A plan announced by CHS Inc. to build a $1.2 billion anhydrous ammonia plant near Spiritwood is good news for North Dakota.
The plant, expected to be operating by late 2016, not only brings more jobs to North Dakota, but it will also utilize the state's supply of natural gas to create the anhydrous ammonia, which is used as an agriculture fertilizer. The plant, located roughly 10 miles east of Jamestown, will be capable of producing 2,000 tons of anhydrous ammonia daily, and will provide product for retailers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Canada. North Dakota farmers use roughly 350,000 tons of anhydrous each year.
The plant will be beneficial to the state in a number of ways. It will provide jobs, both during the construction phase and after the plant is operational. It will also be a major buyer of North Dakota's natural gas, which continues to be produced at record levels. It will also provide farmers in North Dakota and surrounding states a reliable supply of anhydrous ammonia. The decision to build the plant also continues the record burst of construction work going on around the state.
The massive investment by CHS Inc. deserves to be recognized as another project that will keep North Dakota moving forward into the future.