Iowa Co-op Members Experience Power Generation Firsthand on 36th Annual Energy Trail Tour
- Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 4
Nearly 130 electric cooperative member-owners from western and north-central Iowa embarked on an educational adventure this summer, participating in three motorcoach tours that showcased the journey from power generation to their homes and businesses. Departing from the NIPCO headquarters on June 18, June 25, and July 9, this season marks the 36th year tours have crossed three states in three days to see the origins of consumer-members’ power.
The three-day experience took participants through the Dakotas to visit key facilities operated by Basin Electric Power Cooperative and Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), the primary power suppliers for local distribution cooperatives through their generation and transmission partners NIPCO and Corn Belt Power Cooperative.
Participants explored hydroelectric generation at Missouri River facilities Oahe Dam and Powerhouse (June tours) and Big Bend Dam (July tour), learning about the engineering marvels of the earthen dams that created Lake Oahe, America’s fourth-largest reservoir (Oahe), and Lake Sharpe (Big Bend). The tours highlight how hydroelectric power plays a vital role in an all-of-the-above energy generation mix.
On the second day of the tours, participants toured Basin Electric’s coal-fired power plant, including the turbine deck, control room, and boiler areas, culminating with views from the 17th-floor observation deck. The visit showcased the value of coal-fired baseload generation and Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s investments in environmental control technologies to reduce emissions.
Following the tour at Antelope Valley Station, participants enjoyed a drive-through excursion of the active surface mine, which demonstrated lignite coal production and land reclamation efforts. Members witnessed massive earthmoving equipment in operation at a facility that produces approximately 15 million tons of coal annually while reclaiming about 600 acres of mined land.
Travel on a motorcoach provides an excellent “over-the-road” opportunity to learn about other generation sources and operations that produce valuable byproducts from the production of synthetic natural gas.
Through mobile classroom experiences, tour participants explored the role of wind power in supporting safe, reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy production. They also learned about the operations of the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, where Basin Electric’s Dakota Gasification Company subsidiary converts coal into synthetic natural gas and produces valuable byproducts, including anhydrous ammonia, carbon dioxide, and diesel exhaust fluid. Beyond the technical education, the experience highlighted the cooperative difference, offering insights into the history of rural electric cooperatives, the Seven Cooperative Principles, and Touchstone Energy’s four service foundations: Integrity, Accountability, Innovation, and Commitment to Community.
