience. 12
Basin Today
Weinberg coordinated their efforts. He had participated in the Brave the Shave event last year with two other boys, and he wanted to do it again this year as part of a project for a class he was taking on building developmental assets in students. Dave Fey, a counselor at Highland Acres, was also part of the team. “I thought this would be so excellent because the boys that did it last year had such a great time with it and it seemed like such a great charity to work with,” Weinberg says. “Kids can relate to the childhood cancer issue. I think by getting the whole school on board, I’ve got 2nd and 3rd graders now that just can’t wait to be in 5th grade so they can do it as 5th graders. That is what I’m hoping for, that we can create a tradition, that this is what Highland Acres does,” Weinberg says. “The whole school was behind it. We had a couple of fundraising activities here – a hat day, gum day and then wacky hair day. The student council actually planned that as part of Spirit Week,” Weinberg says. Each of the boys, whose interests range from football and fishing to soccer and jet skiing to swimming and learning about
World War II, was drawn to participate in St. Baldrick’s because they wanted to help kids battling cancer. But, they WA admitted they were nervous. “I’ve never had short hair, so I didn’t really know what it would feel like to have a bald head,” Scott says. They found out. “After I got done with my head being shaved, I put on the hat and it felt like Velcro,” Henschel says and the others nodded in agreement. The boys agree they were left with more than a prickly head; the event left a lasting impression. “One of the things it does, it builds kids up and gives them a stronger self-esteem. They know they are part of the community and they are recognized as an important link,” Weinberg says. “You can see the smiles on their faces and know it has deep meaning, and that’s what we want.”
2013 Brave the Shave events & stats ND MT SD ID
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Helping end childhood cancer
The stories of Brave the Shave participants could fill a novel. These volunteers may not wear capes, but the good they do makes them superheroes in their own right. In the six years Basin Electric has coordinated the Brave the Shave events more than $1.08 million has been raised; more than $330,000 was raised in 2013 alone. Thanks to the efforts of superhero volunteers, every year more money is raised to fund pediatric cancer research, and every year more children survive and enter remission thanks to their efforts.
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Read more stories
Check out basinelectric.wordpress.com for more stories of 2013 St. Baldrick’s superheroes. • Two dads, two kids shave and cut for St. Baldrick’s • St. Baldrick’s pillows for honorees • Centennial Elementary Hat Day for St. Baldrick’s • Elementary students get crazy for Basin Electric Brave the Shave • St. Baldrick’s honoree and friends featured on KX News • Local car dealership donates beanies for Brave the Shavers • Sanford Health St. Baldrick’s event video and pictures • Go pink or go home
• St. Baldrick’s Zumbathon stomps last year’s totals! • Basin Electric employee and kids recruit for St. Baldrick’s • Guns n’ Hoses pack Blarney Stone for St. Baldrick’s • Bismarck Bobcats brave the shave tonight on center ice • Milt Aus braves the shave • CEO Dream Team braves the shave for St. Baldrick’s • Librarian and elementary students support St. Baldrick’s • St. Baldrick’s shavee survives cancer, goes bald for others
May – June 2013
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Feature Series
A day in the life of … an environmental hydrologist at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant
Jacob Dow Jacob Dow, an environmental hydrologist for Dakota Gas, examines a water sample he delivered to the Dakota Gas chemistry lab on-site at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant.
Dow takes water samples from an air stripper at the Synfuels Plant. The plant’s recovery well pumps impacted groundwater into the air stripper, which then blows air through the water to strip out volatile compounds.
By Chris Gessele Where you find water on the Great Plains Synfuels It’s a breezy, overcast April day and Dow is already plant site near Beulah, ND, you’ll likely also find Jacob Dow. busy doing what only he does at the Synfuels Plant – he’s Dow is an environmental hydrologist at the Synfuels sampling water. As the only environmental hydrologist on Plant, which is owned and operated by Dakota Gasification the plant site, Dow samples drinking water, groundwater Company, a for-profit subsidiary of Basin Electric. and storm water, and reports those test results to various Dow grew up in north-central Iowa state regulatory agencies. and now lives in Beulah, about three While his job description sounds It’s kind of one of those jobs miles south of the plant site. He has fairly consistent and straightforward, where you get geared up for it been working at the plant for about his workdays are not. and once you get into it, it’s what a year and a half. Dow works with “There are weekly and monthly you live for a few weeks. water, but his original interest was tasks, and that’s about as regular as it Jacob Dow dirt. After high school he earned a gets,” Dow says. “Otherwise it depends geological engineering degree from what’s going on, and what’s a priority.” the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in There are more than 130 groundwater sampling wells Rapid City, SD. scattered throughout the 640-acre plant site. The wells are Dow installed monitoring equipment and relief wells under various permits that require sampling and results on earthen dams along the Missouri River for the U.S. reporting to the state at various frequencies. There are also Army Corps of Engineers after college graduation. After 31 additional wells on the plant site not under permits that 15 months on the job, that experience helped him get hired the plant installed for added groundwater surveillance. It at Dakota Gas. takes about five weeks to sample all of the wells, Dow says. 14
Basin Today
Dow also had a request that day to test tap water in a “It’s kind of one of those jobs where you get geared up new lunchroom in the Synfuels Plant’s vehicle maintenance for it and once you get into it, it’s what you live for a few building. He tested the water’s conductivity, pH balance weeks,” Dow says. “If you stop for something else, it takes and temperature, as well as the amount of free chlorine so long to get everything ready and prepped for the day, and total chlorine in the water. He concluded that it was that it affects how much you get done.” fit for drinking. Dow, suited up in fire-retardant coveralls, steel-toed The Synfuels Plant is adjacent to Basin Electric’s Anteboots, hard hat and safety glasses, hops into a blue, welllope Valley Station. Water piped from Lake Sakakawea, traveled Chevrolet Tahoe. Winding through the plant site, located a few miles north of the plant, is softened at Antelope Dow stops to check the water level in a stormwater pond in Valley and chlorinated at the Synfuels Plant before being the southeast corner of the plant site. On this day, the pond used for drinking water. Dow tests the plant’s potable is at 9 feet 5 inches and discharging stormwater off-site. water monthly for bacteria. There are three stormwater ponds on-site that handle “If you do have bacteria in your system and someone precipitation runoff from the plant site, Dow explains. drinks it they can get sick. We haven’t The ponds fill up over the course of had any issues like that, so we’ve been a few months. They are sampled to That’s one of the good things pretty good,” he says. ensure water quality meets state about this job is there’s office Dow’s other responsibilities include criteria, and then they are partially work and outdoor work, and managing the permit for the plant’s drained into a ditch that encircles if it’s a nice day you can find underground injection system. Salty and eventually leaves the plant stuff to do outdoors, and if it’s a wastewater derived from backwashsite by way of Antelope Creek. The crappy day you can find stuff to ing the plant’s filters is injected down tests are conducted and results are do indoors. Though basically, if two 6,000-feet-deep wells. Those reported quarterly. it’s anything water on the plant site, I’m involved. wells pump the water into a storage “We need to track the pond level Jacob Dow aquifer that’s already too high in total each day to keep track of how much dissolved solids to be used for drinking water we get rid of,” Dow says. water, Dow explains. The ponds’ water levels are Dow is currently finishing up the last of his annual reduced in the fall so they can handle as much winter and groundwater reports and ordering supplies for the upcomspring precipitation runoff as possible. This past winter, ing spring groundwater sampling event, which consists of ice buildup in the creek caused releases to overflow the sampling 75-80 wells. He’s also helping secure permits and creek banks, Dow says. They held water in the ponds as gearing up for the upcoming black plant outage in May and long as possible and recycled some of it back through the June. Read more about black plant preparations on page 2. plant to help remedy the situation. “With the black plant coming up, I really want to get all “There’s always some situation that changes the way the sampling at least close to done before all the constructhings go,” Dow says. “I prefer to have things planned. tion and stuff goes crazy,” Dow says. “If they’re working in When they’re not planned, they’re more of a surprise. I an area, equipment might block access to some of my wells, don’t like those quite as much.” so the sooner I can get out there and get it done, the better.” After checking the stormwater pond, Dow pulls up Dow says it’s his engineering education that makes to a building that houses an air stripper to collect water him “fussy and meticulous,” though on-the-job experience samples, a weekly duty. The plant’s recovery well pumps taught him the ins and outs of being a hydrologist. impacted groundwater into the air stripper, which then “That’s one of the good things about this job is there’s blows air through the water to strip out volatile compounds. office work and outdoor work, and if it’s a nice day you can Dow collects samples from water entering and leaving the find stuff to do outdoors, and if it’s a crappy day you can air stripper to ensure it’s operating as it should be. After find stuff to do indoors,” Dow says. “Though basically, if it’s collection Dow delivers the samples to a walk-in cooler for anything water on the plant site, I’m involved.” the chemistry lab to analyze. May – June 2013
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Member Focus
Capturing the future
Tri-State invests in carbon-use advancement By Dain Sullivan
Escalante Station, in Prewitt, NM, is owned by Westminster, CO-based Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association. Tri-State is interested in finding ways to utilize carbon dioxide from its operations to produce useful byproducts.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Carbon capture and storage has long been considered as the only solution, with its complementary use of enhanced has an audacious goal in mind: to facilitate solving the carbon utilization puzzle. oil recovery (EOR), but implementation has been limited The Tri-State board of directors has strategic goals that so far by cost, geologic and regulatory issues. focus on affordability and regulation mitigation. The board A potential game-changing approach is emerging that has directed staff to focus on dealing with existing and could reframe the carbon management challenge by turnpotential regulation that could ing CO2 from a waste to an asset substantially affect the cost and beyond EOR – a valuable feedstock What we’re looking affordability of electricity Trifor fuels, fertilizers, feeds, chemifor here is a significant State produces and distributes cals, plastics, building materials, breakthrough. At the end to its 44 member system owners. and other products. of the day, it’s the future of This necessarily includes a focus Tri-State, headquartered in the market that makes the on carbon dioxide (CO2). Westminster, CO, is sponsoring difference. Jim Spiers Depending on the form of CO2 one of the most significant efforts regulation, Tri-State’s member to tackle this challenge. systems face a potential risk of Having supported conventional $200 million-$400 million a year of additional cost on top industrial carbon management research and development of $1.2 billion in annual operating expenses. The additional for several years without achieving significant breakthrough $200 million-$400 million will not generate or transmit one results, Tri-State has decided to support the development more kilowatt-hour of electricity. of a non-profit test center adjacent to one of its power 16
Basin Today
plants. The test center will be dedicated to accelerating whatever we can on carbon mitigation,” he says. “The reality the development and commercialization of scalable carbon check for us all is that even natural gas, at some point in utilization solutions, and could soon be connected with a the future, will be a potential target of carbon regulation.” Tri-State has been tracking approximately 150 compa$10-million inducement prize competition. Tri-State has worked with fellow generation and transnies addressing carbon utilization, Spiers adds. It was mission cooperative Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, when the association raised concerns regarding the lack of answers being provided as part of recent carbon utilization and the X PRIZE Foundation, in an effort to take the next research that they chose to reach out to step in the carbon utilization game, which the X PRIZE Foundation. Tri-State Senior Vice President for BusiWe certainly think anySpiers says EOR is the most widely ness Strategy and Chief Technical Officer one in the fossil consumptive deployed form of carbon utilization, Jim Spiers says involves attracting interindustries should be intersuch as Dakota Gasification Company’s national industry players that have the ested in this. carbon sequestration into Saskatchewan potential for converting CO2 into profitable Jim Spiers for EOR. byproducts. “That side of utilization is pretty well“What we’re looking for here is a significovered. The problem is that it can’t be the only arrow cant breakthrough,” Spiers says. “At the end of the day, it’s that we’re going to need in our quiver to deal with carbon the future of the market that makes the difference.” exposure in the future,” Spiers says. “We’re looking at other Spiers also says Tri-State is forecasting the possibility of forms of utilization.” increased carbon mitigation in years to come, and is interested Spiers says one area of carbon utilization that has in being prepared for potential changes that may arise. shown promise is graphene, “a building block of the 21st “We have a fairly broad range of efforts to really do May – June 2013
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Member Series
century” that Tri-State is hoping to build upon even further. working in areas of carbon utilization. Eventually, screening A couple of the results graphene leads to include a lower will reveal 20 participants, later being narrowed to five cost of display screens in mobile devices and a lower cost finalists that will engage in a year-long testing process at of solar cells. the test center, using flue gas from an operating coal plant. “We’re pretty excited about the developments,” A panel of experts will be chosen to judge throughout Spiers says. the entire process, which encompasses four years, Spiers The competition hasn’t officially launched yet. Spiers says. If participating parties do not cross the proverbial says Tri-State is hoping to finish fundfinish line or meet the criteria of the rule raising for the prize by the end of set, the prize goes to no one. June. The goal is to raise $17 million “They do have to make a capital investOur objective is to find outcomes, not who the to develop the test center and, once ment on their own front, but what they’re winners or the losers are. It’s that is complete, another $17 million betting on isn’t the $10-million prize; they’re a great research hypothesis for the potential prize. betting on this new market that would right now. Spiers says fundraising efforts look develop, and that they would be one of the Jim Spiers promising, and the X PRIZE Foundaones that would get a huge market share tion has been instrumental in helping in the future,” Spiers says. He adds that with the competition’s initial design participants will have their own funding work, such as discovering what it means to have a capture sources during the competition, and they could easily spend separation and reuse business model that could be proven hundreds of millions of dollars funding their research and at a power plant, as well as what it takes to be scientifidevelopment. cally sound. The $10-million prize stimulates interest, but “at the end “We did a lot of due diligence about who to partner of the day, it’s the future market that makes the difference,” with to make this work,” Spiers says, adding that X PRIZE he says. Foundation has the international presence Tri-State was When reflecting on Tri-State’s initiation in carbon utililooking for. “In that essence, you’re partnering with them zation efforts, Spiers explains that such a market was the for their expertise, and then you’re partnering with them main focus. for their development and their marketing.” “We’re invested in an outcome that is the solution to Despite the fact that the event has not yet launched, carbon emissions,” he says, adding that Tri-State is interested Spiers has seen significant interest emerging in Canada in seeing progress from anyone and everyone taking part and the United States. Tri-State expects a response from in the competition. “Right now we don’t want to be in a a variety of entities as preparations progress. position where we have to try and bet on one technology “We certainly think anyone in the fossil consumptive or on a company.” industries should be interested in this. We are talking to the The competition would also be beneficial, because “there coal companies, we’re talking to the railroad companies, is really no place in the world that is designed to provide for we’re talking to the other utilities, in addition to these a test environment” necessary for the carbon-related projects international folks,” he says. participants would be engaging in. Considering the multiple A process is also being developed on how finalists for benefits that could come from working with the X PRIZE the potential competition will be chosen. Spiers explains Foundation, and an end to fundraising efforts on the horizon, that the first step is securing the necessary funding. From Tri-State is eager to see how the competition will play out. there, a final rule set will be established with the X PRIZE “Our objective is to find outcomes, not who the winners or Foundation, followed by the competitive process, which the losers are,” Spiers says. “It’s a great research hypothesis Tri-State hopes will involve hundreds of companies that are right now.”
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Basin Today
News Briefs
The delegation from Mongolia gets a tour through the Great Plains Synfuels Plant model room.
Mongolian delegation tours Great Plains Synfuels Plant
A high-profile delegation from Mongolia visited the Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah, ND, on March 22. Z. Enkhbold, the Democratic Chairman of Mongolia’s Parliament; Ambassador B. Altangerel; and G. Tsogtsaikhan, State Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; made the trip to learn about the process of taking coal and turning it into synthetic natural gas. The group included business, energy and mining industry representatives from Mongolia. The delegation was greeted by Basin Electric CEO and General Manager Andrew M. Serri and Plant Manager Dave Sauer*. Enkhbold said Mongolia wants to be more energy independent, while taking the environment into consideration. “We are number 10 in the world in coal deposits. We have hundreds of millions of tons,” Enkhbold said. “But we are 100-percent dependent on foreign oil, from Russia. We also get much of our electricity from Russia. We want to develop gas and liquid petroleums and would like a syngas plant.” In addition to government officials, the tour included reporters from Mongolia National Broadcasting and Bloomberg TV. Learn more at http://bit.ly/ MongoliaTour.
*Sauer was promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer of Dakota Gasification Company as of May 1. He replaces Gary Loop who is retiring.
Milestone delivery of CO2 made by Synfuels Plant
At 4:53 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2013, a milestone event occurred for the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, near Beulah, ND – the 25 millionth metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) arrived at its final destination in Saskatchewan, Canada. The CO2 is delivered via a 205-mile pipeline to two Canadian oil fields near Weyburn where it’s used for enhanced oil recovery. Daren Eliason, senior process engineer, said the CO2 travels through the pipeline at about two to three miles an hour and began its journey about three days earlier. “During a typical day the plant sends 7,000 to 8,000 metric tons to Canada,” he said. CO2 is one of nine co-products/byproducts produced at the Synfuels Plant and is the most talked about. “This is part of the largest coal-based CO2 capture project in the world,” said Dave Sauer*, Synfuels Plant manager. The Synfuels Plant began CO2 deliveries in 2000. Of the plant’s two Canadian customers, one reports that by using CO2 they’ve been able to achieve production of nearly 30,000 barrels per day, up from the anticipated 10,000 barrels per day it would have been without the CO2. The other eight co-products/byproducts produced at the Synfuels Plant include tar oil, anhydrous ammonia, ammonium sulfate, cresylic acid, phenol, krypton-xenon, liquid nitrogen and naphtha. May – June 2013
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News Briefs
(From left) Dave Fink, dragline operator; and Jerome Weiss, heavy equipment operator, load and haul; display the Freedom Mine’s milestone. Fink was the truck operator who delivered the very first ton of coal.
Milestone ton of lime produced at Frannie Lime Plant
On Feb. 13, the Frannie Lime Plant near Frannie, WY, produced the 2.5 millionth ton of lime. Dean Bray, Dakota Coal director of lignite, lime and limestone, said the plant produces more than 400 tons of lime each day. Since Basin Electric became involved with the plant in 1993, the need for lime at the power plants has grown. “About 70 to 75 percent of all lime produced in the Frannie Lime kiln is consumed at Antelope Valley Station, with another 8 percent used at Laramie River Station’s Unit 3,” Bray said. “Changing coal qualities and increasing environmental regulations on our power plants have proven the wisdom 20 years ago of building and operating the Frannie Lime kiln.” The Frannie Lime Plant converts limestone to high quality lime through a heat transfer process called calcination. The cooled lime is crushed to meet customer requirements and loaded onto railcars or trucks for delivery to
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Basin Today
Basin Electric’s coal-based energy facilities for use in stack emission scrubbers and water treatment facilities. The lime also has other regional industrial and environmental uses. Bray said a celebration is being planned for September at Frannie Lime Plant to commemorate 20 years of operation and the milestone ton of lime produced.
400 millionth ton of coal produced at the Freedom Mine
The Freedom Mine near Beulah, ND, reached 400 million tons of production March 8. The Freedom Mine is owned and operated by The Coteau Properties Company, and began producing lignite in 1983. All of the production is sold to Dakota Coal Company, a subsidiary of Basin Electric, to fuel the nearby Antelope Valley Station and Great Plains Synfuels Plant. Dakota Coal also rails two 50-car unit trains of lignite daily to the Leland Olds Station near Stanton, ND.
Integrated Resource Plan approved by board
Basin Electric’s board of directors took action to approve the cooperative’s 2012 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) at their March meeting. The plan evaluates future load growth expectations within the membership and the existing power supply portfolio of Basin Electric. The evaluation helps determine the most economic power supply additions to meet the cooperative’s future power supply obligations. Becky Kern, Basin Electric manager of utility planning, said through the IRP process, Basin Electric committed to the expansion of the Pioneer Generation Station near Williston, ND, and the Lonesome Creek Station near Watford City, ND, for a total of three units at each site. The cooperative also entered into power purchase contracts with five area utilities for the next four to five years. “With these power supply commitments and current forecasted member load levels, we have sufficient resources to meet our power supply obligations into 2019. We are continuing to evaluate member load growth and resource alternatives to meet member load levels beyond 2019,” she said.
Transmission Siting Act passes ND legislature
North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed SB 2209, the Transmission Siting Act, into law March 27. The bill allows eminent domain proceedings to begin at the same time the North Dakota Public Service Commission is evaluating a route permit. Dale Niezwaag, Basin Electric senior legislative representative, said the ability to do these two activities at the same time allows utilities to keep the transmission line siting process moving forward while preserving landowners’ existing rights and protections. “The need for electricity is growing at an unprecedented rate in western North Dakota, and we and our members are responsible for providing a majority of the electricity in that region,” Niezwaag said. Basin Electric is working on completing and energizing a 200-mile, 345-kilovolt transmission line, called the Antelope Valley Station-to-Neset Transmission Project, to help get the electricity where it’s needed. The in-service date for that line is 2016.
“Entering into eminent domain proceedings is our absolute last and least desirable option, but if all negotiations fail, this legislation will help Basin Electric continue to provide reliable electricity to a region that desperately needs it,” Niezwaag said.
Application filed for major transmission line in North Dakota
On March 15, Basin Electric filed an application with the North Dakota Public Service Commission for a major transmission line to be built in northwestern North Dakota. The proposed 200-mile Antelope Valley Station-to-Neset 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission project would be located in portions of Dunn, McKenzie, Mercer, Mountrail and Williams counties. The transmission line is needed to help meet the increasing demand for electricity in the Williston Basin region due to oil development. Transmission studies have indicated that the current system is reaching its limit, and additional lines are needed. The new 345-kV line will also improve the reliability of the existing system, making a stronger infrastructure throughout the region. Cris Miller, Basin Electric senior environmental project administrator, said the application for a Certificate of Corridor Compatibility and Route Permit initiates the commission’s review and approval process. “This review will include public hearings in the project area later this summer or fall,” he said. It is anticipated that the commission’s permitting process will be completed by the end of the year. Also, the Rural Utilities Service is preparing the final Environmental Impact Statement for the transmission line. It is anticipated that will be completed by the end of the year.
Basin Electric works to improve safety performance in 2013
Basin Electric rounded out 2012 with safety performance better than the industry average, but there’s room for improvement in 2013. Kelly Cozby, Basin Electric safety and occupational health administrator, delivered the update on the cooperative’s safety programs to directors during the February board meeting.
May – June 2013
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News Briefs
Basin Electric, with an employee base of about 2,050 people, ended 2012 with a days away, restricted or transferred (DART) incident rate of 1.06 incidents per 200,000 work hours. The industry average is 1.5. Basin Electric’s rate of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable incidents was 2.05 per 200,000 work hours. The industry average is 3.0. Cozby reported that while both rates are better than industry averages, they did increase over previous years’ safety performance. “I am concerned with the number and types of injuries we saw in 2012. Yes, we are better than industry average, but not by much,” she said. “‘Better than average’ is not a term I think of when discussing all of the hard work employees do every day to keep themselves and others safe.” She said to truly get Basin Electric to a safety culture that is a leading example for safety excellence, the cooperative has a lot of work to do in upcoming years. “It’s time to bring in a fresh strategic perspective, make some changes, and take extra steps to help us get there,” she said. In 2012, the cooperative-wide safety campaign was, “Think safe, work safe, be safe, at work and at home, 24/7.” Cozby said employees are continuing with that theme as they implement cooperativewide clearance programs, improved incident investigation processes, the DuPont™ STOP™ Program, and improvements to the Corporate Safety Committee. In 2013, Basin Electric will introduce the Zero-Incident Performance Process, or ZIP™, by Cat Safety. “The goal of the process is to instill safety as a value at every level of the
Find us on the web basinelectric.com basinmembers.com dakotagas.com
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Basin Today
cooperative. Cat Safety will help us measure our safety culture and identify specific areas on which to focus by asking employees to provide their thoughts and ideas,” she said.
Basin Electric begins Scorecard process
On April 23, Basin Electric’s Cooperative Planning department began the Balanced Scorecard strategy and performance measurement process. The Balanced Scorecard is an analytical process that will give an overall strategy map for the cooperative to help understand how each department contributes to the overall strategic objectives of the organization. Participants from divisions throughout Basin Electric are participating in the development of the scorecards. According to Shanda Traiser, Basin Electric business strategies planner, the scorecard process is rolling out in two phases. Phase 1 focuses on operational measures and Phase 2 will focus on flowing strategic initiatives through the various areas and departments. Phase 1 is under way. “We have developed small working groups to establish measures of performance critical to particular areas,” Traiser says. “This process is not static. It will be ongoing and will evolve over time.” The information shared within the working groups will aid in establishing appropriate objectives and tracking processes in each business unit. “The Balanced Scorecard recognizes the importance of items not directly related to financial measures. It’s more than a measuring system; it’s a management process,” Traiser says. “Overall, the Balanced Scorecard will be a good tool to help areas and individuals know where to focus their attention and efforts.”
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Employee Highlights
Snapshots of generosity
Basin Electric employees help their communities in many ways. Here are a couple. Basin Electric employees participated in the Sanford Health Great American Bike Race to help raise money for families of those diagnosed with cerebral palsy and similar disabilities by providing equipment and services. The Basin Power Pedalers biked 82.26 miles and raised more than $5,000. Riding in the race were Judy Hojian, senior purchasing agent; Marian Voeller, senior administrative assistant; Linda Binstock, buyer; Sonja Bosch, associate contract administrator; Russ Bosch, instrument/controls supervisor; and Angie Eggl, wife of Mike Eggl, senior vice president of Communications & Administration. Other participants were Mark Foss, general counsel; Daryl Hill, manager of media and communications relations; Mike Schwartz, senior business applications administrator; Cathy Schacher, travel coordinator; Loren Carson, pilot/aviator safety officer; Deb Salmonson, business analyst; and Tom Swanson, uncle of Jen Holen, event planner/charitable giving coordinator. Learn more at http://bit.ly/GABR2013.
n a c i r e m A G rea t ke Race Bi
Germain Krueger’s daughter, Cortney, participates in the March for Babies event, which took place at the Bismarck Civic Center April 6. Krueger, business applications developer II, and the Basin Electric Team raised $2,211, which will go toward research to prevent birth defects and fight respiratory syncytial virus. Working with Krueger on Basin Electric’s walking team were Amy Sorge, desktop applications analyst I; and Alyssa Binstock, BTInet customer service representative. Learn more at http://bit.ly/ MarchforBabies.
Ma r c h o f D
i me s May – June 2013
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Employee Highlights
Synfuels Plant employee hears those famous words … “Come on down!”
Dave Griffin, Lori Bosch, Monica Thomas and Eugene Thomas show their excitement at The Price Is Right taping at CBS Studios, Hollywood, CA, on Jan. 16.
“David Griffin, come on down!” After six hours in line and securing great seats, Dave Griffin, Great Plains Synfuels Plant senior chemist, was called to bidder’s row on The Price Is Right on Jan. 16. Lori Bosch, his girlfriend, and Monica and Eugene Thomas, her parents, were there, too. “I’m not sure if I remember hearing my name or if Lori nudged my ribs to get my attention,” Griffin says. “She said I popped out of my seat like a cork shooting out of a champagne bottle. I honestly don’t remember.” During intermission, the music blares. “During the first intermission, Babette (a lady that stood next to him in line before the taping) came racing toward me with her arms out and jumped to my waist, wrapping her legs around me and squeezing me. We are dancing in bidders row, and Lori was wondering how my lower vertebrate were going to hold up. I did go to the chiropractor, and Dr. Swanson got a good laugh out of it. “The next intermission they started playing the Gangnam Style song. The gal next to me in bidder’s row nudged me and said something like, ‘Can you dance, boy?’ I’ve seen the video once or twice so I start dancing in sync with her on bidder’s row. The crowd went crazy.” Drew Cary, the show’s host, came out after the break and asked Griffin where he was from and what he did in front of the audience. “I said Hazen, ND, and that I work at a gasification plant that makes methane,” Griffin says. 24
Basin Today
“Drew said ‘Methane?’ I said yes. Drew said to the audience, ‘Meet the Midwest’s largest meth lab producer, David Griffin!’ The crowd went crazy. I said, ‘Drew, methane not meth!’” None of that is on tape, Griffin says. During another break, Drew said hello to Bosch’s dad, Eugene Thomas, and shook his hand. “He asked where he was from and what he does. Eugene said he was from Mandan, ND, and that he was a retired dairy farmer who has watched the show for 40 years. Drew said, ‘I’ll bet you’ve got some silky hands,’ and pretended he was milking a cow. The audience laughed. It was so cool for Drew to come over and acknowledge Lori’s dad,” Griffin says. “He really enjoyed that!” Griffin was the last person to get called to bidder’s row. He was the first person to bid on a pair of designer his/her sunglasses. Griffin says his original thought was $600. Griffin’s girlfriend, Lori Bosch, says she was flashing $600 as well. Griffin says he thought he saw a bunch of people near Bosch and her parents flashing $800 so he said $800. The last bidder bid $1 and won it. The correct price was $610. The bidder went on to win her game which was a trip to Jamaica, and she went on to win the showcase as well. “I hope the nightmares of not bidding $600 go away soon,” Griffin says with a laugh. By being on bidder’s row, Griffin automatically won $300. The episode ran on March 15.
Intern receives international award
Kodi Dixon (second from left) and his team placed as the top United States team and third overall in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Student Design Competition.
Kodi Dixon, an engineering intern at Dry Fork Station, achieved high honors in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Student Design Competition in Houston, TX. He is a senior at the University of Wyoming. Dixon and a team of three other University of Wyoming engineering students were awarded as the top United States team and placed third overall in the competition. The first place award in the “Energy Relay” went to Institut Superieur de L’Aeronautique et de l’Espac, an engineering school in Toulouse, France. The Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, took second in the competition. The group created four small vehicles each powered by a different fuel source to run in a line down a track in the least amount of time possible. Each design required a unique, on-board energy source and it needed to trigger the motion on the following device. There was a rigid set of guidelines the designs had to meet. Dixon says that his internship at Dry Fork Station helped him prepare for the competition. “We are constantly juggling a dozen projects at a time and are working with a team of contractors and Basin Electric employees at work. Through that experience as an intern, I have learned a lot about project management and teamwork skills,” Dixon says. “The internship helped me balance the competition and my studies as a full-time mechanical engineering student, and it also made me more proficient when working with University of Wyoming faculty and my teammates for the competition.” Dixon has two semesters remaining at the University of Wyoming. He plans to intern again at Dry Fork Station this summer.
Petera named University of Wyoming’s Outstanding Alumnus Engineer
Michael Petera, Laramie River Station electrical engineer III, was selected by Tau Beta Pi, University of Wyoming’s engineering honor society, as the Outstanding A lumnus Engineer for 2013. Petera holds three patents in liquid crystal display technology and one pending patent in speech recognition software applications for nursing informatics. In 1997, Petera was named the Arizona Innovator of the Year for his technical contribution to liquid crystal display technology. From 1998 through 2002, Petera was the vice president of engineering at Three-Five Systems, an Arizona-based manufacturer of cellular phone displays. He created and managed cross-functional teams of more than 100 engineers and technicians. Petera was also a charter member of the Wyoming Business Council, appointed by Gov. Jim Geringer, serving as a general member between 1998 and 2002, and as vice chairman from 2002 through 2003.
New Employees Jeff Simpson started his position as call taker at Headquarters March 10. Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Simpson previously worked for Clear Channel KFYR Radio in Bismarck, ND, as a news and public affairs director. Jolene Hoffman started working as a quality assurance coordinator at Headquarters April 8. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for Advanced Nursing Solutions as president in Bismarck. Hoffman also previously worked as the quality assurance director, corporate compliance and risk manager, certified nursing assistant instructor, and communications and customer inservice instructor for Heart of America Medical Center in Rugby, ND. She served eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve.
May – June 2013
25
Employee Highlights
New Employees Tyler Schmidt, laborer, began work at Leland Olds
Mark Eastman started his position as a laborer at
Station April 8. Originally from Mandan, ND, he
Laramie River Station Feb. 25. Originally from
previously worked for Blue Flint Ethanol in Under-
Elkhart, IN, Eastman previously worked for Clean
wood, ND, as a plant operator. He has an associate
Harbors in Kimball, NE, as a shift supervisor.
degree in power plant operations.
Kathryn Harvey, safety representative, began work
Darcy Garhart began working at Laramie River
at Laramie River Station Feb. 25. The Cheyenne, WY,
Station as a laborer Feb. 25. The Fort Laramie, WY,
native previously worked for Carpet One Commercial
native previously worked for BNSF Railway as a
Flooring as a project manager in Cheyenne. She has
locomotive foreman in Guernsey, WY. He has a
a bachelor’s degree from South Dakota School of
bachelor’s degree in business management from
Mines and Technology, Rapid City.
Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, OK.
Marjorie Hoon started her position as administrative
Justin Martin began working at the Synfuels Plant
assistant II at Headquarters Feb. 18. The Selfridge,
Feb. 25 as an electrical and instrumentation mainte-
ND, native previously worked for Bobcat Company
nance field technician. He is a Bismarck, ND, native
as a laser operator and Medcenter One Hospital (now
and previously worked for Skeels Electric. Martin has
Sanford Health) as a certified nursing assistant, both
an associate degree from Bismarck State College in
in Bismarck, ND. She also has an associate degree in
electronic technology.
power plant technology. Keith Gibbs, laborer, began work at Laramie River Jess Arnold, laborer, began work at Laramie River
Station Feb. 25. Originally from Lingle, WY, Gibbs
Station Feb 25. Originally from Cheyenne, WY, Arnold
previously worked for BNSF Railway as a conductor
previously worked for Cloud Peak Energy - Antelope
between Guernsey and Cheyenne, WY.
Mine as a welder/mechanic IV. Arnold has an associate degree in welding and joining technology from Eastern Wyoming College, Torrington.
Michael Bornemann started his position as a laborer at Leland Olds Station Feb. 25. The Hazen, ND,
Coltyn Anderson began working at the Synfuels
native previously worked for Clean Coal Solutions as
Plant Feb. 25 as an electrical and instrumentation
an operator in Center, ND. He has an associate degree
maintenance field technician. Originally from
in power plant technology.
Beulah, ND, Anderson received an associate degree
from Bismarck (ND) State College in instrumentation
Darrel Kempel began working as an operator/
and controls. He previously worked for Alliance
technician at Pioneer Generation Station March 11.
Pipeline in Valley City, ND.
The Lisbon, ND, native previously worked for URS Corporation as an electrical technician in Peoria, IL.
Dain Sullivan, staff writer, began work at Head-
He has an associate deg ree in electrica l
quarters April 1. The Oakes, ND, native previously
power technology.
worked for Forum Communications Company as editor/general manager in Wadena, MN. He also
Amanda Huntimer began work as a laborer at
worked as a reporter at The Dickinson (ND) Press,
Leland Olds Station Feb. 25. The Beulah, ND, native
Detroit Lakes (MN) newspapers, The Forum of Fargo
previously worked for St. Joseph Church as a director
(ND)-Moorhead (MN), and the Valley City (ND) Times-
of education in Beulah. She has an associate degree
Record, and as a web producer for Valley News Live
in power plant technology from Bismarck (ND)
in Fargo.
State College.
26
Basin Today
Jasen Reiser began work as an electrical and
Dennis Larson, coalman A, started his position at
instrumentation maintenance field technician at the
Leland Olds Station Feb. 25. The Bismarck, ND, native
Synfuels Plant Feb. 25. He is originally from Turtle
previously worked for Butler Machinery in Bismarck
Lake, ND, and has a journeyman electrician’s license
as a lube technician. Larson has an associate degree
from the North Dakota State Electrical Board.
in process plant technology. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army and served in Germany, Kosovo and
Curt Bachmeier, laborer, began work at Leland
the United States.
Olds Station Feb. 25. Originally from Raleigh, ND, Bachmeier previously worked for Dakota Gasification
Shanda Traiser began work as a business strategies
Company in maintenance in Beulah, ND. He has an
planner at Headquarters March 11. Originally from
associate degree in mechanical maintenance.
Woodworth, ND, Traiser previously worked for the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND, as dean of the
Randy Bittner started his position as a laborer at
Gary Tharaldson School of Business. She has a Ph.D.
Leland Olds Station Feb. 25. The Center, ND, native
from North Dakota State University, Fargo, and a
previously worked for Center-Stanton School as a
master’s degree in business administration from
janitor. He was also an Oliver County Ambulance
Minnesota State University Moorhead. She is a
emergency medical technician, and is an Oliver County
certified management accountant.
volunteer firefighter. He has an associate
degree in power plant technology from Bismarck
Melody Morrison, accounting analyst II, began
(ND) State College.
work at Headquarters March 11. The Hannaford, ND, native previously worked for Montana-Dakota Utilities
Matthew Jameson, help desk coordinator I, began
Company/MDU Resources Group in Bismarck, ND.
work at Headquarters Feb. 10. The Minot, ND, native
She is a graduate of Jamestown (ND) College.
previously worked for the U.S. Department of Defense as a security officer in Grand Forks, ND. He served in
the North Dakota Army National Guard as a combat
Kayla Konschak began working as an accountant
engineer through 2010, serving a year in Iraq as a
at Headquarters March 11. The Linton, ND, native
trailblazer seeking roadside bombs.
previously worked at Capital Credit Union in Bismarck, ND, as an accountant. Konschak has bachelor’s
Robert Benz began working as a laborer at Leland
degrees in accounting and business administration
Olds Station Feb. 25. Originally from Mandan, ND,
from the University of Mary in Bismarck.
Benz previously worked for Mandan Public Schools as head custodian. He has an associate degree in
Courtney Bosch started her position as a service
mechanical maintenance technology.
dispatcher at Headquarters March 25. The Beulah/ Hazen, ND, native previously worked for Hobby Lobby
Matthew Flink, laborer, began work at Leland Olds
and St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, ND.
Station Feb. 25. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for South Central Regional Water District as
a plant operator in Bismarck. Flink has a bachelor’s
Alexis Hellman, service dispatcher, began work
degree in zoology from North Dakota State University,
at Headquarters March 25. The Bismarck, ND, native
Fargo, and an associate degree in process plant
is currently working part-time at Pride Inc. as a direct
technology from Bismarck State College.
support professional in Bismarck. She is earning an associate degree in social work from Bismarck State College.
May – June 2013
27
Employee Highlights
Service Awards Nichole Braunberger began work as a financial services analyst I at Headquarters March 25. Originally from Mandan, ND, Braunberger previously worked for Capital Credit Union as an accountant in Bismarck, ND. She has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Dickinson (ND) State University.
Mike Risan
Karen Crawford
Marvin Richter
Kelcee Wright started her position as a financial
senior vice president of Transmission
supervisor of financial operations
maintenance planner/scheduler
services accountant at Headquarters April 8. The
35 years
35 years
35 years
Headquarters
Headquarters
Leland Olds Station
Michael Mastel
Pedar Bjerkness
Nancy Scheid
mechanic
yard operator
electrician I
Watford City, ND, native previously worked for Eide Bailly LLP as an audit associate in Fargo, ND. Wright has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from University of North Dakota, Grand Forks. She is licensed as a
certified public accountant. Maureen Payne, communication technician apprentice, began work at Transmission System
30 years
30 years
30 years
Leland Olds Station
Antelope Valley Station
Antelope Valley Station
services analyst I at Headquarters April 8. The
Joseph Barland
Bruce Banks
Dean Emter
Minot, ND, native previously worked for Starion
mechanical designer
field technician
field technician
Maintenance – Williston (ND) April 8. Originally from Placerville, CA, Payne previously worked for Nextel/ Sprint as an equipment engineer in Rancho Cordova, CA. She has served in the U.S. Air Force. Tiffany Zablotney began working as a financial
Financial as a credit specialist in Bismarck, ND. She
30 years
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
ment technician in Cheyenne, WY. He has an associate
Rocky Hagel
Marty Heller
Jeffery Klein
degree in instrumentation and process control.
field technician
control systems specialist
field technician
has a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in accounting. Craig James started working as an instrument II at Laramie River Station April 4. Originally from Alaska, James worked for Holly Frontier as an instru30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Monique Thomas-Parker started her position as a scheduler at Headquarters April 8. The Atlanta, GA, native previously worked for U.S. Gas & Electric as a senior scheduler in Miami Beach, FL. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Timothy Leidholm
Randy Martens
Michael McKinzie
field technician
shift supervisor utilities
shift supervisor chemical production
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
28
Basin Today
Mark Schaper
DeVane Webster
Lyle Yeager
Dan Anderson
Darnell Bohrer
Daniel Getz
field technician
electrical and instrumentation engineering supervisor
field technician
field technician
field technician
field technician
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
30 years
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Kim Kessler
Jerome Kramer
Rodney Sargent
Larry Wetzel
Curtis Wiedrich
Gary Anderson
field technician
maintenance planning supervisor
field technician
field technician
shift supervisor chemical production
field technician
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Lorry Barnick
Keith DeYoung
Steven Krueger
Duane Otto
Douglas Peterson
Todd Schock
field technician
shift supervisor gas production
shift supervisor utilities
field technician
mechanical engineer
section manager utilities
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
30 years
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Robert Keniston
James Privratsky
Troy Sandberg
Troy Bauer
Randy Biffert
Wayne Breimeier
field technician
protection services specialist
field technician
field technician
superintendent of field maintenance
field technician
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Douglas Delvo
Eugene Freidt
Wayne Hipp
Scott Johnson
Wilmer Kittler
Terry Landenberger
field technician
field technician
field technician
area planner
area planner
field technician
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
May – June 2013
29
Employee Highlights
Service Awards
Joan Gad
Pat Meidinger
Tom Schwab
Warren Herman
Terry Myers
Mohler Beko
purchasing agent
supervisor accounts payable
mechanic
coordinator of emergency response, fire and security
protection services specialist
field technician
30 years
Headquarters
30 years
30 years
Leland Olds Station
Headquarters
25 years
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Rick Dschaak
Ronnie Eagle
Jeb Fredericks
Bruce Mattheis
Bruce Goodnight
Craig Muilenburg
field technician
shift supervisor gas production
field technician
field technician
electrician I
construction coordinator II
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
25 years
25 years
25 years
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Laramie River Station
Wes Klein
Charles Fettig
Robert Macklin
Brian Wallender
scrubber operator
shift supervisor chemical production
field technician
field technician
30 years
Antelope Valley Station
30 years
30 years
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Lisa Herman
Timothy Gallaher
Jim Garrett
Wade Entze
Connie Boe
storekeeper
shift supervisor chemical production
shift supervisor gas production
field technician
field technician
20 years
Transmission System Maintenance – Wheatland, WY
30
Basin Today
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
20 years
Pioneer Generation Station
Retirees
Duane Heuchert retired from the Great Plains Synfuels Plant March 13 after 23 years of service. Heuchert began working at the Synfuels Plant in 1990 in protection services as a protection services specialist. Heuchert says he has too many memories to be specific. “There have been many great experiences and adventures.” Heuchert plans to spend a lot of time with the grandkids, work with Farm Rescue, and spend time motorcycle tripping around the United States. Peggy Gegelman, cost/planning analyst, retired from Antelope Valley Station March 15 after 33 years of service. Gegleman was hired in 1979 as an account technician II. She worked her way to accountant I, accountant II, accountant III, accountant, associate accountant, intermediate accountant, accountant-liabilities, and finally, cost/planning analyst. John Jacobs, Antelope Valley Station plant manager, says he cannot think of a time Gegleman was downbeat in their 33 years of work together. “She brought the workplace to life with her great sense of humor and ability to make you laugh. If you ever needed anything from her she would get it to you right away and it was always done flawlessly,” Jacobs says. In retirement she plans to travel to Texas a few times a year to visit her children and grandsons. Grieg Schroeder, shift supervisor, retired March 8 after 28 years of service at Laramie River Station. Schroeder started as a laborer in 1985. He moved to utility operator, boiler attendant, auxiliary equipment operator, assistant plant operator, plant operator, control room operator, and finally, shift supervisor. Keith Hepker, Laramie River Station scrubber supervisor, says Schroeder can be a penny pincher. “If something was going to cost him a dollar he would shop around and try to find it cheaper. If it was the lowest price he could find, he would evaluate if he actually needed it. If he needed it, he would buy it reluctantly,” Hepker says.
Hepker says it was understood that if you rode in Schroeder’s vehicle you did not eat, drink or sleep. “It was clear that his car was for getting you from A to point B. It was not a lunch counter or a bed,” Hepker says. Schroeder says in retirement he would like to do some traveling. Clayton Schaible, senior business analyst, retired from Headquarters March 1 after 33 years of service. Dave Bangen, manager of financial planning and forecasting, says Schaible was the type of employee everyone wants on their team. “He worked hard in his position and was respected within the cooperative. Because of his long tenure at Basin Electric, Clayton had been a part of many projects and task forces over the years and as a result he had developed a broad knowledge base of Basin Electric. He knew our people and he knew our history and for that reason, it is hard to lose employees like Clayton. I could assign him to any task and know that he would be effective and the results trustworthy,” Bangen says. Bangen says he will miss Schaible’s ability to always find the lighter side in his work experiences at Basin Electric. “He could lighten most situations and make the work day a little brighter.” Joel Hughes retired March 22 from the Great Plains Synfuels Plant after more than 30 years of service. Hughes began working in the process operations department as a shift supervisor in 1982 and was a process operations shift supervisor when he retired. Hughes and his wife, Connie, plan to stay in the area and do some traveling. Dwight Smith, lead mechanic, retired from Laramie River Station April 5 after 30 years of service. He was hired in 1982 as a mechanic/ welder and was promoted to mechanic-lead in 2010. Smith says in retirement he plans to continue his classic car restoration hobby, and travel, especially to see his granddaughter. May – June 2013
31
Employee Highlights
Diane Paul, vice president of Human Resources, retired from Headquarters May 1, after 33 years of service. Paul began working at Basin Electric in 1979 as an account technician I. She became director of Human Resources in 2011, acting vice president of Human Resources in October 2012 and vice president of Human Resources in November 2012. Basin Electric CEO and General Manager Andrew M. Serri says Paul was willing to step into the position of vice president of Human Resources when it suddenly opened in late 2012, even though she had plans to retire at the end of 2012. “A true trooper, she stepped up to the plate and has done an absolutely wonderful job for us,” Serri says. “Just always caring, always giving, and open to different ideas. She’s always been open-minded and open to trying different things. She’s very well-respected; she has my respect and the board’s as well. She’s done great work and is a great gal, both personally and professionally.” Deb Haga, Basin Electric’s director of Human Resources, worked with Paul for more than 20 years. “Diane and I have enjoyed a great working relationship all through the years as we discussed and dealt with various human resource issues and concerns,” Haga says. “Diane has always been the ultimate professional who is very concerned about our employees and dedicated to Basin Electric’s success. It’s been an honor for me to work with Diane, and I would like to wish her a well-deserved and happy retirement.” Paul Sukut, Basin Electric chief financial officer, says, “Diane has been a consummate professional during her many years of service to Basin Electric. She has grown and evolved personally and professionally. To complete her career as the vice president of Human Resources is a testament to her abilities, competence and diligence. I’m going to miss seeing her face at Basin Electric, but she has earned this retirement and all the good times to come.” Paul and her husband, Mike, Basin Electric’s vice president of Engineering and Construction, purchased a home in Fountain Hills, AZ. They plan to split their time between Arizona and North Dakota, with some of their time in the latter spent at Lake Sakakawea and on their
32
Basin Today
classic car hobby. Their first order of business: restoring their 1934 Ford. “Basin Electric has provided me with a remarkable career and lasting friendships. The accomplishments my generation have made to this cooperative are significant, and our cooperative stands second to none,” Paul says. Jane Olind, human resources coordinator/ benefits representative, retired from Laramie River Station Feb. 11 after 25 years of service. Olind was hired as administrative secretary II in 1987. Her title was changed to benefits assistant, plant human resources assistant, and finally to human resources coordinator/ benefit representative. Diane Paul, vice president of human resources, says Olind is a dependable, caring and considerate person. “Jane was loyal to Basin Electric and Laramie River Station, and was an advocate for Laramie River Station employees. She was compassionate about her work in human resources, always working in an ethical and professional manner,” Paul says. “Jane’s accomplishments at Basin Electric were many, and I wish her well in her retirement.” Olind says in retirement she plans to travel, garden, catch up on projects around the house and continue participating in current community area boards, and supporting the University of Wyoming Cowboy athletic teams. Judy Whelchel, engineering assistant, retired from Laramie River Station April 8 after 31 years of service. Whelchel was hired as an accountant I in 1981. She worked her way from there to accountant II, accountant III, accountant, associate accountant, and finally to engineering assistant. John Ciz, Laramie River Station plant engineer, says Whelchel was a great employee and person to be around. “Judy’s personality, character, dependability, thoroughness, sense of humor, and impeccable accuracy will all be things I will greatly miss,” Ciz says. Whelchel says she wants to thank everyone for their support throughout several rough spots, both personal and medical.
Marcia Heidt, senior business application developer, retired April 10 after 29 years of service at Headquarters. Heidt was hired as a programmer I in 1983. Her title was changed to programmer/analyst, senior programmer/analyst, systems analyst, business applications developer III, and finally to senior business applications developer. Ann Schreiber, application integration architect, says Heidt always knew what was going on, whether it was in the office or in the community. “She had a knack for knowing when an event was going to occur or when it happened,” Schreiber says. “In the earlier years of my time here at Basin, the group held some fun and interesting Christmas parties. Marcia was on many of the organizing committees for those parties and most employees that were around at that time would agree that Marcia was the documenter of those events or keeper of the stories.” Gail Keator, business systems analyst, says she formed a friendship with Heidt through their years working together. “She is easygoing, dedicated and accurate. She always wanted what was best for the project. It was easy to bounce ideas off her, because she was very knowledgeable and honest about many things. She worked at Basin for years and on many projects, so she had vast experience in many areas,” Keator says. Scott Flach, infrastructure manager, says Heidt liked things organized and structured. “Marcia worked on a lot of different applications and technology platforms during her tenure at Basin. Because of this I often thought of her as my utility infielder and used her to help out on a lot of different projects. She was always willing to backfill for others,” Flach says. Mike Fluharty, vice president of Plant Operations, retired from Headquarters April 5 after 34 years of service. Fluharty started working for Basin Electric in 1979 as an instrument and control journeyman at Laramie River Station. He eventually became plant manager in 2008 and vice president of Plant Operations at Basin Electric Headquarters in 2009.
As vice president of Plant Operations he was responsible for the supervision of the operation and maintenance of Basin Electric’s owned generating facilities and ensured compliance with environmental and safety policies and procedures. Basin Electric CEO and General Manager Andrew M. Serri appreciated Fluharty’s openness and “colorful commentary.” “He’s a very personable guy, and very well-respected within the organization,” Serri says. “He was a valuable resource as far as giving me some recent history and some background. Mike was always a good information source – always on top of things. And he always focused on safety. He had a passion for a safe work environment and kept the employees in mind. He’s just a good guy.” “The things I really appreciate about Mike is he has a lot of common sense and he’s direct and to the point. You never had to guess what he wanted out of you after you talked to him. You always knew,” says Kevin Tschosik, manager of distributed generation. “I think he was a great leader for our department. He’s always been somebody where if I needed some advice or needed somebody to bounce something off of, he would always listen to what I had to say and provide some positive feedback of some sort.” Before Basin Electric, Fluharty worked as an instrument and control technician apprentice for Montana Power Company in Colstrip, MT. He was interviewed for the position by Clyde Bush and Robert Holzwarth, who both also eventually went to work at Basin Electric. Fluharty says one of the more memorable moments in his career included a fire in Laramie River’s Unit 2 boiler in the 1990s. It was expected to take at least a month to get the boiler back in operation, though Fluharty used his knowledge of the plant to get it up and running in four days. Fluharty also spoke of his eye-opening promotion to vice president of Plant Operations. “I was at Laramie River Station for 30 years, and that’s what I knew about Basin Electric. It was quite a horizon-expanding experience. “I think Basin’s going to have some growing pains. We are a growing company and that always comes with a little bit of pain,” Fluharty says. “But it’s been just a great company to work for. A lot of good memories came out of this place.” In his retirement, Fluharty plans to continue woodworking at his home north of Mandan, ride his motorcycle, fish and travel. Editor’s note: Expanded retirement stories were written only for those who returned their questionnaire to Basin Today staff. May – June 2013
33
1717 EAST INTERSTATE AVENUE BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA 58503-0564 701-223-0441
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID BISMARCK, ND PERMIT 224
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
“It’s just what we do. Delivering peace of mind and reliable power to our consumers is what drives us.” When a deadly tornado ripped through South Dakota in 2010, its path of destruction included a three-mile stretch of the transmission line that carries electricity from our Antelope Valley Station, near Beulah, ND, to a substation near, Huron, SD. The structure was no match for the 166-200 mph wind. But accepting defeat was not an option. “I have to take my hat off to the crews and supervisors for safely restoring the line in record time,” says Bryan Keller, Basin Electric TSM manager. Cooperative employees have continually stepped up whenever help is needed. Putting our members’ dollars to responsible use is a must.
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we are working for you.
Bryan Keller