Power plant dedicated near Culbertson

CULBERTSON, Mont. (AP) — About 200 people attended a dedication ceremony for a $100 million natural gas-fired power plant in northeastern Montana, the first generation facility commissioned in the state in four years.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative owns the 91-megawatt Culbertson Generation Station, which will be used to provide peaking power — the extra electricity needed during times of high demand.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer told those gathered near Culbertson Thursday that the plant comes at an opportune time because the nearby oil activity increased demand for electricity.

The plant will generate about $700,000 in property taxes for the first 10 years, and about $1.4 million annually after a tax break expires.

NorthWestern Energy's Mill Creek generating facility near Anaconda is scheduled to come online near Anaconda.

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