Western Area Power Administration December 5, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

In 2009, Western Area Power Administration (Western) received a request from Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric) to modify its Large Generator Interconnection Agreement (LGIA) with Basin Electric for the Groton Generation Station to eliminate current operating limits on the generating station. The LGIA currently limits the output of the Groton Generating Station to 50 average megawatts (MW). The Groton Generation Station is located about 5 miles south of Groton, in Brown County, South Dakota. On September 21, 2009, a notice was issued of the LGIA modification request and of intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) (74 FR 48067). On June 3, 2011, the Notice of Availability of the Final EIS for the Modification of the Groton Generation Station Interconnection Agreement was published in the Federal Register (76 FR 32198). Western considered the environmental impacts and has decided to modify its LGIA with Basin Electric for the Groton Generation Station eliminating the 50-MW annual average operating limit. Basin Electric could then produce additional power up to the limits established in the current Title V air quality operating permit for the generating station.