B A S I N T O D AY BASIN EL EC T RIC P OW ER COOPER AT I V E
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M AG A ZINE
MEMBER’S PHOTOGRAPHY REVEALS COSMIC JA NUA RY | FEBRUA RY 2015
BRILLIANCE
Dakota Gasification Company’s aerial boom fire truck proved to be a valuable community asset during a fire at the Coyote Station power plant south of Beulah, ND, in December.
At Dillman’s request, Dakota Gas employees Del Hitchcock and Jesse Hruby brought the aerial truck about seven miles from Dakota Gas’ Great Plains Synfuels Plant to Coyote Station to assist with the fire.
Coyote Station is owned by Otter Tail Power Company, Montana-Dakota Utilities, Northern Municipal Power Agency and Northwestern Energy.
“The ladder truck definitely saved time in firefighting by allowing us to put a large volume of water to where it was needed,” Dillman said. “Fire crews would’ve been working much later in the evening to get the fire completely extinguished without the use of the aerial truck. This truck is not only an asset to the company, but an asset to the community, as well.”
Beulah, Hazen and Zap volunteer fire departments responded to the fire. Dakota Gas employee Brian Dillman was one of the many responders. “The initial fire was extinguished by early morning; however, fire extension through the walls and the roof of the turbine deck were difficult to attack because the steel roof trusses were compromised from the extreme heat of the oil fire,” Dillman said. No one was hurt in the fire.
(From left) Jared Gregor, Delton Hitchcock and Terry Myers stand with the aerial boom truck in June 2013.
Dale Johnson, plant manager, said, “I am impressed with the professionalism our Dakota Gas employees displayed in their roles as part of the volunteer fire departments, and the willingness of the employees at the plant to deploy our aerial truck to help our neighbors.”
CONTENTS V O L U M E 18
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NUMBER 1
ON THE COVER West Central Electric Cooperative member Randy Halverson captures nature’s ever-changing beauty through time-lapse photography. Halverson’s cover photo is of the Milky Way over Buffalo Gap National Grasslands in South Dakota. Check out his story on pg. 6. IN EVERY ISSUE 2 CEO and general manager column: Paul Sukut 4 In brief 6 Member focus: Speeding up time frame by frame 8 Feature series: A day in the life of ... Matt Weeks 17 Employee highlights FEATURE STORIES 10 Small generation looming large 14 But first, let me check my meter CONTRIBUTORS Editor: Andrea Blowers (ablowers@bepc.com) Publications manager: Mary Miller Graphic designer:
Nicole Perreault
P hotographers:
Steve Crane Chelsy Ciavarella
riters: W
Tracie Bettenhausen, Tammy Langerud, Chris Gessele, Dain Sullivan, Lindsey DeKrey & Joan Dietz
Use your smartphone barcode scanner to view stories online.
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 1
CEO A ND G E NE R A L M A N AG E R C OL UMN
PAUL SUKUT 2015, WE’RE READY FOR YOU There’s no doubt 2014 ushered in many changes, developments and projects − all at a breakneck pace. And, there’s no doubt Basin Electric is facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. We’re growing. Fast. And we’re changing too. In fact, 2014 brought the decision to join a regional transmission organization. It brought in a change of leadership. It brought in new employees, who are being mentored by our ever valuable longterm employees. It brought the bold decision by the board of directors to construct a urea facility at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant. It brought plans for the future. It brought more peaking generation in the Williston Basin. It brought the advancement and start of a new transmission project, the Antelope Valley Station-to-Neset 345-kilovolt (kV) line. And, it brought a renewed effort to align our strategic planning efforts. Welcome, 2015. If you’re anything like your predecessor, we’d all better buckle our seatbelts and get ready for the ride. We must remember we’re in the driver’s seat, though. And, much like the rules for the road, we’re steering clear of obstacles, mindful of the speed limit and are prepared as best we can for unforeseen circumstances. By now you should know I learned much of what I needed to succeed in life by growing up on a farm. My dad taught me many things, but the two guiding principles are: 1) If you’re not busy, you’re not working
hard enough. Nothing is worth it if you don’t work for it. 2) If you don’t figure out a way to work with and support the people around you, they’ll figure out a way to work together, and you’ll probably be left in the dust. We certainly have our work ahead. The road to integration within the Southwest Power Pool is long, bumpy and a little uncomfortable at times. Fortunately, we’ve got a group of folks with the intelligence, patience and cooperative spirit who are getting this done. The Bakken development − and all the unknowns that surround it − is daunting. But, we have a membership committed to the simple notion that we are obligated to serve. And, serve we will. Our employees are continually conducting load forecasts and have proposed a viable short-term, mid-term and long-term solution to help our members meet their obligations. Our coal-based power plants continue to work through impending Environmental Protection Agency regulations, and in the meantime, operate efficiently, safely and continually break operating records. Our employees take pride in their work, and I hope they realize that every day when they say goodbye to their families and come to work, they’re delivering not just electricity to Americans; they’re delivering a lifeline. The Great Plains Synfuels Plant will see the construction of a urea processing facility in the next couple years. Behind the scenes are the engineers, forecasters, marketers and financial analysts who continually evaluate the project’s next steps, while our financial team raises the capital to get this done.
Fortunately, our bond rating agencies recently affirmed our strong ratings, which helps make projects like this possible. The complexities of the Synfuels Plant continue to amaze me. We have taken great strides to assure that the plant continues to be an asset to the membership. We’ve added more coproducts, and with the urea facility, we’re taking the ammonia that is already produced and converting it to another fertilizer. Because of the unique nature of the plant, we experience unique challenges. Some days are easy. Some days are not. But, we should never lose sight of what we have and continue to accomplish with this great facility on the prairie. The Synfuels Plant will soon celebrate the 30 millionth ton of carbon dioxide captured at the plant. We are still the world’s largest carbon capture storage project. We have garnered the attention of the likes of CNN, BBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal and countless international media outlets. Yes, we have a great story to tell. And yes, we’re going to have a busy year. But, as the saying goes, if we’re not busy, we’re not working hard enough. Let’s get this done. Together.
Paul Sukut, CEO and general manager
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 3
IN B RIE F
SA FE T Y MIL ES T ONES
2.5
LELAND OLDS STATION
NOV. 3, 2014
MILLION
WORK-HOURS WITHOUT A DART* INCIDENT
5
WYOMING LIME PRODUCERS*** SEPT. 8, 2014
YEARS
WITHOUT A LOST-TIME ACCIDENT
YEARS
WITHOUT A LOST-TIME ACCIDENT
11
MONTANA LIMESTONE COMPANY** DEC. 16, 2014 FINE GRIND
YEARS
WITHOUT A LOST-TIME ACCIDENT
*DART = days away, restricted or transferred **Montana Limestone is a subsidiary of Dakota Coal Company ***Wyoming Lime is a division of Dakota Coal Company
****All of Freedom Mine’s production is sold to Dakota Coal Company to provide fuel for Basin Electric’s facilities in North Dakota.
Individuals honored with Cornerstone and Cooperative Spirit awards
Basin Electric signs contracts for wind generation
Three individuals with strong cooperative records were honored at Basin Electric’s 2014 annual meeting banquet the evening of Nov. 5 at the Bismarck Civic Center, Bismarck, ND. Wayne Child, Cheyenne, WY, received the highest award Basin Electric bestows, the Cornerstone Award. The Cornerstone Award is given to acknowledge individuals for their tremendous work in support of electric cooperatives and rural America. Daryl Hill, Bismarck, ND, and Clifton “Buzz” Hudgins, Bismarck, each received the Cooperative Spirit Award. This award is given for significant service to Basin Electric and its membership and typically focuses on the recipient’s years of excellent performance, commitment and service to Basin Electric and its member systems.
In December, Basin Electric signed power purchase agreements associated with the development of two new wind projects in North Dakota. The combined capacity is 300 megawatts (MW). The developers are a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC Juno Beach, FL, and Tradewind Energy, Lenexa, KS. NextEra Energy Resources will be developing the Dickinson Wind Energy Center, a 150-MW wind farm near Richardton, ND, and Tradewind will be developing the Lindahl Wind Project, a 150-MW wind farm near Tioga, ND. These new wind resources will increase the renewable portion of Basin Electric’s generating portfolio, which includes waste heat, to more than 1,400 MW when combined with additional wind generation commitments made in 2013.
http://bit.ly/BEAwards 4 | BASIN TODAY
5
MONTANA LIMESTONE COMPANY** AUG. 25, 2014 QUARRY
http://bit.ly/WindContracts
Basin Electric 2014 campaign COTEAU PROPERTIES COMPANY NOV. 4, 2014 FREEDOM MINE****
1 YEAR
WITHOUT A LOST-TIME ACCIDENT
THANK YOU
FOR STAYING
SAFE!
$250,000
$232,000 total
$200,000
Basin Electric 100% match and fundraisers at co-op facilities
$150,000 $100,000
Basin Electric employees $107,000 pledges
$50,000 0
http://bit.ly/2014UWGoal
FIND US ON THE WEB BasinElectric.com
FERC approves Integrated System joining SPP The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) substantively approved the Integrated System (IS) joining Southwest Power Pool (SPP) in November. The Western Area Power Administration – Upper Great Plains (Western), Basin Electric Power Cooperative, and Heartland Consumers Power District comprise the IS. The three entities have been discussing since 2011 the possibility of joining a regional transmission organization (RTO) to increase options for buying and selling power. Following assessments and research, each of the IS members determined SPP was the best option to maximize the opportunity. In July, Basin Electric’s and Heartland’s boards authorized the move toward joining SPP. The SPP Board of Directors approved proposed tariff changes in June. FERC’s order accepted most of SPP’s proposed revisions to the RTO tariff, bylaws and membership agreement, with an Oct. 1, 2015 effective date for tariff changes.
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JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 5
M E M B E R F OCUS
SPEEDING UP TIME FRAME BY FRAME By Tammy Langerud
As a farmer, Randy Halverson of Kennebec, SD, always has an eye on the sky in the summer. Not necessarily for fear of potential havoc Mother Nature could wreak on his crops of corn, wheat and milo. But, more out of a desire to capture that next great shot. When Halverson isn’t working in his fields, he’s capturing nature’s beauty through time-lapse photography. Time-lapse photography is a technique that captures multiple photos of a slow-changing object or event taken from the same vantage point over an extended period of time. The photos are compiled into video format. When the sequence is replayed at normal speed, time appears to move faster. So a sunset that takes two hours can be viewed in a matter of seconds. “It’s almost like animation,” Halverson says. “It’s just one consecutive frame after another. Essentially, time-lapse works the same way as a video camera, except it’s a long exposure.”
Ideal time, season and conditions
A thunderstorm over a farm in central South Dakota. Photo credit: Randy Halverson 6 | BASIN TODAY
Time-lapse photography can be done anytime, day or night. A night shoot can last three to four hours and results in about 350 shots to make one time-lapse video. For daytime shoots, it’s easy to get 500 to 1,000 shots in one-and-a-half hours. While Halverson has captured some “cool sunsets” during daytime shoots, he prefers nighttime sessions best. “It’s a lot easier to take daytime shots. Plus the hours of shooting a sunset are better,” Halverson
Mid-October Aurora, green airglow and satellites made a beautiful backdrop for an abandoned farmhouse in central South Dakota. Photo credit: Randy Halverson
says. “But the more spectacular shots are at night with meteors, the Milky Way, the Northern Lights and Aurora.” Halverson starts a nighttime shoot about 90 minutes after a sunset. In June, that means he turns into a shutterbug around 11 p.m., whereas in August, that can be as early at 9 p.m. Nighttime shots require longer exposure time. Each image, especially of a Milky Way shot, is about a 30-second exposure. The key, notes Halverson, is being in a remote location. “The more remote you are, the better, at least in the direction you’re shooting,” he says. “You have to be at least 60 miles away from the nearest city lights to get really good dark skies.” Even though Halverson’s photography is best captured at night and without light, he appreciates his local co-op, West Central Electric Cooperative in Murdo, SD. “I’ve had good luck with electricity from them,” Halverson says. “I haven’t had many issues with outages, and if there’s something wrong, they get it fixed right away.” West Central Electric is a Basin Electric Class C member. Some of Halverson’s favorite scenic U.S. locations include the South Dakota Badlands and his home near Kennebec as well as Utah’s Canyonlands and the Red Desert area in southwest Wyoming. The prime seasons for shooting time-lapse photography coincide with Halverson’s busy farm schedule. Ideal conditions for both are from spring to fall. Halverson’s time-lapse photography comes to a standstill in the winter because the stars just aren’t
as good in the winter as compared to May through September, according to Halverson.
Worldwide appeal Not many photographers can say their work has been featured in a TV commercial for a top brand like Toyota. Or, in three Japanese TV shows. “The Japanese are probably my best clients,” Halverson says. “They’re fascinated with space stuff. They saw my work on the Internet and contacted me.” Halverson was hired to shoot time-lapse photography for a Toyota commercial that aired only in Japan. Two separate Japanese television production companies hired him for TV shows. In 2011, the Japanese production The more speccrew came to South Dakota and tacular shots are at night Wisconsin, where Halverson shot with meteors, the Milky in both locations. Way, the Northern Lights A second job for a Japanese and Aurora. TV show brought him to a desert Randy Halverson area north of Perth, Australia, a few years ago. And earlier this year, Halverson traveled to Bolivia for another Japanese TV show. “I saw the show,” Halverson says. “But, it was in Japanese, so I don’t even know what they said.” Time-lapse videos and stills of Halverson’s work can be found: facebook.com/dakotalapse
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JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 7
F E AT URE SE RIES
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF … SENIOR LAND SURVEYOR
MATT WEEKS By Dain Sullivan Light snow falls from the morning darkness Dec. 16, as Matt Weeks pulls up to a gas pump in Mandan, ND. A couple hours of road time lie between him and his destination, and it’s time to fill up. The Basin Electric senior land surveyor is traveling from the cooperative’s Headquarters in Bismarck, ND, to meet with land representatives north of Grassy Butte, ND. This particular meeting won’t take place in a conference room – or an office building, for that matter. It takes place in the field. The meeting involves Basin Electric’s 345-kilovolt Antelope Valley Station to Neset Transmission Project, which was approved by the North Dakota Public Service Commission in April 2014. It received the last required federal approval to begin project work in September 2014. Since then, Weeks has been on his toes, working with Basin Electric’s project team, contractors and outside parties by providing survey files for various archeological and biological survey teams that evaluate proposed line access routes, which are ultimately approved by individual landowners. Basin Electric announced plans to build the transmission line from its Antelope Valley Station north of Beulah, ND, to Tioga, ND, in December 2011. Construction is under way, being completed in segments, with expectations of the entire project being in service by 2017.
A man of maps Weeks pulls his white pickup truck into Basin Electric’s construction field office at the Charlie Creek laydown yard, just a few miles from where the day’s meeting will take place. He’s welcomed by another surveyor at the front gate, and the two take a few minutes to get up-to-speed on the day’s agenda. The
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meeting isn’t for another half hour, so Weeks decides to park and head into one of the two work trailers onsite. There are four such laydown yard sites that sit between Grassy Butte and Antelope Valley, Weeks says. Sporting heavy boots, jeans, a tucked-in shirt and light-gray vest jacket, he plops into a roller chair and grabs a sheet of paper. He begins drawing out a portion of the transmission line, pointing out areas where Basin Electric is working to access, place and maintain power poles. “We need to get access to our line in this area,” Weeks says, pointing to an area he outlined from memory. That’s where the day’s meeting comes in. On behalf of the entire cooperative, Weeks and his colleagues are assisting to define access areas. These access areas will eventually allow the group to drive vehicles to the line, which will serve rapidly growing electricity needs in the Bakken. Weeks stands out of his chair and points to the opposite wall, which is covered in large black and white plat maps overlooking the section corners and property lines he oversees. Often on the go, Weeks normally uses his iPad to glance at plats. He doesn’t have it handy, however, so he turns to old-school print to point out where the meeting will take place minutes later.
Discussing the line After a short drive, Weeks steps onto a highway approach and extends his hand to a land representative. The two are also joined by three other surveyors – one is a Basin Electric employee, and the other two are consultants hired to help with the workload. Despite the endless traffic noise, slick ice and unforgiving wind engulfing the highway, the group proceeds to discuss the project. Everyone is bundled from head to toe, except for Weeks, who – seemingly indifferent to the bitter cold – swipes through his iPad maps as everyone looks over his shoulder. The group begins pointing to mapped areas that require additional survey monuments, which are essentially 3.5-inch aluminum caps marked with
credentials of surveyors like Weeks. Weeks offers to mark the areas immediately, but the group decides it can wait. Weeks and his crew have been respectful and done their homework when it comes to planning structure placement down to the foot, and many field requests are made that will eventually lead to a drafted plat before construction.
Boots on the ground With opening discussions done, everyone drives across the highway to begin examining the various structure locations. A few flags mark areas that will be avoided during construction and operation of the line, due to the previous surveys that identified cultural and biological avoidance areas. Some flags also address specific landowner requests. The area discussed on this particular day is lined with an existing cattle trail. That’s what makes it a sensible spot – there’s better access, Weeks says. The group arrives at a fence entrance and begins walking through ice-glazed prairie grass. They eventually form a circle around one monument, which sits near a clearing where cattle have been moved in the past. The area should be okay for access, as long as they stay away from a nearby boundary. Everyone agrees, and they move on to a few more sites. Not every site is easy to walk, however. That’s where an off-road terrain vehicle with tracks comes in handy for Weeks and his team. “There should be a structure on top of this hill,” he says, pointing to a steep mound. His colleagues zip up the hill with the special vehicle to examine the top, returning shortly to report what they saw. Minor tweaks are made to the project, and the group continues to move along the highway. There’s good collaboration, and construction plans are falling into place. At the end of the day, the cooperative spirit is definitely alive as Basin Electric works on the new line. A balance of respect and understanding eventually give way to the beginnings of a plat. “My work is just about done,” Weeks says.
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 9
SMALL GENERATION
LOOMING LARGE
THE RISE OF CUSTOMER-OWNED COULD CHANGE POWER-SUPPLY
10 | BASIN TODAY
SMALL GENERATION LANDSCAPE By Chris Gessele
Basin Electric was founded on the principles of self-governance and ownership of electric resources, with the goal of providing safe and affordable electricity to its members. That will never change. What might change, however, is how Basin Electric and other electric cooperatives go about providing electrical service for those members. A growing emergence of small customer-owned generation, often solar and wind turbines, has electric cooperatives asking questions they need to find answers for.
Movement toward renewable Small-scale generation can carry economic and environmental benefits, and it’s becoming more cost competitive thanks to subsidies and incentives. In the case of solar, a small group of customers are realizing those benefits and investing in solar panels. Typically, homeowners lease solar panels from a company that owns and installs them. The homeowner saves some money by drawing less power from the electric grid, and by selling solar power back up the electrical grid to the utility. Some Basin Electric member systems are also investing in renewable distributed generation opportunities. In 2013, Wright-Hennepin We under stand EPA Cooperative Electric Association, rulings and the need for renewheadquartered in Rockford, MN, able portfolios, but in my opinion introduced Minnesota’s first-ever the most important reason that solar community, and the nation’s our members across the country first solar community to use are getting engaged in these backup battery power. Wrightprojects is because the members Hennepin brought a second, want them. similar project online in July 2014. Doug Remboldt Wright-Hennepin’s solar projects were driven by energy savings for investors and the environmentally-friendly idea of members being more self-sufficient through renewable energy. Verendrye Electric Cooperative, headquartered in Velva, ND, is using solar power to meet the water pumping needs of consumer-members who graze livestock some distance from cooperative power lines, saving the investment of potentially many miles of distribution lines. The ranchers build the tank and buy the direct
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 11
Tom Jespersen (far right), an energy advisor for Verendrye Electric Cooperative, shows some Minot State University students how the cooperative’s solar pasture well systems work near Velva, ND.
current pump, and Verendrye leases them the system. The cooperative leased its first five systems in 1991 and currently has deployed about 225 systems. Doug Remboldt, NISC vice president of utility and technical services, works with 490 electric distribution cooperatives around the country, and spoke during a preconference on distributed generation held during Basin Electric’s annual meeting in November 2014. “We understand EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) rulings and the need for renewable portfolios, but in This has a whole launmy opinion the most important dry list of potential impacts reason that our members across to Basin Electric and other the country are getting engaged G&Ts. There are more quesin these projects is because the tions than answers. members want them,” Remboldt Steve Tomac says. “This is really being driven by kind of a social consciousness in my opinion, across our membership. There are people who want to be involved whether or not it costs more money.” While some benefits exist, challenges remain.
More questions than answers Renewable distributed generation from wind and solar is not dispatchable or easily controllable, it’s expensive, and it’s strongly dependent on mandates and subsidies for its economic viability. There’s also the issue of utilities recovering their
12 | BASIN TODAY
costs. Customer-generators must still rely on the electric grid for backup service during periods when they are not meeting all of their electricity needs, so utilities must still build transmission and generation resources to back up those small generators. Since residential electric bills are based primarily on electric consumption, utilities don’t recover their fixed costs and could face a revenue shortfall. As a result, other retail customers ultimately subsidize those customer-generators. An increase in customer-operated small power generation would also complicate utilities’ load forecasting process and increase the risk of stranded investments. Steve Tomac, Basin Electric senior legislative representative, has followed legislative issues in South Dakota and Minnesota pertaining to small-scale renewable generation. “Will distributed generation offset some future supply needs that some utilities are anticipating? If this is something that really takes off, how do we plan for that? What does this do to our demand curve? How will distributed generation affect Basin Electric’s resources? Will it reduce the need to transmit electricity long distances, or encourage the formation of micro grids? This has a whole laundry list of potential impacts to Basin Electric and other G&Ts. There are more questions than answers,” Tomac says.
Regulatory challenges Dale Niezwaag, Basin Electric senior legislative representative, deals with legislative issues in North Dakota and Iowa. Niezwaag says a commercial building owner in Iowa recently allowed a solar company to install solar panels to help meet some of its electrical needs, and the building was located within a power utility’s exclusive electric service territory. The building’s owner and solar installer signed a power purchase agreement under which it would purchase the energy from the system. The utility argued that the agreement violated the utility’s exclusive service territory and constituted the creation of a utility, which would be subject to utility commission regulation. In July 2014, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that the power purchase agreement did not violate state law or the utility’s exclusive rights to sell energy to consumers in their service areas, upholding a decision from a lower court. The decision enables companies offering behindthe-meter solar power installations to sell the power from those solar power installations directly to customers. Prior to this decision, buyers had to either buy the systems outright or enter into long-term leases. Net metering also plays a critical role in the growth of customer-generators. Net metering consists of a meter that records energy flow in both directions,
allowing utility customers to offset some or all of their energy use with self-produced renewable energy. Net metering is offered in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. According to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, with most states setting size limits on the units that qualify for net metering. For example, Kentucky and Wyoming limit qualifying units to no larger than 30 kilowatt (kW) and 25 kW, respectively, while New Mexico’s size limit is 80 megawatt and Ohio has no size limit. Many states adopted net metering in the early 1980s as a way of implementing Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act Section 210’s requirement that utilities buy the output of qualifying small power production facilities. Financial challenges for utilities arise when net metering policies require utilities to pay consumers the retail price for wholesale power. The retail rate utilities charge includes not only the marginal cost of power, but also recovers costs incurred by utilities for transmission, distribution, generating capacity, and other utility services not provided by the customer-generator.
Making adjustments According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), federal and state policies are expected to drive growth of distributed generation in the coming decades. Sixteen states and the District of Columbia currently have renewable portfolio standards with specific distributed generation provisions, according to MIT. We do see more For example, some states have and more consumers and provisions in their renewable lawmakers interested in portfolio standards that require this type of energy, so some fraction of retail electricity we’re going to have to sales to come from renewable figure that out as we move distributed generation by 2020. forward. Elec t r ic u tili ties mus t Steve Tomac determine how to engage in the increased membership interest and increased production from customer-owned solar and wind generation resources. “We do see more and more consumers and lawmakers interested in this type of energy, so we’re going to have to figure that out as we move forward,” Tomac says.
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 13
BUT FIRST, LET ME CHECK MY METER COOPERATIVE MEMBERS CONTROL ELECTRICITY BILL USING SMARTHUB Jason Bartsch, Capital Electric Cooperative member, uses SmartHub to watch his family’s energy use.
By Tracie Bettenhausen You know that rush when you hear about a cool new app, search it, and upload it to your phone? You can’t wait to see its features, what it can do and what you can learn. When Jason Bartsch uploaded Capital Electric Cooperative’s SmartHub app, he knew what it was going to do. Not only is he We knew we had a Capital Electric member-owner living to go above and beyond just east of Bismarck, ND, but he’s a traditional website to also an employee at NISC (National do e-billing. Information Solutions Cooperative), Nate Boettcher an information technology cooperative based in Mandan, ND. Capital Electric is a Basin Electric Class C member. As someone in the know about the technology – and aware of the power he holds as a cooperative member – Bartsch had been putting in friendly reminders to Capital Electric’s Paul Fitterer, the cooperative’s business manager, that the cooperative should upgrade to SmartHub. Almost two years ago, Capital Electric started offering SmartHub to its members.
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The nuts and bolts SmartHub is the replacement for the previous e-billing product NISC offered. The product had reached its shelf life, according to Nate Boettcher, NISC utility solutions product line manager. “We knew we had to go above and beyond a traditional website to do e-billing. The idea of building out the SmartHub platform allowed us to take advantage of new technologies with mobile apps, responsive web design, and our cooperative cloud,” he says. “NISC members were some of the first adopters of using mobile technology to provide an app to their members.” Boettcher says the app helps electric cooperatives connect with their membership in a space where they were already spending time. According to a July 2014 study by Asymco, nearly 70 percent of adults in the United States own a smartphone and 95 percent own a cellular device. NISC had its first members running SmartHub by February 2012. “These tools help reduce
“Instead of having to save costs and increase efficiency months of paper bills and pull because they no longer spend out a pencil and calculator to see their time opening mail and the differences from one year to entering check payments. the next, SmartHub can display Plus, customers can see how that information with ease,” weather affects their bill, Hansen says. “Text alerts can cutting down the number of notify customers of unplanned high bill complaints. It also outages or remind them that helps to reduce the number their bill is ready to view online. It of phone calls during outages builds value into the service their because members can report SmartHub is accessible through Apple and Android apps, as well as a Web platform. electric cooperative is already service issues via the app, and providing.” in return, the cooperative can Users can even send messages to their co-op, provide status updates and estimated time of restoraand in some cases, upload photos of line or meter tion,” Boettcher says. “SmartHub in a lot of ways shifts damage, for example. That’s good information for a the paradigm from a once a month communication cooperative to have when deciding what equipment through the billing statement, to a more personable or personnel to deploy in a storm. and multi-channel communication approach, meaning that a cooperative can still send a monthly bill, but they The next big thing? might follow up with other activities and programs that members would be interested in throughout the Boettcher says discussion today amongst technolmonth, delivered electronically.” ogy innovators focuses on the “Internet of things. … About 400 of NISC’s member cooperatives use Technology has been deployed in a lot of different SmartHub, and about 63 of them are also Basin Electric silos over the years and we are now at a point where member cooperatives. bringing these things together is going to help us be more efficient, deliver reliable service, and hopefully Michelle Hansen, NISC sales support control costs to the member,” he says. specialist, says tools like SmartHub Large technology companies are marketing home help keep cooperatives competitive. systems that control several systems. “Apple launched “Fifteen years ago, if you wanted to its HomeKit which seeks to unify different devices stay relevant you needed to have a – light bulbs, garage door openers, thermostats, Web presence. Today you need a security systems, door locks, appliances – inside our mobile app,” she says. “It helps them appeal to a home that can be controlled through your younger generation of consumiPhone or iPad. Google purchased Nest, ers and stay competitive in the Fifteen years ago, if which provides a learning thermostat, marketplace. It helps enhance you wanted to stay relevant fire/carbon monoxide sensor and now their image within the comyou needed to have a Web a home webcam,” he says. “I think you munities they serve – the co-op presence. Today you need a are going to see technology continue isn’t ‘behind the times’ or mobile app. to move in this direction with more ‘backward.’ They are deploying Michelle Hansen and more automation, whether it be cutting-edge technology, often through lighting, controlling your HVAC before their local competitors, system, or simple things like door locks and people are taking notice.” and garage doors. Finally, you will continue to see a SmartHub users can watch their electricity use major emphasis on cybersecurity. The recent attacks with a bar graph, which also shows the temperature on Sony Pictures is just the latest example of how the on that day. They can set up alerts for payments and world has changed.” pay directly from their phone or computer, and even choose prepayment.
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 15
The cost of processing a check payment sent in the mail to a cooperative is about $1. Cooperatives see significant savings when member-owners switch to paperless billing. Nate Boettcher
10,000 METER CO-OPS
IF 50% PAY ELECTRONICALLY
=
$5,000-$8,000
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Where the rubber meets the road Paul Fitterer at Capital Electric is working in a rapidly growing environment. In 10 years, the cooperative’s meter count has grown by 50 percent. Despite that, the cooperative has been able to hold the number of billing employees steady because of the NISC technology they use. “That members can set up recurring payments with their credit card is nice, and they can get bill due and past due notifications with text or email, however they want it,” Fitterer says. “But those who need year-to-date information can get that so easily now, too. When This is a way to share farmers, ranchers or businesses need costs with other cooperainformation for taxes, it used to be tives and have a tool that’s they had to call us, and we would look helpful to all of us. it up and send it out. Now, they can Paul Fitterer get that information on their own, without having to contact us.” Fitterer says SmartHub is a service Capital Electric wouldn’t be able to provide on its own. “NISC goes through a lot of security testing and audits. They do everything we need to be PCI (Payment Card Industry – a data security standard) compliant. We certainly couldn’t do that by ourselves, but we can take advantage of the benefits of a good, secure system. This is a way to share costs with other cooperatives and have a tool that’s helpful to all of us.” Beyond payment simplification, SmartHub also facilitates education on electricity use. “The visual graphing of use and temperature is so nice,” Fitterer says. “When members have a bill they think is higher than it should be, we can have them pull that up and 16 | BASIN TODAY
SAVINGS MONTHLY
$100,000 SAVINGS ANNUALLY
point out where the use was high and figure out why that happened. Going forward, they can start to keep track of those factors and choose whether they will change their actions to keep their bill low. It’s empowering to them.”
Power to the people Jason Bartsch now keeps track of his family’s electricity use just like he keeps track of the Chicago Bears, his local news, Facebook and Snapchat. “This is how our generation lives,” he says. “If you use the Web presence, you can set up a budget calculator. So if you want to spend only $90 on electricity a month, it’ll do a trend analysis and show you if you’re 10 percent over or under that goal, depending on your current use. Knowledge is power. “Our average daily kilowatt-hour (kWh) use is 20-25 kWh, but on the weekends, especially Sunday, we’ll spike up to 60 kWh. It’s a pretty drastic difference,” he says. Bartsch takes advantage of the messaging piece of SmartHub during outages, and has set up challenges with his family. “It’s entertaining. We tried it for a week, looking at our average bill and used the trending analysis. At the beginning of the week, we were trending 6 percent above our goal and by the end of the week, we were 5 percent on the positive side. … Every night, we’d pop up the usage and show a graph, and the girls could see what we were doing.” Bartsch says through working at NISC, he knows the commitment level NISC brings to the technology. “These electric cooperatives are member-owners of the cooperative from which they’re buying the technology. There isn’t a question whether NISC will be around tomorrow, or if they’ll stop supporting SmartHub, because NISC exists to serve its members.”
E M P L OY E E HIG HL IG H T S
SPREADING HOLIDAY CHEER THE CO-OP WAY Commitment to community is a year-round emphasis at Basin Electric. However, during the holiday season, employees make a special effort to share their good fortune and blessings, ensuring it’s a magical time for underprivileged children and families.
Ringing the bell for a good cause Volunteers representing both Basin Electric and Capital Electric Cooperative stood post near a Red Kettle for Salvation Army’s Red Kettle campaign. Basin Electric employees Michelle Hellman (right), web designer II, and Jen Holen (left), event planner and charitable giving coordinator, shared their holiday spirit while volunteering as bell ringers.
Sharing Tree and Angel Tree Programs brighten holidays for more than 200 children
Jeans month raises more than $7,000 for food pantry
$
Basin Electric employees at Bismarck facilities jumped at the chance to raise money for the Bismarck Emergency Food Pantry and AID, Inc., by wearing jeans to work. More than $7,000 was raised by employees who bought a month-long pass to wear jeans during December.
Dry Fork Station employees serve meal at senior center
For the fourth year, employees from the Dry Fork Station served more than 250 seniors at the Gillette Senior Center in Wyoming. Dennis Thorfinnson, Dry Fork Station plant engineer, brings trays of food to seniors at the annual lunch. According to Heidi Hockett, Basin Electric project coordinator, it’s a special time for the seniors and Dry Fork employees. “It’s a time for the seniors to have camaraderie with those community members who they do not normally interact with.”
Basin Electric employees in North Dakota and Wyoming donated presents for 227 underprivileged children through Basin Electric’s Sharing Tree and Angel Tree Programs. The trees were located in the Headquarters lobby; the J&L Building large cafeteria; Dry Fork Station near Gillette, WY; Laramie River Station near Wheatland, WY; and Dakota Gasification Company’s Great Plains Synfuels Plant near Beulah, ND.
Inaugural Kali Grace & Minnie Mouse Toy Drive Brave the Shave honoree Kali Grace became an angel in May at just three years old, after bravely battling cancer. During the holiday season, her family collected toys in her honor to deliver to children at Sanford Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House in Bismarck. Basin Electric employees donated more than 30 toys. (Left) Kristine Coffey, Kali’s mom, picks up the toys at Headquarters with help from Jen Holen.
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New employees Will Gresiak began work Oct. 13 at Headquarters as a real time trader I. He is originally from State College, PA.
Dave Brouwer began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Nov. 1 as a maintenance field technician.
Teri Francis, accounting analyst I, began her position at Headquarters Oct. 13. The Hettinger, ND, native previously worked for Wild Rice Electric Cooperative in Mahnomen, MN, as an accounting clerk.
Andrew King, real time trader I, began his position at Headquarters Sept. 6. King is originally from Los Angeles, CA.
Phillip Altman began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant June 2 as an electrical and instrumentation maintenance field technician. Originally from Luverne, MN, he has an industrial instrumentation and control degree from Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon. Bruce Isaak started his position Oct. 13 as an instrument II at Leland Olds Station. Originally from Pick City, ND, Isaak previously worked for St. Alexius Medical Center in Bismarck, ND, as a biomedical technician II. Dan Miller began work Sept. 29 at Transmission System Maintenance in Mandan as a lineman-journeyman. Originally from Cavalier, ND, Miller previously worked for Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative in Kenmare, ND, as a journeyman-lineman. Britain Bentz began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Nov. 17 as a process operations field technician. The Bismarck, ND, native was a fishing manager at Scheels All Sports before starting at the plant. Bentz has an associate degree in process plant technology from Bismarck (ND) State College.
18 | BASIN TODAY
Erick Nelson started his position Sept. 29 as a lineman-journeyman at Logan substation. The Velva, ND, native previously worked for Powder River Energy in Wright, WY, as a journeyman-lineman. Doug Bradford began work Oct. 6 as a mechanical engineer I at Headquarters. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for Beazley Engineering in Bismarck as a consulting engineer. Cody Dahl started his position as an enterprise application architect Oct. 13 at Dakota Gasification Company. The Sterling, ND, native previously worked for Olivet Nazarene University as a system support technician in Bourbonnais, IL. He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Olivet Nazarene University. David Dockter, project controls specialist, began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Sep. 22. Originally from Anamoose/Harvey, ND, he previously worked for Boeing as a scheduling manager in Huntsville, AL. Dockter has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Minnesota State University Moorhead.
Scott Bekken started his position Sept. 29 as a pilot III at Headquarters. Originally from New Rockford, ND, Bekken previously worked for Executive Air Taxi in Bismarck, ND, as director of flight operations.
Sean Keller started his position Nov. 3 as a lineman-journeyman at Dry Fork Station. Originally from McLaughlin, SD, Keller previously worked as a lineman-journeyman at Northeast Wyoming Construction Company in Gillette, WY.
Craig Goeden began work Sept. 15 as a pilot III at Headquarters. Originally from Dillon, MT, Goeden previously worked for Executive Air Taxi in Bismarck, ND, as chief pilot. Shaina Funke began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Nov. 17 as a process operations field technician. The Kalispell, MT, native has an associate degree in process plant technology from Bismarck (ND) State College. Henry Gaypia, process operations field technician, began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Nov. 17. The Minnesota native was previously an operating engineer at Abbot Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, MN. John Gusewelle started at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Sept. 22 as a fixed equipment engineer. The Sauk Centre, MN, native has a mechanical engineering degree from North Dakota State University in Fargo. Travis Hoaglund, property and right of way specialist, began his position at Headquarters Oct. 6. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for KLJ in Bismarck as a right of way specialist.
Robert Stock began work Nov. 3 as an assistant construction inspector at Headquarters. Originally from Lake Crystal, MN, Stock previously worked for Stanley Consultants in North Dakota as a construction inspector. Logan Guthmiller, electrical and instrumentation maintenance field technician, began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Oct. 6. Originally from Beulah, ND, he previously worked for TransCanada-Keystone Pipeline in Beaumont, TX. Guthmiller has an associate degree in instrumentation and control from Bismarck (ND) State College.
Jason Wald, network security analyst III, began his position at Headquarters Nov. 3. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked as a network engineer in the Information Technology Department for the State of North Dakota in Bismarck.
Justin Miller began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Aug. 23 as a maintenance field technician. The Watertown, SD, native was previously employed at Liberty Drywall as a laborer. Miller has an associate degree in energy technology from Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown.
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 19
E M P L OY E E HIG HL IG H T S
New employees
Jeff Neigel, fixed equipment engineer, began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Oct. 20. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City. Todd Kraft started his position Nov. 3 as a service dispatcher at Headquarters. The Beulah, ND, native previously worked for Sykes Enterprises as a SMS/800 analyst. Benjamin Hertz began work Nov. 3 as a mechanical engineer III at Headquarters. Originally from Jamestown, ND, Hertz previously worked for United Technologies in Jamestown as a system engineer.
Chas Hertz, apprentice system protection technician, began his position at Transmission System Maintenance in Beulah Nov. 3. Originally f rom Carson, ND, Her tz previously worked for Electronic Communications in Bismarck, ND, as a communications technician.
20 | BASIN TODAY
Mike Martin, electrician project lead, began his position at Headquarters Oct. 27. Originally from Chaseley, ND, Martin previously worked for Skeels Electric in Bismarck, ND, as a journeyman electrician. Robert Lesner started his position Nov. 17 as a laborer at Laramie River Station. The Douglas, WY, native previously worked for Rockin’ 7 Ranch in Shawnee, WY, as an outfitting manager. He also worked as a plumbing foreman at Kobelle Plumbing. Nathan Martinez began work Nov. 17 as a laborer at Laramie River Station. Originally from Guernsey, WY, Martinez previously worked for Martin Marietta Guernsey Quarry as an equipment operator in Guernsey. He has an associate degree in construction technology. Janet Schlender, cafeteria attendant, began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant on Oct. 6. The Devils Lake, ND, native previously worked for Progressive Maintenance at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant.
Michael Frey began work Nov. 3 as an electrical engineer I at Transmission System Maintenance in Mandan. The Mandan, ND, native previously worked for Honeywell ESG in Bismarck, ND, as a project manager.
Brock Schauer started his position Nov. 17 as a process operations field technician at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant. He has an associate degree in process plant technology from Bismarck (ND) State College.
Sunni Samuels, product shipping agent, started at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Dec. 1. She previously was employed at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant as a process operations field technician.
Eric Brown, laborer, began his position at Laramie River Station Nov. 17. The Laramie, WY, native previously worked for the Wyoming Department of Transportation in Wheatland as a construction and field survey specialist.
Braden Fagenbush started his position Nov. 17 as a laborer at Laramie River Station. The Wheatland, WY, native previously worked at Laramie River Station as a temporary storekeeper. He has an associate degree in electrical power technology from Casper (WY) College. Ryan Carlson, machinist II, began his position at Laramie River Station Nov. 17. He is originally from Torrington, WY.
Thomas Martinez began work Nov. 17 as an instrument II at Laramie River Station. Originally from Newcastle, W Y, Martinez previously worked for Plains All American Pipeline in Rawlins, WY, as an instrumentation & electrical technician II. He has an associate degree as a journeyman electrician. Jacob Sailer started his position Nov. 17 as a mechanic/welder II at Laramie River Station. The Stanton, ND, native previously worked for Minnkota Power Cooperative in Center, ND, as a mechanic/welder/ machinist. He has actively served the Oliver County Ambulance Association for seven years. Colt McCarty, laborer, began his position at Laramie River Station Nov. 17. The Cheyenne, WY, native previously worked for the Wyoming Army National Guard as a mechanic in Guernsey, WY. Victor Gomez began work Nov. 17 as a mechanic/welder II at Laramie River Station. The Laramie, WY, native previously worked for Mountain Cement Company in Laramie as a mechanic/welder.
Darrel Vaughn started his position Nov. 17 as a laborer at Laramie River Station. Originally from Wheatland, WY, Vaughn previously worked for Frenchman Valley Coop in Wheatland. He also worked as general manager of Wheatland Cooperative Association. Michael Jacobsen, mechanic/ welder II, began his position Nov. 17 at Laramie River Station. Originally from Laramie, WY, Jacobsen previously worked as a leadman/repairman for Teichert in Sacramento, CA. Casey Wiedmeier began work Nov. 17 as a service dispatcher at Headquarters. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for BOS Solutions in Mandan, ND, as a field technician. Courtney Swart, process operations field technician, began work at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant Dec. 1. The Mercer, ND, native previously worked at Dakota Prairie Refining in Dickinson, ND. Swart has an associate degree in process plant technology from Bismarck (ND) State College. Michael Will started his position Oct. 20 as an electrical and instrumentation maintenance field technician at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for John Deere Electronics Solutions in Fargo, ND. Will has an associate degree in electronic technology from Bismarck (ND) State College. Doug Walsh started his position as a service dispatcher Oct. 27 at Headquarters. Originally from Chariton, IA, Walsh previously worked for Conlin’s Furniture in Bismarck, ND. He also has 33 years of experience in the printing industry. JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 21
E M P L OY E E HIG HL IG H T S
New employees William Deglman, training representative, began his position Oct. 6 at Laramie River Station. The Wheatland, WY, native previously worked for Wheatland Police Department as a detective. Allan Gerving started his position as a senior enterprise application architect Nov. 10 at Headquarters. Originally from Bismarck, ND, Gerving previously worked for WBI Energy in Bismarck as a programmer/analyst III. Rebecca Olson, accounting analyst II, began her position Nov. 10 at Headquarters. The Mandan, ND, native previously worked for CBL & Associates Properties in Bismarck as a property accountant for Kirkwood Mall in Bismarck and Dakota Square Mall in Minot. Kori Wilhelm began work Dec. 1 as an administrative assistant I at Laramie River Station. Originally from Wheatland, WY, Wilhelm previously worked for C.H. Brown Company in Wheatland as a staff assistant. She also worked for West Elementary School in Wheatland. Tim Moon, mechanic/welder II, began his position Dec. 1 at Laramie River Station. Originally from Casper, WY, Moon previously worked for Hydraulic Systems as a production/ field service manager. Swade Prewitt started his position as a mechanic/welder II Dec. 1 at Laramie River Station. Prewitt previously worked for Croell Redi-Mix in Douglas, WY, as a production manager. He also worked for Pinnacle Materials as an operation manager.
22 | BASIN TODAY
Nathan Johnson began work Nov. 10 as a logistics contract administrator at Headquarters. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for North Dakota Army National Guard as an operations NCO in Bismarck. He also worked for NDARNG-BN logistics NCOIC/OIC unit level supply in Grand Forks, ND. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management from University of Mary, Bismarck. Justin Morgen began work Dec. 8 as an electrical engineer I at Antelope Valley Station. Originally from Selfridge, ND, Morgen previously worked for Capital Electric Cooperative in Bismarck, ND, as an engineering technician. He has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from North Dakota State University, Fargo. Dindo Carrasco, operator/technician, began his position Dec. 15 at Pioneer Generation Station. Originally from the Philippines and California, Carrasco previously worked for Inland Empire Renewable Energy Regional Center in Romoland, CA, as an operator/technician.
Nicole Volk, alarm monitor/service dispatcher, began her position Dec. 16 at Headquarters. The Bismarck, ND, native previously worked for the Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department in Bismarck as a detention officer/ deputy sheriff.
Mandi Wimer started her position as a human resource coordinator Dec. 15 at Dakota Gasification Company. Originally from Wildrose, ND, Wimer previously worked for Great River Energy as a human resource specialist at Coal Creek Station.
Service awards
Deborah Kimura
Scott Obertal
Patrick Bueckers
Wayne Long
Jeffrey Thomas
Wayne Eisenbeis
maintenance assistant
assistant coal water supervisor
instrument lead
mechanic lead
maintenance planner/ scheduler
mechanic I
35 years
Laramie River Station
35 years
35 years
Laramie River Station
35 years
Laramie River Station
Laramie River Station
30 years
30 years
Antelope Valley Station
Antelope Valley Station
Cordell Eckroth
Stan Grad
Keith Grosz
Randy Higgins
Donn Oakland
Craig Wilhelm
field technician
field technician
field technician
field technician
field technician
field technician
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Com pany
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Jeff Kopp
Bob De Maria
Lance Peterson
Vern Bucholz
Doug Biffert
Gary Borlaug
field technician
maintenance engineering technical advisor
instrument lead
mechanic I
field technician
field technician
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
30 years
Laramie River Station
30 years
Antelope Valley Station
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Dakota Gasification Company
Lyle Eisenbeis
Robin Richter
Marvin Schwehr
Phyllis Grosz
Lonnie Burns
Vicki Wetzel
field technician
field technician
area planner
field technician
benefits supervisor
senior administrative assistant
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Headquarters
30 years
Headquarters
Steven Budd
Tony Francis
Brenda Seibel
Dave Heinze
Jeff D. Hanson
Daralyn Hausauer
scrubber operator
control room operator
administrative assistant III
field technician
instrument I
administrative assistant III
30 years
Laramie River Station
30 years
Laramie River Station
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
25 years
Leland Olds Station
25 years
Dakota Gasification Company
JANUARY – FEBRUARY 2015 | 23
E M P L OY E E HIG HL IG H T S
Service awards
Larry Jechort
Delmar Dyk
senior enterprise resource planner administrator
telecom specialist
25 years
25 years
Headquarters
Transmission System Maintenance Mandan
David Famias
Scott Battest
field technician
shift supervisor gas production
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
30 years
Dakota Gasification Company
Retirees
Editor’s note: Expanded retirement stories were written only for those who returned their questionnaire to Basin Today staff.
Dawn Elis, mechanical engineer III, retired from Headquarters Nov. 14 after 32 years of service. She began working as a plant inspector for Great Plains Gasification Associates in 1982. In 1988, Basin Electric purchased the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, and Elis became a Basin Electric employee. Her title changed to mechanical engineer III in 1991 when she transferred to Headquarters. Elis says her career has been very rewarding throughout the years. “It began with the construction, start up, and operation of Dakota Gasification Company. My first office was a small shared office in a Beulah nursing home, and I wondered what I was getting into. But eventually I got out to the plant. As an inspector during construction, I got to climb into vessels and see things others just read about or study in books,” Ellis says.
Matthew Ehrman, mechanical engineer supervisor, says Elis had a knack for project coordination. “She was very good at navigating a project through all of Basin’s internal review and financial processes. She was also usually the first person we’d go to with questions related to project flow or finance,” Ehrman says. “Each year, Dawn hosted our section employees at her home for a barbecue. Not only did we get to enjoy good food and company, but we also got to enjoy her amazing backyard complete with waterfalls, ponds and fish. We’re all going to miss her a lot around here. Who knows, maybe she’ll invite us back for a barbecue!” Gavin McCollam, engineering service director, first worked with Elis in 1989 at Dakota Gasification Company. “She was the one who was assigned to ‘show me the ropes.’ She was very helpful and very willing to share her knowledge of the plant and the people. Times were different back then relating to equality, but Dawn held her own in a world dominated, at least back then, by rough and tough construction managers and pipefitters. She was very, perhaps overly, humble, and was always quick to give others credit,” McCollam says. “It’s been said that Basin Electric is a family, and I agree. I’ve met some amazing people and made some lifelong friends,” Elis says. In retirement Elis plans to explore different areas of the United States with her husband during the winter months, and their summers will be spent in Bismarck, ND. “Having just gotten married in September, we are taking off on a honeymoon/retirement/winter layoff trip in our fifth wheel starting the week of Thanksgiving,” Elis says.
DID YOU K NOW ? Basin Electric’s Leland Olds Station was named after Leland Olds, a former chairman of the Federal Power Commission, whose thoughts and studies on consumers, resource development and low-cost public power elevated him to national prominence. The ideals and ideas of Leland Olds served as the model for rural electric leaders and for others across America in developing resources and public power. 24 | BASIN TODAY
On Oct. 26, 1959, Olds gave an address at the annual meeting of the Mid-West Electric Consumers Association in Rapid City, SD. That address served as the inspiration to establish a giant power system. Tragically, Olds died Aug. 3, 1960, less than a year before Basin Electric was incorporated. Olds’ name lives on in the first electric generating plant built by Basin Electric in North Dakota.
We will remember… Dan Henderscheid Dan Henderscheid passed away Nov. 23, 2014, at his home in Wheatland, WY. He was 55 years old. Dan was born Aug. 18, 1959, in Hazen, ND, the son of Budd and Shirley (Cleveland) Henderscheid. He was raised and educated in Oliver County, ND, and graduated from Center (ND) High School in 1978. Following graduation, he served in the U.S. Marine Corps as a shooting instructor. In 1981, Dan moved to Wheatland, WY, and started working for Laramie River Station. Dan worked there for 33 years, starting at the bottom and working his way up to control room operator, the position he held at the time of his death. Dan had a passion for the outdoors, specifically hiking, hunting, fishing and nature in general. He was proud that his love for hunting was passed down to his four children. He also had a passion for photography. Dan was a great artist, working with hides, leather, and animals, and did wood carving. He also enjoyed cooking, and he liked to share recipes. His co-workers, who were also decades-old friends, describe Dan as very conscientious, hardworking and very eager to help friends and family. Ray Juarez was Dan’s supervisor and had known him for 30 years as they moved up through operations while working together. “He was a guy you could count on to help in any situation at work or at home. He is missed and has left a large hole where he once was. I was lucky to know him,” Juarez says.
Aside from his generous spirit, Dan’s co-workers and friends remember him for being an avid reader and an excellent storyteller. Jamie Schindler, control room operator who first met Dan at work in 1982, notes that Dan had the ability to tell the most descriptive true life stories. “One particular story he told, and he told many, was about an elk hunting expedition. It was such a favorite of mine that 30 years later when we both ended up in the control room together, I insisted he tell it to the new crew because no one could tell a story like Dan. The story always made for a hearty laugh, and Dan laughed just as hard with us every time he rehashed the story,” Schindler says. Jim Finnerty, control room operator, agrees Dan had a knack for storytelling. “He was one of the best storytellers I worked with, usually stories about himself, and they weren’t always good. But, usually pretty funny. Everything Dan seemed to do was extra large,” Finnerty says. Dan is survived by his stepmother, Alice Henderscheid; his children, Elizabeth (Nathan) Owen, Lee S. Henderscheid, and Charlie Henderscheid; his siblings, Monte (Virginia “Ginny“) Henderscheid, Renee (Jesse) Hagen, Nita (David) Gilbert, Teresa (Doug) Diamond, and Ed (Jennifer) Henderscheid; his granddaughter, Rona Owen; and his nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his daughter Katie Henderscheid, his parents, his twin sister and infant brother.
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