The basis number of a graph $G$ is defined by Schmeichel to be the least integer $h$ such that $G$ has an $h$-fold basis for its cycle space. MacLane showed that a graph is planar if and only if its basis number is $\le 2$. Schmeichel proved that the basis number of the complete graph $K_n$ is at most $3$. We generalize the result of Schmeichel by showing that the basis number of the $d$-th power of $K_n$ is at most $2d+1$.