Giant Power was first going to be a generation and transmission cooperative, but to keep electricity cheaper for rural customers, Basin Electric Power Cooperative was started in 1961.

Today, Basin Electric's power sources include coal, natural gas, hydroelectric, wind, waste heat, and nuclear.

[1] The current CEO and General Manager is Todd Telesz.

A subsidiary of Basin Electric, Dakota Gasification Company, operates the Great Plains Synfuels Plant, which captures and sequesters nearly 50% of its carbon dioxide emissions in a system developed during the Carter administration.

At the end of 2009, Basin Electric finished construction on a 77 turbine wind energy project.