Energy Trail Tour 2026
Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative and Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative invite you to join us for one of three Energy Trail Tours being offered this summer. This 3-day adventure will allow you to experience, first-hand, how your power providers convert energy from water, wind, and coal into electricity. View coal being mined and see how those mines are then returned to productive farm and native grass lands. Enjoy interactive walking tours through a hydroelectric and coal-fired energy generation facility and other stops along the way. Meet other cooperative member-owners while traveling together across the Dakotas on-board a motor-coach bound for the North Dakota's Energy Loop. $100 per couple covers your lodging, meals and entry fees. The remainder of your tour costs are covered by Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative. Eight lucky couples from Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative will be selected at random from those who sign up.
Tour Dates:
June 24-26, 2026
July 8-10, 2026
July 15-17, 2026​
What's it all about?
Tour the Oahe Dam and Powerhouse in Pierre, SD. One of the world's largest earth-rolled dams, Oahe Dam and Lake provide more than $371 million in annual benefits to the American people. Other authorized benefits include flood control, power generation, recreation, navigation support and fish & wildlife enhancement. Seven turbine generators at the Oahe Powerhouse generate a maximum capacity of 118.2 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power the annual electric needs of 259,000 homes.
Learn about the Great Plains Synfuels Dakota Gasification Company Plant, the only commercial-scale coal gasification plant in the country that manufactures natural gas using the Lurgi gasification technology. Located NW of Beulah, ND, it is capable of producing 13 products, including: synthetic natural gas (SNG), ammonium sulfate, anhydrous ammonia, carbon dioxide, cresylic acid, krypton and xenon gases, liquid nitrogen, naphtha, phenol, tar oil, and urea.
Tour the Dakota Coal Company Freedom Mine, which delivers approximately 16 million tons of lignite coal per year, making it the largest mine in the US in deliveries. The mine reclaims about 600 acres of land annually. Here you'll learn how lignite coal is produced at the surface mine and how the land is reclaimed according to strict high environmental preservation standards. A guided drive-through tour will bring you into active mining areas where you can see giant earth moving equipment in action.
Tour the Antelope Valley Station, the newest coal-based power plant in North Dakota. Its two units, each rated at 450 megawatts, are designed to be environmentally sound. Basin Electric consistently invests in environmental control technologies for all of its facilities. At the Antelope Valley Station, you'll learn how electricity is made. The tour includes an overview in the model room, guided walking tour of the power plant with stops at the turbine deck, control room, boiler and observation deck on the 17th floor!
How to Sign Up:​
Fill out the coupon located on the back of the bill received in February, February bill insert, Spring Quarterly newsletter, or below. Fill out tour dates for first and second choice. Return to ILEC by April 24, 2026, and the names will be selected at random. Call 800-225-4532 with any questions.
