April 14, 2026 - Energy took center stage Monday in Minot as community members gathered to discuss the industry’s future.

The Minot Area Chamber EDC hosted their Energy Committee Meeting with speaker Jessica Bell, the vice president of external affairs for Rainbow Energy Center.

Rainbow Energy Center operates Coal Creek Station, one of the largest coal-fired power plants in North Dakota. Bell said the company’s approach to selling power into a regional grid sets it apart as a unique fossil fuel-based independent power producer.

She said the company is working to reshape how coal power operates in the country, with the goal of creating a model that other coal plants across the country can follow, to adapt to changing energy demands. 

“The increase in demand for electricity is only growing. Even if you exclude data centers, there’s an increase in electric demand for the first time in about a decade and so seeing all of those different pieces come together at this time is what makes it so important for us to be able to continue doing what we’re doing and grow what we’re doing,” Bell said.

Bell said Coal Creek Station sources its coal on-site and uses technology to improve efficiency while reducing emissions.