Minnkota Power Cooperative has solidified agreements with TC Energy, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and Kiewit to move a North Dakota carbon capture project into its final stage of development, according to a news release.
Under the arrangements, Minnkota will continue to lead development activities for “Project Tundra” at the Milton R. Young Station power plant, as well as coordination with landowners and community members in the project area near Center, N.D.
Closing on financing and the notice to move forward with construction of Project Tundra are anticipated in early 2024. The project remains subject to closing on financing and a final investment decision by each of the project entities in the consortium.
TC Energy will lead commercialization activities, including qualifying for federal 45Q tax credits. Return on project construction and operation costs would be recouped through 45Q, which provides $85 per ton of CO2 permanently stored underground.
In addition, the project participants submitted applications in May for a $350m grant through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program and a $150m loan through the state of North Dakota’s Clean Sustainable Energy Authority. The project currently has approval for a $100m CSEA loan.
Project Tundra is designed to capture up to four million metric tons of CO2 annually from the coal-based Young Station. The CO2 will be stored more than a mile underground. Minnkota currently has the largest fully permitted CO2 storage facility in the United States and is pursuing additional CO2 storage opportunities near the Young Station.
