• Membership – Project Tundra ensures Minnkota can retain a     reliable and resilient resource in its power supply mix, while also making progress toward decarbonization goals. Operation of the Young Station over the next 20 years helps Minnkota fully utilize its investment in the facility and provides time for the Minnkota membership to financially     position for its next power supply decision.
• Locally – Project Tundra helps secure the future operation of     the Milton R. Young Station, which is the economic driver for Oliver County. About 375 direct, good-paying jobs are tied to the power plant and mine operations. Hundreds of construction jobs and about 40 full-time positions would be created if the project moves forward.
• State – Project Tundra has a significant level of support     from the state of North Dakota, the legislature and the congressional delegation – all of whom have helped advance the project. North Dakota is     committed to carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) to help ensure its coal, oil and agricultural sectors can continue to thrive in a     carbon-managed future.
• Nation and world – The nation needs to prioritize the reliability and resiliency of the electric grid while it strives to reduce carbon emissions. Carbon capture technology can ensure the continued operation of     coal and natural gas resources, which are essential to the strength of the grid. From a global perspective, it is virtually impossible to meet     decarbonization goals without carbon capture. Leadership in technology development must come from the United States, and Project Tundra can help     serve as a blueprint for how to drive down emissions without sacrificing reliability.

A final decision on whether Project Tundra moves forward with construction is anticipated in mid-2024. The project collaborators are currently in the final stage of project development. Work will continue through spring of 2024 to help find efficiencies, complete due diligence and develop a final construction-ready design.

The vast majority of capital and operating costs will be funded through the federal 45Q tax credit, which works similarly to the kinds of tax credits that wind and solar projects have utilized for decades. The tax credit provides $85 per ton of CO₂ that is permanently stored underground over a 12-year period. The project has secured $250 million in low-interest financing through the state of North Dakota’s Clean Sustainable Energy Authority (CSEA) and is in pursuit of other funding opportunities.

Project Tundra is anticipated to have minimal to no impact on electricity rates for Minnkota’s member cooperatives, which serve eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.

Project Tundra’s team has been and will be active in communicating with area landowners and other key stakeholders to ensure all development continues to be transparent and collaborative. Meetings, educational sessions and other opportunities to inform the public on Project Tundra and carbon capture technology have been pursued.

Renewable energy sources (like wind and solar) are important pieces of our energy grid, but they cannot stand alone. These resources are intermittent, meaning they can only transmit usable energy when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing. Utility-scale battery storage to hold this intermittent electricity is still in the early stages of development. The electric grid still needs baseload sources of energy (like coal, natural gas and nuclear) to keep electricity available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Carbon capture is a safe and proven technology that has been in use for decades. As of early 2023, the International Energy Agency estimated 35 commercial projects operating around the world. In the United States alone, more than 100 carbon capture projects are under development.

Years of planning, research and development specific to Project Tundra have been conducted. This includes engineering of the capture facility and research on the underground storage facility, which includes drilling, sampling, and data collection, as well as geophysical survey work using seismic technology. The data shows that North Dakota’s geology is ideal for CO₂ storage.

There is very high confidence that all stored CO₂ will remain permanently trapped in the selected storage zones. The CO₂ will be stored more than mile underground in the same deep rock layers that currently hold water that is saltier than that in the ocean. The saltwater already in the storage site has stayed in place for millions of years and is held there by several layers of sealing rock called cap rocks.

No, freshwater aquifers are located nearly a mile from targeted CO₂ storage zones. Thick, dense layers of cap rock separate the CO₂ from the freshwater aquifers and prevent it from leaking.

Yes, strict state and federal regulations are in place for CO₂ storage. The regulatory framework covers carbon capture and transport, storage property rights, and long-term monitoring of the stored CO₂. A wide array of monitoring technologies will be used to track CO₂ movement in the subsurface, including down-hole and surface CO₂ sensors.

Yes, even at the most conservative estimates, scientists believe the available storage capacity far exceeds what is needed to store the predicted amount of CO₂.

North Dakota’s stable geology makes the likelihood of earthquakes very remote. CO₂ storage projects around the world have not reported significant changes in seismic activity. Advanced seismic testing has not shown earthquake-related risks.

North Dakota’s stable geology makes the likelihood of earthquakes very remote. CO₂ storage projects around the world have not reported significant changes in seismic activity. Advanced seismic testing has not shown earthquake-related risks.