Wyoming ITC & Basin Electric finalize partnership to move clean carbon technology project forward

The Wyoming Integrated Test Center (ITC) took another step forward this week in efforts to facilitate the next generation of clean carbon technology, finalizing a lease and operating agreement with Basin Electric Power Cooperative to allow the ITC to be built and operated at Dry Fork Station. Dry Fork Station is operated by Basin Electric and co-owned by Basin Electric and the Wyoming Municipal Power Agency.

“The commitment and hard work of all of the ITC partners is what has made this project possible,” said Jason Begger, Executive Director of the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority. “Basin Electric has been an invaluable teammate for the State of Wyoming and their Dry Fork Station in the heart of coal country is a perfect host site for the ITC.”

“This week marks an important step forward in this innovative project,” says Paul Sukut, Basin Electric CEO and general manager. “We are pleased to be the host site for a project that holds considerable promise for not only clean coal technology but our nation’s energy future. We appreciate the State of Wyoming’s leadership and commitment toward advancing innovative solutions for coal and look forward to seeing the project unfold.”

The Wyoming Infrastructure Authority (WIA), the agency charged with managing the pre-commissioning phase of the project, finalized a contract with Basin Electric last week to lease the site at Basin’s Dry Fork Station for a period of ten years. Eight years of the contract are designated for research activities and the last two years for reclamation.

With the agreement between the WIA and Basin Electric formalized, ITC stakeholders are now working to finalize a Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify candidates and select initial users to lease test bays at the testing site. The RFP is expected to be released by the end of September.

Phase II of the construction process for the ITC is slated to begin this fall.

The ITC will provide space for researchers to test Carbon Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) technologies using 20 MW of actual coal based flue gas. The ITC will feature six demonstration sites, five small sites and one large site. Each test center will be provided with flue gas, power, and service water from the Dry Fork Station. The test centers will have access to varying levels of power based on their specific project needs. It is expected that the ITC will be available for Testing in Early October 2017. 

For more on the ITC, please visit www.wyomingitc.org.