Jamestown, ND (KCSi-T. V. News) — The Jamestown/Stutsman Development Corporation (JSDC) Board of Directors, this month heard updates, and plans for two projects.

On Wednesday’s (Oct 10, 2012) Wayne Byers Show on CSi Cable 2, JSDC, Business Development Coordinator, DeAnn Brunner said, Dale Enerson, the cooperative member services specialist for North Dakota Farmers Union, spoke to the board.

He said, with the CHS, Inc., Spiritwood Nitrogen Project, that the supply of natural gas, a by-product of oil extraction in western North Dakota, is increasing and prices are decreasing, while at the same time fertilizer prices are rising.

The CHS plant’s primary input will be natural gas, piped in from the Oil Patch by two pipelines, currently 40 –miles away from the Spiritwood site, and will be extended to the CHS plant.

The 75 billion BTUs of natural gas the Spiritwood Nitrogen Project is scheduled to use each day is still less than the amount of natural gas flared in western North Dakota.

Ms. Brunner said originally, officials were looking at locating the plant in the western North Dakota, oil patch,that would have placed the plant close to the supply.

The Spiritwood plant is expected to produce 2,200 tons of anhydrous ammonia per day.

Anhydrous ammonia, used as a nitrogen fertilizer for farm crops, can be converted into urea and liquefied nitrogen, also used as fertilizer.

Ms. Brunner pointed out that Enerson said, the feasibility studies are complete and look good, adding that already under way is a $10 million engineering study that could take about six months.

Groundbreaking for the CHS plant is expected in the spring.

“Site preparation will take about a year, followed by heavy construction.

Total construction is scheduled to last about three years with a total of 2,000 workers involved in construction at various stages.

Ms. Brunner pointed out that at any one time, expected that about 400-800 construction workers will be on site.

She added that the City of Jamestown is planning for housing and other issues associated with the influx of construction workers, the possible temporary housing, and eventually the added population from the permanent workers at the plant, estimated at about 150- or more.

Plant production is scheduled to begin at Spiritwood, in 2016.

On another topic, Ms. Brunner said, Thursday (Oct 11, 2012) is the date by which closing comments are being received by the Environmental Protection Agency, period for the GRE ethanol plant at Spiritwood Energy Park.

She said the ethanol plant, following the approval of the EPA, could break ground this winter.