Leland Olds — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 2817
- Capacity
- 656 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Lignite
- Technology
- Conventional Steam Coal
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Mercer, ND
- Operating Since
- 1966
- Generators
- 2
- Operator
- Basin Electric Power Coop
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 2,354,003 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 41.2%
- Balancing Authority
- Southwest Power Pool
- ISO/RTO
- SPP
- NERC Region
- MRO
Leland Olds
OperatingLignite
Ranked #3 of 4 Lignite plants in ND#4 of 9 nationally
656 MW Lignite operating in Mercer, ND — Southwest Power Pool
EIAWD
656 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Steam Coal
Technology
1966
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
47.2808, -101.3212
County
Mercer, ND
Nearby Plants
- Coal CreekDistillate Oil1215.6 MW · 16.4 km
- FPL Energy Oliver Wind I LLCWind50.6 MW · 17.0 km
- FPL Energy Oliver Wind II LLCWind48 MW · 17.0 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Basin Electric Power Coop | — | — |
| Owner(s) | Basin Electric Power Coop | — | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Ownership Chain
No GEM tracker match for this plant — ownership chain unavailable.
About
Leland Olds is a 656 MW coal-fired power plant located in Mercer County, North Dakota. The plant, which began operating in 1966, utilizes conventional steam coal technology and is primarily fueled by lignite (LIG). It consists of two generators and is owned and operated by Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Leland Olds ranks as the third-largest of four power plants in North Dakota, and 4th of 8 nationally, based on a proprietary ranking.
The plant operates within the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) balancing authority and the Midcontinent Reliability Organization (MRO) NERC region. In the most recent year with available data, Leland Olds generated 2,354,003 MWh, achieving a capacity factor of 41.2%. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $1,323.22 per kW, based on FERC filings. The plant has been the subject of 10 news articles, with coverage split between industry (6 articles) and regulatory (4 articles) topics.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
MRO
Balancing Authority
Southwest Power Pool
Grid Voltage
345 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Cooperative
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
265.7K MWh
Latest Month
2.4M MWh
Annual Generation
41.2%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2023 – Dec 2025
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1HIGH
$1,321/kW
Installed Cost
$44.6/MWh
Operating Cost
basin electric power cooperative (pudl determined)
Reporting Utility
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
HIGH confidencePoint of Interconnection
Nearest Substation
230kV Leland Olds Switchyard · 230 kV
Substation Distance
< 10 km
Operator
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
Coord Source
OSM spatial
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
SPP
LMP Node
WAUELELANDOUNLELAND_2_UNIT_RA
Pricing Hub
SPP North Hub
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
News & Articles (10)Beta
General
Toxic Coal Ash in North Dakota: Addressing Coal Plants’ Hazardous Legacy
Massive quantities of coal ash are stored at eight power plant sites in North Dakota.
Earthjustice·6 months ago
Industry·corporate
Toxic Coal Ash in North Dakota: Addressing Coal Plants’ Hazardous Legacy
Massive quantities of coal ash are stored at eight power plant sites in North Dakota.
Earthjustice·6 months ago
Regulatory·federal policy
Federal coal leases fast-tracked in North Dakota; environmental groups object
Companies seeking to mine coal on federal land in North Dakota are gaining traction under Trump administration policies,...
North Dakota Monitor·6 months ago
Industry·corporate
Coal Creek Station among 70 coal plants in U.S. granted emissions exemptions
The Coal Creek Station and four other ND power plants, are on the list of coal-fired power plants nationwide getting two-year exemptions...
Coal Creek Station (operator)
KX News·11 months ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 10 articles