What does it take to keep the lights on? Sixteen students representing six electric cooperatives across South Dakota took a bus to Bismarck, N.D., July 20-22 for a behind-the-scenes look at how electricity is generated and delivered.
Shiloh Senska of Woonsocket, the son of Scott and Sarah Senska, was selected to represent Central Electric Cooperative. During the trip, students toured the facilities and infrastructure involved in supplying electricity to homes and businesses while learning directly from energy industry professionals.
The group began at the Freedom Mine, where they watched large equipment in operation and saw coal being mined. They then followed the energy production process to the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, where coal is converted into products including natural gas, liquid carbon dioxide, fertilizers and fuels.
Students also visited Antelope Valley Station, a coal-fired power plant, to learn how electricity is generated. The excursion concluded at Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s headquarters, where students learned how electricity generation is coordinated and managed across a nine-state region.
Youth Excursion is organized by the South Dakota Rural Electric Association and sponsored by participating electric cooperatives. The program reflects the fifth cooperative principle—education, training and information—and gives young people an opportunity to explore the electric utility industry firsthand.
