The Future of Reliable Power

By Erin Madison

NorthWestern Energy’s latest natural gas-fired power plants provide reliable energy and an economic boost to local communities.

When we broke ground on the Bob Glanzer Generating Station in 2020, Huron, South Dakota, like most communities across the country, had turned into a ghost town due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourism dried up, stores struggled and many restaurants nearly closed their doors. However, during this difficult time, construction at the Bob Glanzer Generating Station helped keep the Huron economy afloat.

During the peak of construction, more than 150 workers were employed at the plant.

“The construction workers stayed in hotels and ate at local restaurants,” said Tom Glanzer, NorthWestern Energy Community Relations Manager based in Huron. “The owner of a local shoe store said he became an expert in procuring and selling the specific work boots required by the contractors working on the plant.”

When NorthWestern Energy was planning the gas-fired generation plant in Huron, we didn’t expect it to be under construction during a pandemic.

“The timing worked out well that we were able to boost the local economy during a very difficult time,” Tom said.

The new plant, which officially goes online in May, will continue to provide important benefits to Huron and our entire South Dakota service territory. The 58-megawatt natural gas plant will be an important generation

asset to help mitigate capacity deficits like those we experienced in February 2021, when we had to ask customers to conserve energy in order to prevent rolling blackouts.

“From a community perspective, NorthWestern Energy is the type of dedicated business that all communities wish they would have,” said Laurie Shelton, President and CEO of the Huron Chamber of Commerce. “The economic impact they have had on Huron with the construction of the Bob Glanzer Generating Station has been immeasurable. They are looking forward to the future of energy for our region and being fiscally responsible with the investment in clean energy.”

The construction cost of the Bob Glanzer Generating Station is estimated to be around $80 million, which represents a huge influx of spending in the Huron area.

NorthWestern Energy has committed to net zero emissions by 2050, and the critical generation capacity from BGGS will play an important part in helping us reach that goal. The new plant will provide on-demand electric capacity and also support the variability of wind and solar generation. These on-demand resources are critical until longer-duration, carbon-free resources are developed and cost effective.

NorthWestern Energy will soon begin construction on a similar generation plant in Montana. The 175-megawatt Yellowstone County

Generating Station will provide on-demand electric capacity and also help balance the variable generation provided by wind and solar resources.

“These two generation projects will provide increased reliability for our customers and decrease risk associated with market volatility,” said NorthWestern Energy CEO Bob Rowe.

Both the Bob Glanzer and Yellowstone County generating stations will feature reciprocating engine generators that have a low heat rate over the full operating range, which means it takes less fuel to generate the same amount of electricity. The emissions from these units are low thanks to selective catalytic reduction technology, which can reduce emissions by as much as 95%. Both BGGS and YCGS will exclusively use pipeline-quality natural gas, which is low in sulfur content.

The Bob Glanzer Generating Station in Huron is named in honor of the late South Dakota State Rep. Bob Glanzer. Bob Glanzer, the father of Tom Glanzer, was a high school teacher and coach before becoming the manager of the South Dakota State Fair in 1975. He went on to a successful banking career, retiring in 2012.

In 2016, Bob was elected to the South Dakota House, a public service seat he held at the time of his death on April 3, 2020, at 74 from COVID-19 complications.

Rep. Glanzer worked quietly in the background for community and economic development in the Huron area, but was willing to accelerate his efforts and visibility when needed, Bob Rowe said.

“We are proud to be a part of South Dakota, and to invest in the critical infrastructure that will meet South Dakota’s needs for many decades to come,” Bob Rowe added. “We couldn’t do this without an exceptional partnership with South Dakota and with communities, including Huron.”

The new Bob Glanzer Generating Station is located adjacent to a new industrial park in Huron. Reliable electric service will be critical for the large industrial businesses in the park.

“The Bob Glanzer Generating Station represents an investment by NorthWestern Energy that will benefit the city of Huron for decades to come with a reliable and affordable source of locally produced clean energy,” said Ted Haeder, President and CEO of Greater Huron Development Corporation. “The project being located next to Huron’s newest industrial park, Vantage Business Park, will provide new or expanding businesses with the assurance that their time lost to electrical outages will be virtually non-existent. NorthWestern Energy has always played a vital role in Greater Huron’s economic development efforts, and we look forward to partnering with them on future business expansion efforts.”