Great River Energy byproduct being used internationally
Underwood, ND (March 11, 2002) - Flyash from Great River Energy’s Coal Creek Station near Underwood, N.D. is being used by U.S. Army combat engineers for quick repairs on airport runways and various concrete structures in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
John Ward, vice-president of marketing for ISG Resources, Inc, which is Great River Energy’s flyash marketing company, said Army engineers have used SwiftCrete to repair combat related damage to runways and are currently exploring other battlefield uses for the product. SwiftCrete sets in only 15 minutes, allowing front line repairs to be done rapidly.
Ward said Coal Creek Station’s flyash is an ingredient in their new product called SwiftCrete. SwiftCrete is an all-purpose concrete and asphalt repair and anchor cement that is chemically activated to create a product that sets fast, bonds well and attains high strengths.
“In addition to SwiftCrete’s performance characteristics, Army combat engineers were attracted to the product’s innovative packaging,” Ward added. The product is provided in 50-pound weather-tight plastic pails with the chemical activator and all of the liquid needed to prepare SwiftCrete for pouring.
“Soldiers can even mix the product inside the pail, making the product completely portable and self-contained,” Ward said.
Great River Energy produces nearly 600,000 tons of flyash as a byproduct of consuming nearly 7.2 million tons of lignite at Coal Creek Station. Coal Creek Station’s flyash, which is becoming known for its superior quality, is primarily marketed in a six-state region.
“We feel it is very significant that our ash is being used in such a crucial operation,” said Al Christianson, Great River Energy’s North Dakota byproducts coordinator. “I could have never imagined that it would be used on an international scale.”
Coal Creek Station’s flyash is mainly used as a replacement for Portland Cement; however, there are many other uses. It is also incorporated in roofing shingles, carpet backing, ceramic tiles and ceiling tiles.
SwiftCrete is currently produced in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Ward said it will soon be available for do-it-yourselfers. Ward said it will be sold through retail outlets and will be configured to set in about 45 minutes.
Great River Energy, based in Elk River, is a generation and transmission cooperative with 29 members, serving customers in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Great River Energy owns and operates Coal Creek Station and Stanton Station in North Dakota.
ISG Resources, Inc., based in Salt Lake City, is the leader in marketing performance building materials from coal combustion products.
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