Hardin Generating Station

{{#Badges:CoalSwarm}} The Hardin Generating Station is a 115.7-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power station in Big Horn, Montana.

Location

The plant is located in southern Montana, on the northern outskirts of Hardin.

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Plant Data

• Owner: Heorot Power
• Parent Company: Beowulf Energy
• Plant Nameplate Capacity: 115.7 MW (Megawatts)
• Units and In-Service Dates: Unit 1: 115.7 MW (2006)
• Location: 643 Industrial Park Rd, Hardin, MT 59034
• GPS Coordinates: 63.854972, -148.950891
• Technology: Subcritical
• Coal type: Sub-bituminous
• Coal Consumption:
• Coal Source: Absaloka Mine (Westmoreland Coal)
• Number of Employees:
• Unit Retirements: Unit has been inactive since December 2017 although the EIA 860 2018ER database still lists it as "Operable"

Power Plant's Future

In November 2017 owner Heorot Power said if the company can't find a buyer for the facility, it could close by the first or second quarter of 2018, as the plant has suffered economic losses since 2014. In May 2018 it was reported the plant may be acquired by blockchain and data processing interests for their power use.

In February 2019 is was reported that the FERC approved the sale of the power plant to the Big Horn Datapower Holdings. It is unknown at this point what the companies plans are with the facility, if they will run it for their power supply or just use their infrastructure to operate their bitcoin miners. According to the EIA 860 database 2018ER the plant is still listed as "Operable" although according to the EIA 923 database there has not been any sale of coal to the plant since December of 2017.

Background

Rocky Mountain Power is the local entity that owns the plant. It's operated by Colorado Energy, which is owned by Heorot Power, a subsidiary of Beowulf Energy. Rocky Mountain Power had the rights rights to construct the plant and was taken over by Centennial Power in March 2002.

The plant was built and is being operated by Colorado Energy Management, which is also a subsidiary of Centennial Power. (Both Centennial Power and Colorado Energy Management were part of the MDU Resources Group until they were bought by Bicent in July 2007.)

Montana Environmental Information Center appealed the air permit and in May 2005 settled with the company for installation of mercury controls.

Citizen groups

• Citizens for Clean Energy
• Montana Environmental Information Center
• Northern Plains Resource Council
• Climate Ground Zero
• Northern Rockies Rising Tide

Resources

Related SourceWatch Articles

• Montana and coal
• United States and coal
• Carbon Capture and Storage
• Existing U.S. Coal Plants
• US proposed coal plants (both active and cancelled)
• Coal plants cancelled in 2007
• Coal plants cancelled in 2008
• State-by-state guide to information on coal in the United States (or click on the map)

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External links

• "Tracking New Coal-Fired Power Plants", National Energy Tech Lab, May 1, 2007, page 16. (Pdf)
• "Stopping the Coal Rush", Sierra Club, accessed December 2007. (This is a Sierra Club list of new coal plant proposals.)