Harrison County REC Members Experience the 36th Annual Energy Trail Tour

Harrison County REC members, alongside more than 130 electric cooperative members 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. The 36th annual Energy Trail Tour season featured three motorcoach tours departing from Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) in Le Mars, with tours scheduled June 18-20, June 25-27, and July 9-11.

The three-day educational 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.

Tour Destinations and Learning Experiences

Oahe Power Powerhouse and Dam, Pierre, South Dakota, and Big Bend Powerhouse and Dam, Fort Thompson, SD 

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 an important role in an all-of-the-above energy generation mix.

Antelope Valley Station Members 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.

Coteau Properties Company Freedom Mine 

A drive-through tour of the active surface mine demonstrated lignite coal production and land reclamation efforts. Participants 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.

Mobile Classroom

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.

Wind Generation Education

Participants learned about the role of wind power in America's diverse energy portfolio and its contribution to the country's all-of-the-above energy approach to securing safe, reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable energy production.

Great Plains Synfuels Plant

Passengers learned how coal is converted into synthetic natural gas as well as produce valuable byproducts including anhydrous ammonia, carbon dioxide, and diesel exhaust fluid through Basin Electric's Dakota Gasification Company subsidiary at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant.

Cooperative Values in Action

Beyond the technical education, participants gained a deeper insight into the cooperative difference, learning about the history of rural electric cooperatives, the Seven Cooperative Principles, and Touchstone Energy's four service foundations: Integrity, Accountability, Innovation, and Commitment to Community.

The tours combined education with fellowship, creating lasting memories while building appreciation for the complex process of delivering reliable electricity to the communities these cooperatives serve.

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Power Supply Information

NIPCO purchases approximately 80% of its power supply from Basin Electric Power Cooperative and 20% from Western Area Power Administration (WAPA), which markets power generated from the Missouri River Dam System.

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Interested in participating next year? Contact our office or visit

www.hcrec.coop/energytrailtour to find out how you can learn more about the 2026 Energy Trail Tour.