LOCAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE VENTURE TO NORTH DAKOTA

Early Thursday morning we gathered at Charles Mix Electric Cooperative to load for Chuck and Doug's Bus Tour 2018 to North Dakota. In Armour we were joined by Douglas Electric Cooperative customers.

Our first stop was just north of White Lake, to tour a maintance shop for the Crow Lake Wind Project. There we learned how they maintain and repair the 108 wind towers that can generate up to 150 MW.

We then continued our journey up to Pierre where we stopped at the Capitol and enjoyed a lunch at the Visitor Center before heading over to the Oahe Dam for a very informative tour of this magnificent facility. Hard to believe that our previousleadershad suchvision to build and develop not only this facility but all the other dam sites along the Missouri River.

After the tour of the dam we continued making our way up to North Dakota where we stopped along the way to see the Cathedral on the Prarie, which is located in the small town of Hoven, a must see for anyone going through this area.

We arrived in Bismark, North Dakota later that evening to a short presentation given by Basin Electric and another delicious meal. The rest of the evening was spent visiting and making new aquaintances from both Charles Mix and Douglas County.

Friday morning we headed up to the Freedom Coal Mine and Antelope Valley Station north of Buelah, North Dakota. These two facilities are where coal is mined from the earth and turned into energy for our consumption hundreds of miles away. Enormous equipment at these two facilities is an understatement, which makes it hard to imaginehow everything works together so fl awlessly.

If a member from Charles Mix or Douglas County Electric invite you to attend this tour in the future, we would strongly encourage you to accept this invitation. This tour, food and accomodations are all top notch, you will be glad that you went, and it will also bring a new appreciation to how our energy is created and all the hard work that is needed to deliver this energy to us each and every day, morning and night.

A huge thank you to our tour guides Mike Dangel with Charles Mix Electric and Jay Spaans with Douglas County Electric.