Lignite Energy Council

The Lignite Energy Council shall protect, maintain and enhance development of our region’s abundant lignite resource.

The primary objective of the Lignite Energy Council is to maintain a viable lignite coal industry and enhance development of the region’s lignite coal resources for use in generating electricity, synthetic natural gas and valuable byproducts.  Members of the Lignite Energy Council include mining companies, major users that use lignite to generate electricity, synthetic natural gas and other valuable byproducts, and businesses that provide goods and services to the lignite industry.

Lignite is Abundant and Accessible

Western North Dakota has over an 800-year supply of lignite that is currently accessible and economically feasible to recover.  Lignite is more accessible than other types of coal because lignite veins are located relatively near the surface, eliminating the need for underground excavation in tunnels. Surface mining also eliminates the risk of methane or carbon monoxide buildup, a primary safety concern in underground mining.  Lignite mining is not totally without risk. As lignite mines are excavated, there is some risk that the pit’s tall, sloped earthen walls could collapse after a heavy rain. However, such incidents are extremely rare, in part because the industry has developed constant monitoring systems to alert managers when weather might be affecting mining conditions. The most common accidents in lignite mining are associated with the maintenance and operation of the heavy equipment required to dig and haul the coal. Injuries are rare and usually minor.  Safety is an ongoing priority for the companies that mine lignite in North Dakota. In September 2005, North Dakota’s Freedom Mine won the “Sentinels of Safety” Award from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration. The award is a special recognition for large surface coal mines.

Lignite-Generate Electricity is Produced in an Environmentally Responsible Manner

Lignite is used in an environmentally responsible manner by power plants.  Lignite-fired power plants have invested about $2 billion in state-of-the-art technology to keep our air clean. This investment accounts for 20 to 30 percent of the cost of a power plant.  North Dakota is one of only 14 states in the nation that meets all of EPA's strict federal ambient air quality standards (Arkansas, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont and Washington).