Power
Power and the grid
Related generation and energy contracts (context, not added to campus supply)
- Coal Creek Station (existing lignite plant, 2 units) Operating1,151 MW; in service since 1979 and 1980; it sells to a cooperative under an existing contract and already feeds 225 MW of crypto mining, so spare capacity for a data center is not stated State agency · Oct. 2026
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- Jan. 6, 2022Minnesota approves the line transferThe Minnesota Public Utilities Commission moves the permit for the 436-mile direct-current line to a Rainbow affiliate, the last approval for the plant sale. State agency · Jan. 2022
- May 2, 2022Rainbow takes over the plantThe sale from Great River Energy closes after the cooperative had planned to shut the plant in 2022. Company · May 2022
- June 26, 2025Bakken gas pipeline announcedA partner proposes a 36-inch, 136-mile Phase I line of about 1.1 million Dth a day, with Rainbow as anchor shipper. Company · Jan. 2026
- Oct. 29, 2025Substation ready, contract unsignedRainbow tells state legislators its substation is ready and that it is negotiating exclusively with one developer. Company · Oct. 2025
- The only large load on site today is cryptocurrency mining (225 MW interruptible, plus Rainbow's own 4 MW), not AI or high-performance computing. Company · Oct. 2025
- A 436-mile, 1,172 MW direct-current line to Minnesota can carry the plant's power into the regional market. Company · Oct. 2025
- The existing sale included a Minnesota cooperative's contract for 1,050 MW for about two years, then 300 MW for about eight years. State agency · July 2021
- Federal generator inventory (EIA-860M, Aug. 2026) lists plant 6030 at 1,216 MW, status OP (operating). State agency · Oct. 2026
On-site generation on file
Generating now: federal monthly fuel and generation records (EIA-923) show the on-site plant producing power.
- Title V air operating permit North Dakota DEQ (Air Quality) · T5-F82006 · Operating permit of record for Coal… · Feb. 2024LEGACY - Coal Creek Station power plant permit (Rainbow Energy Center LLC, plant owner/operator since 2022); Predates and is unrelated to the proposed data center project, which has no permitsState agency · Feb. 2024
- First month reported to EIA: Jan. 2022 Dataset · Jan. 2022
- Net generation reported to EIA: 830,820.01 MWh Dataset · July 2026
- Net generation reported to EIA: 7,983,628.00 MWh Dataset · July 2026
Permits
Permits checklist
3 granted · 1 checked, nothing on file
Approvals a campus like this normally needs (including an air permit for backup or on-site generators), and what we found.
- ✓Rezoning of 800 acres, agricultural to commercial GrantedMcLean County Commission · June 17, 2025: 3-0; building permits still required, and the county may deny uses without adequate fire protection Local government · June 2025
- ✓Zoning change on 50.35 more acres GrantedMcLean County Commission · Oct. 21, 2025: 3-0; zoning classes not stated in the minutes Local government · Oct. 2025
- ✓Haze-rule air permit for the existing coal plant (BART) GrantedNorth Dakota DEQ and U.S. EPA · April 9, 2026: applies to the old plant, not the data center State agency · April 2026
- –Checked, nothing on file: Building permits
Risks
What could slow it down
- HighNo tenant or contractThe power contract is only under exclusive negotiation with an unnamed developer, and no tenant is announced. Company · Oct. 2025
- MediumScale mismatchThe approval cites up to 300 MW, but company slides cite tranches of 285 MW and 130 MW and a 2.1 GW contract, so the real size is unclear. Company · Oct. 2025
- MediumAging coal plantThe plant dates from 1979 and 1980; its former owner had planned to close it, and its future turns on federal and market support. News report · July 2025
- WatchLocal opposition historyA separate wind farm planned at the site was put on hold in 2024 because of local opposition. News report · July 2025
Money
Money on record
$250M+
invested at the energy park since the 2022 purchase (company says)
all park projects, not specific to data centers Company · Jan. 2026
$5M
state road loan the county applied for, Nov. 2025
no obligation to accept; an earlier $10.2M request was authorized in Oct. 2025; no loan agreement found Local government · Nov. 2025
- DOE funding bid: county letter of support, Nov. 2025 (for coal plant recommissioning and modernization funding; outcome not on record) Local government · Nov. 2025
- Terms undisclosed: 2021 sale of the plant and line to Rainbow (price never made public) News report · July 2021
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- 2020Site Great River Energy announces plans to shut Coal Creek Station in 2022 News report · 2020
- July 30, 2021Money Great River Energy's member cooperatives approve selling the plant and line to Rainbow, with a power contract back to the cooperative State agency · July 2021
- May 2, 2022Money Rainbow closes its purchase of Coal Creek Station and the direct-current line Company · Feb. 2022
- June 17, 2025Permits McLean County Commission rezones 800 acres for data-center outlots, 3-0 Local government · June 2025
- June 26, 2025Power Partner and Rainbow announce a 36-inch Bakken gas pipeline toward the site Company · Jan. 2026
- Oct. 21, 2025Permits County approves a 50.35-acre zoning change and authorizes a $10.2M road loan application Local government · Oct. 2025
- Oct. 29, 2025Power Rainbow tells legislators it is exclusively negotiating a power contract with an unnamed data center developer Company · Oct. 2025
- Nov. 25, 2025Money County backs a federal coal-plant funding bid and approves a $5M road loan application Local government · Nov. 2025
- Jan. 6, 2026Money Rainbow says it has invested more than $250M at the energy park since 2022 Company · Jan. 2026
- Oct. 7, 2026Site Market reporting still shows the expansion as planned, with no construction, tenant or building permit News report · Oct. 2026
The buildings
Specs
2 lignite units
Coal Creek Station, the state's largest coal plant, coal from the nearby Falkirk Mine
- Interruptible, behind the meter: how Rainbow says large loads would be served Company · Oct. 2025
- Water: not settled: a rural water line could serve office buildings; cooling water is under evaluation News report · June 2025
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Owners
- Rainbow Energy Center, LLC: plant owner and park developer
- Rainbow Energy Marketing Corp.: parent
- Nexus Line, LLC: owns the direct-current transmission line
Partners
- Intensity Infrastructure Partners: proposed gas pipeline
- Blue Flint Ethanol: neighboring biorefinery on plant steam
- Adakon Energy Solutions: 225 MW crypto mining customer
- Great River Energy: seller of the plant, power buyer, line operator
Decision-makers
- McLean County Commission: rezoning and building permits
- North Dakota DEQ: air permits
- Bank of North Dakota: road loan
Still unknown
Open questions
- Who the tenant is.
- Whether and when new gas generation is permitted.
- How much of the 1,151 MW is free for data centers.
- Size of the first phase.
Where this comes from
155 records from 36 documents
Drawn from news reports, company statements, state agency records, public and commercial datasets and local government records, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 11Company 8State agency 8Dataset 6Local government 4
Evidence
Every quote behind this page
Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.
Power (44)
- On-site generation: 1215.6 MW“Gen 1 and Gen 2: 2x 604.8 MW Conventional Steam Coal, status OP; Gen 4 and Gen 5: 2x 3.0 MW Petroleum Liquids, status SB; nameplate sum 1,215.6 MW”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- EIA status: OP (operating)“Generators 1 and 2 (604.8 MW each, Conventional Steam Coal) carry status (OP) Operating”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- EIA status: SB (standby/backup)“Generators 4 and 5 (3.0 MW each, Petroleum Liquids) carry status (SB) Standby/Backup: available for service but not normally used”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- On-site power technology: Conventional Steam Coal (ST)“Technology Conventional Steam Coal, prime mover ST, energy source RC: generators 1 and 2 at 604.8 MW each”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- On-site power technology: Petroleum Liquids (IC)“Technology Petroleum Liquids, prime mover IC, energy source DFO: generators 4 and 5 at 3.0 MW each”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Net generation reported to EIA: 830820.005 MWh“Plant Id 6030; Netgen July 2026: DFO 0 + DFO 49.395 + LIG 0 + RC 830770.61 (Megawatthours)”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- Net generation reported to EIA: 7983627.995 MWh“Plant Id 6030; sum of monthly Netgen, August 2025 through July 2026: 7983627.995 Megawatthours”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- Fuel burned, reported to EIA: 11285 barrels“Plant Id 6030; Reported Fuel Type Code DFO; Physical Unit Label barrels; Quantity summed August 2025 to July 2026: 11285”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- Fuel burned, reported to EIA: 91 barrels“Plant Id 6030; Reported Fuel Type Code DFO; Physical Unit Label barrels; Quantity July 2026: 91”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- Fuel burned, reported to EIA: 0 short tons“Plant Id 6030; Reported Fuel Type Code LIG; Physical Unit Label short tons; Quantity summed August 2025 to July 2026: 0”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- Fuel burned, reported to EIA: 0 short tons“Plant Id 6030; Reported Fuel Type Code LIG; Physical Unit Label short tons; Quantity July 2026: 0”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- Fuel burned, reported to EIA: 6302678 short tons“Plant Id 6030; Reported Fuel Type Code RC; Physical Unit Label short tons; Quantity summed August 2025 to July 2026: 6302678”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- Fuel burned, reported to EIA: 632634 short tons“Plant Id 6030; Reported Fuel Type Code RC; Physical Unit Label short tons; Quantity July 2026: 632634”Dataset · July 2026 · grade A
- First month reported to EIA: Jan. 2022“Plant Id 6030; Plant Name Coal Creek; Netgen January 2022 reported across Page 1 rows: DFO 0 + DFO 254.661 + LIG 0 + RC 825520.34”Dataset · Jan. 2022 · grade A
- County code: 38055“FCC census block find: plant polygon centroid 47.380883,-101.144048 returned County FIPS 38055 McLean County (block 380559608004333); Underwood converter substation centre 47.37348,-101.15642 also returned 38055 McLean County (block 380559608004330)”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Nearest power line of 345 kV or more: 0.99 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest gas pipeline: no gas pipeline within 40 km - nearest pipeline of any kind is 31.63 km away (, substance untagged)Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest substation of 345 kV or more: 1.24 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Rainbow and Intensity Infrastructure Partners announced a 36-inch natural gas pipeline project to fuel power growth at the energy park (Jan 6, 2026)“Intensity Infrastructure Partners and Rainbow Energy Center to Advance 36-Inch Natural Gas Pipeline Fueling Power Growth in North Dakota”Company · Jan. 2026 · grade B
- Intensity Infrastructure Partners and Rainbow Energy Center announced a 36-inch Bakken natural gas pipeline (Phase I: 136 miles, Watford City to near Washburn, ~1,100,000 Dth/d; Phase II: 208 miles to Casselton); Rainbow“Phase I includes construction of 136 miles of 36-inch natural gas transmission pipeline, with a capacity of approximately 1,100,000 Dth/d, originating near Watford City, ND, and terminating near Washburn, ND”Company · Jan. 2026 · grade B
- Name: Rainbow Energy Park (Coal Creek Station)“Produces reliable and affordable power - The pillar of Rainbow Energy Park”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Utility service: not stated“Independent Power Producer (IPP) - Not a traditional power utility or co-operative”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Utility: Rainbow Energy Center, LLC (own plant; IPP, no ratepayer utility)“Independent Power Producer (IPP) - Not a traditional power utility or co-operative”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Grid operator: MISO“Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) market participants”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Substation: Rainbow Substation“Rainbow Substation is ready to deliver power”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Transmission: Nexus Line: 436-mile HVDC (410 kV) line from Coal Creek Station to near Minneapolis, MN; can deliver up to 1,172 MW into MISO“436-mile HVDC (410 kV) transmission line that can deliver up to 1,172 MW of power into the MISO system near Minneapolis, Minnesota”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Power plan: onsite - behind-the-meter supply from Coal Creek Station“On-site, behind-the-meter, interruptible load allows real-time market adaptation while maintaining system reliability, locating large loads through MISO's processes”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Existing on-site load is cryptocurrency mining, not AI/HPC: Adakon Energy Solutions takes 225 MW interruptible behind the meter and Rainbow runs its own 4 MW liquid-immersion mining facility (Rainbow's Oct 2025 legislati“Onsite third-party load (225 MW) - Adakon Energy Solutions”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Rainbow's legislative deck lists Data Expansion tranches of 285 MW and 130 MW powered by Coal Creek Station and a 2.1 GW Power Purchase Agreement under exclusive negotiation - larger and differently-scoped than the 300 M“Data Expansion (285 MW & 130 MW) - Powered by Coal Creek Station”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Rainbow plans 2+ GW of new natural-gas generation anchored by Coal Creek to serve data-center load behind the meter (company deck). Not permitted; no MISO queue record found; not booked in any campus MW field.“2+ GW new natural-gas generation”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- On-site generation: 1,151 MW“Rainbow Energy Center, LLC plans to operate the 1,151-megawatt (MW) power plant using current plant employees they hire.”Company · May 2022 · grade B
- transmission construction permit transfer: approved“the sale of Coal Creek Station to Rainbow Energy Center LLC cleared its final regulatory hurdle. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission today unanimously approved the transfer of Coal Creek Station's high-voltage direct current transmission line”State agency · Jan. 2022 · grade B
- generator interconnection agreement amendment: order issued“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Dec. 30 issued an order effective on Jan. 1 approving an amended generator interconnection agreement between Great River Energy and the region's grid operator”Company · Jan. 2022 · grade B
- IT capacity: not stated“The approval, which was tendered in June, includes plans to develop data centers with a capacity of up to 300MW on the site.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- October 2026 market reporting (LandGate) still classifies the Coal Creek data-center expansion as planned; no construction, tenant or building permit for the park has been announced.“Rainbow Energy's planned data center expansion at the 1,151 MW Coal Creek Station in McLean County”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- On-site generation: 1,151 MW“The McLean County Commission recently approved the reclassification of about 800 acres near Rainbow Energy Center's 1,151-MW Coal Creek Station”News report · July 2025 · grade C
- Stated campus size: 300 MW“The approval, which was tendered in June, includes plans to develop data centers with a capacity of up to 300MW on the site.”News report · July 2025 · grade C
- A wind farm previously planned at the Coal Creek site was put on hold in 2024 due to local opposition (separate from GRE's 400 MW Discovery Wind, which uses HVDC transmission rights under the sale arrangements).“Plans for the wind farm were put on hold last year due to local opposition.”News report · July 2025 · grade C
- Registry status: DC PROJECT: ANNOUNCED ONLY, NO AGENCY ACTION“the McLean County Commission approved a request from Rainbow Energy to convert the zoning classification of 800 acres of land near the plant to commercial”News report · June 2025 · grade C
- Stated campus size: 300 MW“The approval, which was tendered in June, includes plans to develop data centers with a capacity of up to 300MW on the site”News report · June 2025 · grade C
- Interconnection status: direct-from-plant supply, no docket: the rezoned energy-park outlots would draw power directly from Coal Creek Station, whose owner Rainbow Energy Center is an independent power producer with no r“No project has been announced for the industrial park as of yet, according to county officials, with discussions ongoing.”News report · June 2025 · grade C
- Utility service: 300 MW“The 800 acres, located west of the plant's coal pile, will be developed into outlots for businesses, primarily data centers and potentially cryptocurrency operations, drawing 200 to 300 megawatts of power directly from Coal Creek Station”News report · June 2025 · grade C
- Utility: Rainbow Energy Center LLC (independent power producer) - park load is to be drawn directly from Coal Creek Station behind the meter; the plant also exports over the Nexus HVDC line to Minnesota“will be developed into outlots for businesses, primarily data centers and potentially cryptocurrency operations, drawing 200 to 300 megawatts of power directly from Coal Creek Station”News report · June 2025 · grade C
- Host plant context: former owner Great River Energy announced in 2020 its intention to shutter Coal Creek Station in 2022 - the closure plan that produced the 2021-22 sale to Rainbow.“the previous owner, Great River, a wholesale electric power cooperative, announcing its intention to shutter the plant back in 2020”News report · 2020 · grade C
Money and contracts (24)
- Construction stage: none - no data-center construction through Oct 2026; county advancing road-improvement loans for the site; Rainbow marketing outlots and negotiating a PPA“apply for a $5 million loan through the Bank of North Dakota (BND) Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund for a Rainbow Energy and Blue Flint Ethanol road project”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- state infrastructure loan application: amount 5000000 USD“apply for a $5 million loan through the Bank of North Dakota (BND) Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund for a Rainbow Energy and Blue Flint Ethanol road project”Local government · Nov. 2025 · grade A
- state infrastructure loan application: condition No obligation to accept the loan“approve the $5 million dollar BND loan application with the understanding that there is no obligation to accept the loan”Local government · Nov. 2025 · grade A
- state infrastructure loan application: amount rate term 10200000 USD“Erickson stated that the application is for $10.2 million at an interest rate of 2% for a 20-year loan term.”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- state infrastructure loan application: purpose Build up and pave the road leading to the Rainbow Energy Data Center; repayment via a special assessment district (discussed)“The funds will be used to build up and pave the road leading to the Rainbow Energy Data Center.”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- state infrastructure loan application: status FINDING: application authorized for submission only; no executed loan agreement appears in the county record opened“Erickson stated that the application is for $10.2 million at an interest rate of 2% for a 20-year loan term.”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- DOE awarded UND's EERC $38M (May 2023) for a carbon-capture FEED study at Coal Creek with Rainbow as partner; a planned on-site wind farm was put on hold amid local opposition (plant-level context, not DC capacity)“In May 2023, the University of North Dakota's Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) received US$38 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project at Coal Creek Station”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Stated capital cost: 250000000 USD“Since then, Rainbow has driven more than $250 million in investment at its energy park at Coal Creek Station”Company · Jan. 2026 · grade B
- Rainbow states more than $250 million has been invested at the Coal Creek energy park since the May 2022 acquisition (all park investments, not data-center-specific).“Since then, Rainbow has driven more than $250 million in investment at its energy park at Coal Creek Station”Company · Jan. 2026 · grade B
- Tenants: none announced for the park“Exclusively negotiating a PPA with an experienced data center developer”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Tenant status: negotiating - Rainbow states it is exclusively negotiating a PPA with an unnamed experienced data center developer“Exclusively negotiating a PPA with an experienced data center developer”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- power purchase agreement (data center): status FINDING: not executed - Rainbow states it is exclusively negotiating a PPA (deck labels it 2.1 GW) with an experienced data center developer; no executed PPA, lease, ESA or“Exclusively negotiating a PPA with an experienced data center developer”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Plant context: Rainbow applied to the ND Industrial Commission's Clean Sustainable Energy Authority for a $42.5M loan toward an $85M ash-beneficiation project at Coal Creek (EcoMaterial Technologies / Barr Engineering) -“The proposed total cost is $85,000,000, with $42,500,000 loan from the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) and $42,500,000 cash from Rainbow Energy Center, LLC”Company · May 2023 · grade B
- asset purchase agreement: scope Coal Creek Station power plant plus the 436-mile HVDC transmission system“Great River Energy's member cooperatives approved the updated agreement for the sale of Coal Creek Station and the high voltage direct current (HVDC) system to Rainbow Energy Center, LLC and Nexus Line, LLC”Company · Feb. 2022 · grade B
- asset purchase agreement: closing conditions Subject to regulatory approvals and GRE member approval; closing expected no earlier than May 1, 2022“The sale of Coal Creek Station and the HVDC system is expected to close no earlier than May 1.”Company · Jan. 2022 · grade B
- transmission O&M agreement: term GRE operates and maintains the HVDC system under contract 20 years“Great River Energy will continue to operate and maintain the HVDC system under a 20-year contract with Nexus Line.”Company · Jan. 2022 · grade B
- transmission rights agreement: scope GRE right to interconnect to the HVDC system and transmit 400 MW of wind energy delivered in Minnesota MW“an arrangement for Rainbow Energy Center and Nexus Line to provide Great River Energy with the right to interconnect to the HVDC system and transmit on it 400 MW of wind energy”Company · Jan. 2022 · grade B
- generator interconnection agreement (amended): point of interconnection Point of interconnection moved from Coal Creek Station Substation to Dickinson Substation (Minnesota terminus of the HVDC system); FERC order Dec 30“changes Coal Creek Station's point of interconnection on the electric grid from the Coal Creek Station Substation to the Dickinson Substation adjacent to the Minnesota terminus of the HVDC system”Company · Jan. 2022 · grade B
- power purchase agreement: volume and term 1,050 MW for approximately two years, then 300 MW for approximately eight years MW“GRE will buy 1,050 megawatts of power from Rainbow Energy Center for approximately two years, followed by 300 megawatts for approximately eight years”State agency · July 2021 · grade B
- power purchase agreement: termination FINDING: no termination, curtailment or pricing terms of the GRE PPA appear in any public document opened; the only public description is the volume/term summary in the Governor's re“GRE will buy 1,050 megawatts of power from Rainbow Energy Center for approximately two years, followed by 300 megawatts for approximately eight years”State agency · July 2021 · grade B
- Pending sale of Coal Creek Station to Rainbow Energy Center LLC and the HVDC system to Nexus Line LLC announced June 30, 2021; GRE member cooperatives approved the sale July 30, 2021 and reaffirmed an updated agreement F“Gov. Doug Burgum and Lt. Gov. Brent Sanford applauded today's vote by Great River Energy's member cooperatives to approve the sale of Coal Creek Station near Underwood to Rainbow Energy Center LLC”State agency · July 2021 · grade B
- Plant context: DOE awarded $38M to UND's Energy & Environmental Research Center for a carbon capture and storage FEED study at Coal Creek Station with Rainbow Energy Center (includes UIC Class VI permit work). Not campus“the University of North Dakota's Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) received US$38 million from the U.S. Department of Energy for a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project at Coal Creek Station”News report · May 2023 · grade C
- WDEA reported the Coal Creek sale financing included $150M from the Bank of North Dakota (Legacy Fund supported) and North Dakota Transmission Authority bonding.“Legacy Fund Supported Coal Creek - Financing Includes $150M from Bank of ND - ND Transmission Authority Bonding Also Used”News report · May 2022 · grade C
- asset purchase agreement: price FINDING: purchase price and other deal terms were not publicly disclosed in any source opened“Terms of the deal have not been publicly disclosed.”News report · July 2021 · grade C
Permits and government (16)
- air permit to construct (BART): EPA approval effective“Coal Creek Station Units 1 and 2. PTC21001 Air Pollution Control Permit to Construct for Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART)”State agency · April 2026 · grade A
- McLean County Commission: Rainbow Energy items: (1) letter of support for Rainbow Energy Center's application to the DOE Restoring Reliability: Coal Recommissioning and Modernization initiative; (2) application for a $5M“request the commission's support of Rainbow Energy Center's application for funding through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Restoring Reliability: Coal Recommissioning and Modernization initiative”Local government · Nov. 2025 · grade A
- zoning change: approved“approve the request submitted by Rainbow Energy Center requesting a zoning change on land described as Section 18, Township 145 North, Range 82 West (50.35 acres)”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- right-of-way / boring permit (fiber): approved“approve the permit for WRT to install fiber cable telecommunications facilities to provide diversity to Rainbow Energy facilities”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- McLean County Commission: Rainbow Energy items: (1) zoning change on 50.35 acres (Sec. 18, T145N R82W); (2) Bank of North Dakota Infrastructure Revolving Loan Fund application ($10.2M, 2%, 20 years) for the road to the R“The funds will be used to build up and pave the road leading to the Rainbow Energy Data Center.”Local government · Oct. 2025 · grade A
- Rezoning date: June 17, 2025“This land will provide a commercial zone to be divided into outlots for data centers or other commercial business that will be constructed after obtaining any required building permits from the county.”Local government · June 2025 · grade A
- Construction stage: none - land rezoned agricultural to commercial on June 17, 2025; no building permits issued; no specific project announced“This land will provide a commercial zone to be divided into outlots for data centers or other commercial business that will be constructed after obtaining any required building permits from the county.”Local government · June 2025 · grade A
- Announced: June 17, 2025“This land will provide a commercial zone to be divided into outlots for data centers or other commercial business that will be constructed after obtaining any required building permits from the county.”Local government · June 2025 · grade A
- rezoning (zoning change): approved“This land will provide a commercial zone to be divided into outlots for data centers or other commercial business that will be constructed after obtaining any required building permits from the county.”Local government · June 2025 · grade A
- McLean County Commission: Rainbow Energy Center, LLC application to rezone 800 acres from agricultural to commercial for data-center outlots (Secs. 13/18, T145N R82-83W), concurring with Planning & Zoning Commission“This land will provide a commercial zone to be divided into outlots for data centers or other commercial business that will be constructed after obtaining any required building permits from the county.”Local government · June 2025 · grade A
- Air Pollution Control Permit to Construct (BART): Issued; state effective July 27, 2022; approved into the ND State Implementation Plan by EPA (91 FR 11474, Mar 10, 2026)“Air Pollution Control Permit to Construct for Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART)”State agency · March 2026 · grade B
- North Dakota Legislative Interim Energy Development and Transmission Committee: Rainbow Energy Center briefing at Coal Creek Station on the plant, the Nexus Line and the Rainbow Energy Park data-center plans“Exclusively negotiating a PPA with an experienced data center developer”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Title V air operating permit: Operating permit of record for Coal Creek Station (cited in the permittee's own 2023 CCR Fugitive Dust Control Report, posted Feb 2024)“air emissions are regulated by the NDDEQ in accordance with the Air Pollution Control Title V Operating Perming, Permit Number T5-F82006”State agency · Feb. 2024 · grade B
- UIC Class I nonhazardous waste injection permit (modification): Permit modification noticed for public comment December 5, 2022 (Rainbow Energy Center, 2875 Third Street SW, Underwood); base permit held by the plant oper“to revise Rainbow Energy Center's (Rainbow) Class I nonhazardous waste underground injection control permit ND-UIC-106”State agency · Dec. 2022 · grade B
- McLean County Commission approved rezoning ~800 acres from agricultural to commercial (Jun/Jul 2025), enabling the data center development“The McLean County Commission recently approved the reclassification of about 800 acres near Rainbow Energy Center's 1,151-MW Coal Creek Station”News report · July 2025 · grade C
- Water supply: McLean-Sheridan rural water line identified for administrative buildings; data-center cooling water supply still under evaluation (county hearing reporting)“a McLean-Sheridan water line could support administrative buildings, with further evaluations ongoing for additional needs”News report · June 2025 · grade C
Site and other (14)
- County code: McLean County, ND (38055)“involving land described as the N of Section 13, Township 145 North, Range 83 West and the N of Section 18, and SW of Section 18, Township 145 North, Range 82 West involving 800 acres”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- McLean County approved a letter of support for Rainbow Energy Center's application to the U.S. DOE Restoring Reliability: Coal Recommissioning and Modernization initiative (plant modernization funding).“request the commission's support of Rainbow Energy Center's application for funding through the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Restoring Reliability: Coal Recommissioning and Modernization initiative”Local government · Nov. 2025 · grade A
- Developer: Rainbow Energy Center, LLC“involving land described as the N of Section 13, Township 145 North, Range 83 West and the N of Section 18, and SW of Section 18, Township 145 North, Range 82 West involving 800 acres”Local government · June 2025 · grade A
- Acres: 800 acres“involving land described as the N of Section 13, Township 145 North, Range 83 West and the N of Section 18, and SW of Section 18, Township 145 North, Range 82 West involving 800 acres”Local government · June 2025 · grade A
- Original target date: not stated“Construction - Anticipated soon”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Current target date: not stated“Construction - Anticipated soon”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Land owner: Rainbow Energy Center, LLC“800 acres of Rainbow owned land has been commercially zoned and marketed as available”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- City: Underwood“Formed by long-time business partners, Rainbow acquired Coal Creek Station near Underwood, ND in May 2022”Company · May 2022 · grade B
- Announced: June 30, 2021“The pending sale to Rainbow Energy Center and Nexus Line was announced June 30, 2021.”Local government · June 2021 · grade B
- Aliases: Coal Creek Data Center (tracker name); Rainbow Energy Center energy park“No project has been announced for the industrial park as of yet, according to county officials, with discussions ongoing.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Stage: announced only“No project has been announced for the industrial park as of yet, according to county officials, with discussions ongoing.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Project status: announced only“No project has been announced for the industrial park as of yet, according to county officials, with discussions ongoing”News report · July 2025 · grade C
- Host plant: Coal Creek Station - two lignite-fired steam units, in service 1979 and 1980; North Dakota's largest coal plant“The Coal Creek plant, with two units that came online in 1979 and 1980, respectively, has sent electricity to Minnesota for many years.”News report · July 2025 · grade C
- Site acres: 800 acres“The McLean County Commission has approved a request from Rainbow Energy Center to rezone 800 acres of land near Coal Creek Station from agricultural to commercial”News report · June 2025 · grade C