Powering with Fossil Fuels
Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) considers a variety of factors when determining which fuels to use for generating electricity, including price, availability, and reliability. In addition to renewable energy, MRES and our member communities rely on coal, natural gas, and diesel generation to reliably and economically serve their customers.
Coal
The Laramie River Station (LRS) near Wheatland, Wyoming, provides most of our members' power supply needs above their purchases of federal hydroelectricity. The three units of LRS began commercial operations in 1980, 1981, and 1982. LRS is fueled by coal, and the electricity produced at the power plant is sent to substations in Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado. The substations then deliver it to Missouri Basin Power Project (MBPP) participants.
These participants, a group of six electric utilities that includes the Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (WMMPA), own the Laramie River Station. WMMPA is the financing arm of Missouri River Energy Services.
Natural Gas
The Exira Station, located near the community of Brayton, Iowa, is a natural gas combustion turbine that provides 140 megawatts (MW) of peaking power.
Fuel Oil
The Watertown Power Plant, located in Watertown, S.D., also is a peaking facility, and can generate up to 65 MW of power.
Diesel
Additional generation is provided from smaller generating units that are located, owned, operated, and maintained by member utilities.