Power
Power and the grid
None energized or contracted yet
Combined-cycle natural gas plantProposed, not permitted
planned capacity (company); no siting certificate or air permit yet Company · Dec. 2025
Proposed
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- Oct. 2025Grid study applicationThe partners apply to the Southwest Power Pool's expedited resource adequacy study to test interconnection and transmission needs. Company · Oct. 2025
- Dec. 8, 2025Development MOU signedNextEra, Basin Electric and two member co-ops agree to explore building the plant under Basin's Large Load Commercial Program. Company · Dec. 2025
- Not setState siting certificate: not filedNo North Dakota Public Service Commission siting docket for the plant was found as of Oct. 2026. see Permits
- 2030Plant operations targetDeveloper's target, subject to permitting; construction typically takes up to 40 months. Company · March 2026
- Under Basin Electric's Large Load Commercial Program, the customer requesting service pays for the infrastructure needed to serve it. Company · March 2026
- The final investment decision depends on the grid study, permits, financing and confirmed long-term data-center demand. News report · Dec. 2025
- Gas supply would be supported by WBI Energy's proposed Bakken East pipeline. Company · Oct. 2025
Permits
Permits checklist
1 pending · 3 checked, nothing on file
Approvals the developer says the project needs, and what has been filed.
- ◷Regional grid study application PendingSouthwest Power Pool · Oct. 2025: study application, not a siting approval News report · Oct. 2025
- –Checked, nothing on file: Certificate of Site Compatibility, Air permit to construct, Conditional use permit for the gas plant
Risks
What could slow it down
- HighNo customerThe developer says the data-center customer has not been identified, and the investment decision depends on confirmed long-term demand. Company · March 2026
- HighCounty moratoriumMercer County paused data-center applications for a year in March 2026 while it writes an ordinance. News report · March 2026
- MediumState permits not filedNo siting certificate or air permit application for the plant has been found. Company · Oct. 2026
- WatchGrid study outcomeThe investment decision also waits on the Southwest Power Pool study results. News report · Dec. 2025
Money
Money on record
Not on record: final investment decision: gated on grid study, permits, financing and a customer News report · Dec. 2025
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- Oct. 2025Power NextEra and partners apply for a Southwest Power Pool grid study Company · Oct. 2025
- Dec. 8, 2025Site NextEra and Basin Electric announce an MOU for a 1,450 MW gas plant to anchor a data-center campus Company · Dec. 2025
- March 3, 2026Permits Mercer County passes a one-year moratorium on data-center applications, 3-2, after residents pack the room News report · March 2026
- March 18, 2026Site Basin Electric and NextEra brief the County Commission News report · March 2026
- March 30, 2026Site Open house in Stanton; developers project $18B of investment and about 230 jobs Company · March 2026
- April 17, 2026Permits NextEra tells the county it plans to apply for a conditional use permit for the gas plant (press) News report · April 2026
- 2027Construction Earliest site preparation for the gas plant, per the developer Company · March 2026
- 2030Power Target for the gas plant to begin operating Company · March 2026
The buildings
Specs
- Multi-gigawatt: how the developers describe the data-center campus; no MW stated Company · March 2026
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Developers
- NextEra Energy Resources: plant developer, optioning data-center land
- Basin Electric Power Cooperative: generation and transmission co-op, Large Load Commercial Program
- Upper Missouri Power Cooperative and Roughrider Electric Cooperative: member co-ops in the MOU
Decision-makers
- Mercer County Commission: moratorium and local zoning
- North Dakota Public Service Commission: siting certificate
- North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality: air and water permits
- Southwest Power Pool: grid study
Power partners
- WBI Energy: proposed Bakken East gas pipeline
Still unknown
Open questions
- Data-center tenant and load in MW.
- Southwest Power Pool study results.
- State siting and air permit filings.
Where this comes from
44 records from 12 documents
Drawn from company statements, news reports and public and commercial datasets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
Company 6News report 6Dataset 1
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 (12)
- NextEra FAQ timeline for the gas plant: site preparation as soon as 2027 possible, operations by 2030, subject to permitting (construction typically up to 40 months). No 2029 in-service date is stated in the company sour“The natural gas plant could begin site preparation as soon as 2027 and reach operations by 2030.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Project identity: River Run Energy Center: proposed combined-cycle natural gas generation facility in Mercer County, ND, intended as the foundation for an associated multi-gigawatt data center campus; primarily a power p“The River Run Energy Center is a proposed combined-cycle natural gas-fueled generation facility planned for Mercer County, North Dakota.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Data center component: associated multi-gigawatt data center campus described by the developers“Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric), in partnership with NextEra Energy Resources, is exploring the development of the River Run Energy Center and associated multi-gigawatt data center campus in Mercer County, North Dakota.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Utility: Basin Electric Power Cooperative (generation and transmission cooperative; project under its Large Load Commercial Program, in which the requesting customer funds the infrastructure needed to support it)“Under the program, the customer requesting service is responsible for the infrastructure costs needed to support it, helping insulate existing cooperative members from financial risk.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Plant location: Mercer County next to the existing Leland Olds 345-kV Substation off Highway 200; plant site about 150 acres; data center land options up to about 1,500 acres“The natural gas power plant is proposed to be located in Mercer County next to the existing Leland Olds 345-kV Substation off Highway 200.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: 1,450 MW“Approximately 1,450 MW plant in North Dakota, developed through Basin Electric's Large Load Commercial Program.”Company · Dec. 2025 · grade B
- Developer: NextEra Energy Resources, LLC and Basin Electric Power Cooperative, with member cooperatives Upper Missouri Power Cooperative and Roughrider Electric Cooperative“In December 2025, Basin Electric and NextEra Energy Resources signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the joint development of the River Run Energy Center”Company · Dec. 2025 · grade B
- Project status: announced / early development - MOU signed Dec 8, 2025; SPP Expedited Resource Adequacy Study application submitted Oct 2025; final investment decision gated on SPP study results, permitting, financing an“NextEra Energy Resources, LLC and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric) have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the joint development”Company · Dec. 2025 · grade B
- The ~1,450 MW figure is the PLANNED CAPACITY of the proposed combined-cycle plant (company-stated), which would anchor a 'multi-gigawatt' data center campus whose tenant is unnamed and whose load is unstated. Basis: plan“With a planned capacity of approximately 1,450 megawatts, the proposed facility would help meet demand from large-scale technology infrastructure such as data centers.”Company · Dec. 2025 · grade B
- Mercer County process is active but pre-application: Basin/NextEra briefed the County Commission Mar 18, 2026 and held a public open house in Stanton Mar 30, 2026; the county is drafting a data center ordinance, and Next“Representatives from NextEra Energy told the commission they plan to submit a conditional use permit (CUP) application for the proposed natural gas plant”News report · April 2026 · grade C
- Project status: early development; MOU signed Dec 2025, SPP Expedited Resource Adequacy Study application submitted Oct 2025, site studies and field surveys under way, open house held Mar 30, 2026; no ND PSC siting certi“In October, the companies submitted an application to the Southwest Power Pool Expedited Resource Adequacy Study process to evaluate interconnection and transmission requirements”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Fid status: no final investment decision; FID gated on SPP study results, permitting, financing and confirmed long-term data-center demand - i.e. no load is attached yet“NextEra and Basin Electric will base the final investment decision on the Southwest Power Pool study, permitting, financing, and confirmed long-term data-center demand.”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
Money and contracts (7)
- Basin Electric (open house report, Mar 30, 2026): the combined project (gas plant plus data center) is expected to bring over $18 billion in new investment, conservatively employ around 230 permanent full-time workers on“In total, the project includes both the natural gas generator and the data center, which is expected to bring over $18 billion in new investment to the area.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Tenant status: not identified - customer / data center tenant not yet identified; commercial discussions in progress“Not yet. We are still in the early stages of planning with commercial discussions currently in progress.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Land option agreements (data center land): land option for potential data center development 1500 acres (up to, footprint under option)“NextEra Energy Resources is securing land options for potential data center development with a footprint of up to approximately 1,500 acres.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- memorandum of understanding: joint development exploration - combined-cycle natural gas facility as foundation for a data center campus (Basin Electric Large Load Commercial Program; participating customers fund the infr“have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the joint development of a new combined-cycle natural gas-fueled generation facility”Company · Dec. 2025 · grade B
- Announced investment: 18 USD billions“developers highlighted the project's potential impact: an estimated $18 billion investment, approximately 230 direct jobs, and roughly $15 million in annual tax revenue.”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Memorandum of understanding (joint development): joint development exploration“have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the joint development of a new combined-cycle natural gas-fueled generation facility in Basin Electric's North Dakota service territory.”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
- FID depends on SPP study, permitting, financing and confirmed long-term data-center demand, and the developer confirms the customer has not been identified - the campus currently has no attached load or tenant“No public construction timeline or cost estimate exists yet.”News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
Permits and government (9)
- The associated data center has no identified customer or tenant: NextEra's FAQ states the customer has not been identified and commercial discussions are in progress; NextEra is securing land options for a data center fo“Not yet. We are still in the early stages of planning with commercial discussions currently in progress.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Basin Electric / NextEra Energy Resources (public open house):“Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin Electric), in partnership with NextEra Energy Resources, is exploring the development of the River Run Energy Center, a 1,450-megawatt combined-cycle natural gas generation facility”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Developer FAQ lists the ND PSC Certificate of Site Compatibility, NDDEQ air and : required before construction - not yet obtained / no application found“the project will also need to obtain a Certificate of Site Compatibility from the North Dakota Public Service Commission.”Company · March 2026 · grade B
- Month precision. NextEra Energy Resources and partners submitted an application : Application SUBMITTED (Oct 2025)“In October, the companies submitted an application to the Southwest Power Pool Expedited Resource Adequacy Study process to evaluate interconnection and transmission requirements”Company · Oct. 2025 · grade B
- Mercer County Commission:“Speakers from Basin Electric Power Cooperative and NextEra Energy Resources, along with Roughrider Electric Cooperative and the Lignite Energy Council, provided information and updates”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Moratorium pauses data center permitting for one year while the county develops : moratorium approved 3-2“On March 3, the Mercer County Commission narrowly approved a one-year moratorium on data center applications in the county”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Mercer County's Mar 3, 2026 one-year data center moratorium followed resident pressure for local control and zoning clarity; the county had no data center ordinance when River Run was announced in late Feb 2026 coverage“the desire to use the time to develop an ordinance that would govern data center applications and permitting.”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Mercer County Commission:“On March 3, the Mercer County Commission narrowly approved a one-year moratorium on data center applications in the county, after a packed room of local residents voiced their concerns”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Key early milestone evaluating interconnection and transmission requirements for: application submitted“In October, the companies submitted an application to the Southwest Power Pool Expedited Resource Adequacy Study process to evaluate interconnection and transmission requirements, a key milestone in advancing the project.”News report · Oct. 2025 · grade C
Site and other (1)
- County code: 38057“FCC Census Block API for site point 47.308982,-101.831767: Block FIPS 380579618001170; County FIPS 38057, Mercer County, North Dakota”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade A