Stanton Station:
One of
many power plants
owned & operated by GRE.
Where does Arrowhead Electric Generate Electricity?
Surprisingly to many people, AECI does not generate any electricity. Rather, AECI is a
member of Great River Energy (GRE), a Generation & Transmission (G&T) cooperative based
in Elk River, MN. GRE's primary generation capabilities are based at Coal Creek Station in
North Dakota. Coal Creek, as you may have guessed from its name uses Lignite (a form of
coal) to produce energy. In addition to Coal Creek, GRE also owns and operates Stanton
Station, based in Stanton, ND. This plant also uses coal to generate electricity. In addition to
coal based generation, GRE also generates or purchases electricity from sources using
Natural Gas, Wind, & Hydro power. Visit GRE to learn more about your generation sources.
electricity generation, transmission & distribution
ARROWHEAD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC.
Transmission Lines - The Link between Generation and Arrowhead Electric
Recently, we've heard a lot in the news about transmission lines. From the blackout
throughout the Great Lakes and the northeast part of the country to local issues facing all of
us. Transmission Lines provide a means to transport electricity in large volumes between a
generation station and a local distribution point. Transmission lines can vary greatly in size
and structure dependent upon the quantity of electrical load needed to be carried on them. At
Arrowhead Electric, we are served by Transmission Lines owned by Great River Energy (GRE).
GRE's 69kV transmission line is able to carry enough electricity to power the entire AECI
service area as well as carry power needed to serve the City of Grand Marais, which is a
municipal utility - separate of AECI. Visit http://www.minnelectrans.com/ to learn more!
Distribution of power to your home or business
Along transmission routes, utility companies build and maintain substations to deliver
electricity to be delivered to you - our members. AECI owns and maintains
five (5) substations. Substations provide a means for electricity to be lowered to acceptable levels so that local distribution lines can be used to deliver electricity to your home or business. Distribution lines can be both Overhead or Underground - both of which have their pros and cons. Once close to your location, a transformer is used to again, lower the voltage of electricity so it can be carried along a secondary power line to your meter. It is at this point that AECI's job of delivering reliable, cost effective energy is complete. Not enough? Click here for more info.
