State regulators have issued a grain storage license for an ethanol plant in southeastern North Dakota.

North Dakota's Public Service Commission voted to issue the license to VeraSun Hankinson LLC. The company has been building a 100-million-gallon ethanol factory. The plant is supposed to begin production next month.

VeraSun is licensed to store up to 1 million bushels of grain. Commissioner Tony Clark says the plant is expected to use up to 39 million bushels of corn each year.

- Associated Press