Project Tundra

Project Tundra is a large-scale post-combustion carbon capture project being developed at Minnkota Power Cooperative's Milton R. Young lignite-fired power station (Unit 2) near Center, North Dakota. On August 13, 2026, Minnkota announced an updated joint development structure under which Reliant Carbon Capture & Storage, LLC (CEO Thomas McCarthy) assumes responsibility for the development, ownership, and operation of the capture facility, while Minnkota retains responsibility for CO₂ storage activities including management of its permitted geologic storage facilities and ongoing landowner engagement. Reliant's role expands from a previous engagement, replacing TC Energy which had withdrawn as a primary sponsor earlier in the project's development. The capture facility will use Baker Hughes' Chart cryogenic carbon capture technology, of which Reliant is the exclusive channel partner for U.S. coal-fired power plants, replacing the Fluor Econamine FG Plus amine technology evaluated in earlier front-end engineering design work. The modular Chart cryogenic system is designed for offsite manufacture and on-site assembly, which is expected to improve operational efficiency and reduce construction risks compared to the previously evaluated approach. The plant is sized to capture up to 5 million tonnes of CO₂ per year from the Young Station. Captured CO₂ will follow two parallel pathways: permanent geologic storage at Minnkota's permitted CO₂ sequestration facilities in North Dakota, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in the Bakken. Minnkota and Reliant are working with oilfield partners to develop the EOR channel; per Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) analysis, the Bakken could require as much as 100 million tonnes of CO₂ annually to support future production through EOR, with limited CO₂ supply currently the largest constraint on that opportunity. Development activities are expected to continue through 2027, with Final Investment Decision anticipated in 2027.