
Challenge
Facing an increasingly competitive environment for unit dispatch within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) market, Cooperative Energy wanted to shift to a lower-cost natural gas power plant that brings cleaner, more efficient combined-cycle technology. Continuing a 45-year relationship, Cooperative Energy teamed up with Burns & McDonnell for this effort.
During the collaboration, Cooperative Energy wanted to see that all possible options — including the repowering of its coal-fired plants — would be thoroughly evaluated to see what the appropriate choice would be.
The nature of the project at hand needed meticulous planning and attention to detail as there were multiple risks including staying on budget, within the allocated schedule and working through supply chain issues while achieving a high level of power capacity.
The cooperative also wanted to utilize local labor and retain current staff from the R.D. Morrow, Sr. Generating Station.