Partners for Affordable Energy

Partners for Affordable Energy is a pro-coal lobbying group. The domain name for the group's website lists the mail address for the group as being "1016 E. Owens Avenue Bismarck, ND 58502 US" -- the same address as for the Lignite Energy Council, a coal industry lobby group.

Mission
On its website the group describes itself as "a broad-based coalition of organizations and businesses that support coal-based electricity as a low-cost, reliable and increasingly clean energy source for consumers, farms and businesses in the Upper Midwest. The goal of this coalition is to keep the region's energy costs affordable by supporting coal-based electricity as an integral component of our region's overall energy supply. Coal-based electricity is affordable, reduces our dependence on foreign oil, impacts our region's economy, and has an impressive environmental record."

Supporters
On its website the group lists supporters of the coalition as being :

Agriculture

 * North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives
 * North Dakota Farm Bureau
 * North Dakota Grain Growers
 * Red River Valley Sugar Beet Growers
 * U.S. Durum Growers

Business

 * ABB Power T&D Company, Inc.
 * American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity (ACCCE)
 * Beulah Chamber of Commerce
 * Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce
 * Dickinson Chamber of Commerce
 * Grand Forks, East Grand Forks Chamber of Commerce
 * Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce
 * Lignite Energy Council
 * Minot Area Chamber of Commerce
 * Monitek, Inc.
 * North Dakota Association of Builders
 * North Dakota Association of Realtors
 * North Dakota Grocers Association
 * North Dakota Retailers Association
 * Utility Shareholders of North Dakota
 * Washburn Chamber of Commerce

Distribution Cooperatives

 * Capital Electric Cooperative, Inc.
 * Cavalier Rural Electric Cooperative
 * KEM Electric Cooperative, Inc.
 * McLean Electric Co-operative, Inc.
 * Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative, Inc.
 * Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative
 * Nodak Electric Cooperative
 * North Central Electric Cooperative, Inc.
 * Northern Plains Electric Cooperative
 * Roughrider Electric Cooperative
 * Sioux Valley Southwestern Electric
 * Slope Electric Cooperative, Inc.
 * Verendrye Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Economic Development

 * Bismarck-Mandan Development Association
 * Mercer County Economic Development
 * Stark Development Corporation
 * Washburn Area Economic Development Association

Generation & Transmission Cooperatives

 * Basin Electric Power Association
 * Central Power Electric Cooperative Inc.
 * Great River Energy
 * Minnkota Power Cooperative

Government

 * North Dakota Association of Counties
 * ND Lignite Research Council/Industrial Comm.

Investor-Owned Utilities and Subsidiaries

 * Alliant Energy Company
 * MDU Resources Group Inc.
 * Midwest Energy Resources Company
 * Minnesota Power
 * Otter Tail Power Company

Labor

 * North Dakota AFL-CIO
 * North Dakota IBEW
 * North Dakota State Building & Construction Trades Council
 * United Transportation Union

Mining Companies

 * BNI Coal, Ltd.
 * Westmoreland Coal Company
 * The North American Coal Corporation

Personnel

 * Christina Pierson, Executive Director
 * Steve Van Dyke, Director of Communications

Contact Details
Website: http://www.powerofcoal.com/

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