While Associated Electric Cooperative continues to develop renewable power and energy efficiency measures as important resources for meeting member systems' energy requirements, those resources will not be enough to meet members' growing electricity needs. To ensure continued reliability, Associated recently completed construction on the 540-megawatt Chouteau 2 combined-cycle natural gas plant adjacent to its existing Chouteau Power Plant in the Mid-America Industrial Park, Pryor, Okla.

Combined-cycle plants are among the most efficient type of gas plants with very low emissions. These combined-cycle units have greater efficiency than simple-cycle combustion turbine units because they employ both a steam turbine and a combustion turbine to power the generators.

Emissions limits for the Chouteau 2 plant are among the strictest ever issued in the country for combined-cycle gas plants, according to the air permit Associated received from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

In conjunction with the power plant, a 33-mile gas pipeline was constructed by Enogex LLC, provides gas delivery services for the plant.

The Chouteau 2 project was completed mid-2011.