GCC’s Rapid City Plant partnered with Black Hills Energy to move to wind energy in the next year. GCC – Rapid City joined Black Hills Energy’s Renewable Ready Program; the program will also provide about 50% of the cement plant’s electricity needs for the next 15 years.
“By choosing low-cost renewable energy resources to power our business, we’re able to advance our business goals and sustainability objectives while also supporting the expansion of affordable, renewable energy development in the region,” said Ron Henley, U.S. Division president. “Clean energy is both good for the planet and good for our company.”
Black Hills Energy will build a wind-power generating facility in 2020 to supply the energy. Located near Cheyenne, Wyoming, the Corriedale Wind Energy Project will produce energy by the first quarter of 2021. They will share this energy with subscribers in both South Dakota and Wyoming. The program was designed for large commercial and also industrial customers and governmental agencies in the company’s electric service territories in South Dakota and Wyoming.
Converting to wind energy will reduce GCC-Rapid City’s CO2 emissions about 50,000 metric tons annually. That’s the equivalent of taking 11,000 cars off the road each year. (The Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] estimates that the average passenger vehicle emits approximately 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This number can also vary based on a vehicle’s fuel, fuel economy, and the number of miles driven per year.)
About GCC
GCC (BMV: GCC*) is a leading supplier and also producer of cement, concrete, aggregates and construction‐related services in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Annual cement production capacity is 5.8 million metric tons. The company employs approximately 3,000 employees in the U.S. (Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah and Wyoming) and in Chihuahua, Mexico.
About GCC’s Rapid City Plant
GCC purchased Dacotah Cement from the state of South Dakota in 2001. The original plant opened in 1925. GCC Rapid Cty has a clinker production capacity of 1.2 million short tons. This ranks it in the top 20% of plants in the United States. The plant operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and also has approximately 115 full-time employees.
About Black Hills Energy
Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) is a customer focused, growth-oriented utility company with a tradition of improving life with energy and a vision to be the energy partner of choice. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, the company serves 1.27 million natural gas and also electric utility customers in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com and www.blackhillsenergy.com.
