List of power stations in South Dakota explained

This is a list of electricity-generating power stations in the U.S. state of South Dakota. In 2022, South Dakota had a total summer capacity of 6,324 MW through all of its power plants, and a net generation of 17,900 GWh.[1] In 2023, the electrical energy generation mix was 55.4% wind, 21% hydroelectric, 13.9% natural gas, 9.2% coal, 0.3% solar, 0.1% biomass, and 0.1% petroleum.

During 2021, South Dakota was among the top U.S. states in its share of renewable electricity generation. It was also among the top states in per-capita consumption. In recent years, more electricity was consumed than was produced and wind generation has been expanding rapidly in the state.[2]

Nuclear power stations

The Pathfinder Nuclear Generating Station was an early commercial and demonstration plant near Sioux Falls that generated up to 59 MW of grid-connected electricity for brief periods during years 1966–1967.[3] The single BWR reactor was decommissioned in 1967, the facility converted to use oil & gas in 1968, and ultimately retired in the early 2000s. The reactor and other nuclear components were removed in 1990.[4] South Dakota had no utility-scale plants that used fissile material as a fuel in 2019.

Fossil-fuel power stations

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.

Coal

PlantLocationCoordinatesCapacity
(MW)		OwnerYear
Opened		Scheduled
Retirement		Ref
Ben FrenchPennington County44.0872°N -103.261°W25Black Hills Corp19612014[5]
Big StoneGrant County45.3037°N -96.5101°W475Otter Tail1975TBD[6]

Natural Gas

PlantLocationCoordinatesCapacity
(MW)		Generation TypeOwnerYear
Opened		Ref
AberdeenBrown County45.4299°N -98.494°W52Simple CycleNorthwestern Energy2013
Angus AnsonMinnehaha County43.6035°N -96.6356°W327Simple Cycle (x3)Northwestern Energy1994/2005
Ben FrenchPennington County44.0872°N -103.261°W68Simple Cycle (x4)Black Hills Corp1965/1994/2005
Deer Creek StationBrookings County44.2908°N -96.5267°W2951x1 Combined CycleBasin Electric Power Coop2012[7]
Groton Generating StationBrown County45.3735°N -98.0987°W169Simple Cycle (x2)Basin Electric Power Coop2006/2008[8]
HuronBeadle County44.3695°N -98.1722°W55Simple Cycle (x2)Northwestern Energy1961/1991
Lange GTPennington County44.1203°N -103.26°W34Simple Cycle Black Hills Corp2002
OREG Clark Clark County 5.5 ORC GeneratorBasin Electric Power Coop / Ormat2006 [9] [10]
OREG Estelline Hamlin County5.5 ORC Generator Basin Electric Power Coop / Ormat2007
OREG Wetonka McPherson County 5.5 ORC Generator Basin Electric Power Coop / Ormat2006
POET Biorefining - HudsonLincoln County43.0969°N -96.477°W3.6Steam TurbinePOET LLC2019[11]
YanktonYankton County42.8933°N -97.3533°W8.7Reciprocating Engine (x2)Northwestern Energy1963/1974/1975
Waste heat recovery from natural-gas-fired turbines at compressor stations on the Northern Border Pipeline.

Petroleum

PlantLocationCoordinatesCapacity
(MW)		Generation TypeOwnerYear
Opened		Ref
AberdeenBrown County45.4299°N -98.494°W20.5Simple CycleNorthwestern Energy1978
Ben FrenchPennington County44.0872°N -103.261°W10Reciprocating Engine (x5)Black Hills Corp1965/1994/2005
ClarkClark County44.8765°N -97.7321°W2.6Reciprocating EngineNorthwestern Energy1970
FaulktonFaulk County45.0367°N -99.1202°W2.5Reciprocating EngineNorthwestern Energy1969
Fort PierreStanley County44.3681°N -100.3808°W6Reciprocating Engine (x3)City of Ft. Pierre2004
Lake PrestonKingsbury County44.3649°N -97.3811°W20Simple Cycle Otter Tail1978[12]
Watertown Power PlantCodington County44.9017°N -97.1083°W50Simple CycleMissouri Basin Mun Pwr1978
YanktonYankton County42.8933°N -97.3533°W4.8Reciprocating Engine (x2)Northwestern Energy1963/1974/1975

Renewable power stations

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.

Hydroelectric

See also: List of dams and reservoirs in South Dakota.

NameLocationCoordinatesCapacity
(MW)		Number Of
Turbines		OwnerYear
Opened		Ref
Big Bend DamBuffalo County44.0384°N -99.4463°W494.18United States Army Corps of Engineers-Omaha District1964-1966
Fort Randall DamCharles Mix County43.0653°N -98.5539°W3208United States Army Corps of Engineers-Omaha District1954-1956
Gavins Point DamYankton County42.8488°N -97.4815°W1323United States Army Corps of Engineers-Omaha District1956-1957
Oahe DamHughes County44.4504°N -100.3866°W7847United States Army Corps of Engineers-Omaha District1962-1963
Spearfish HydroLawrence County44.4783°N -103.8547°W42City of Spearfish1912[14]
Former facilities:

Solar

See also: Solar power in South Dakota.

Wind

See also: Wind power in South Dakota. See also list of farms from the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.[17]

NameLocationCoordinatesCapacity
(MW)		Number Of
Turbines		OwnerYear
Opened		Ref
Aurora County WindAurora County43.719°N -98.752°W209Con Ed2018
Beethoven WindBon Homme County43.16°N -98.08°W8043Northwestern Energy2015
Brule County WindBrule County43.717°N -98.922°W209Con Ed2018
Buffalo Ridge WindBrookings County44.5281°N -96.6267°W260129Avangrid2009/2010
Campbell County WindCampbell County45.7533°N -100.275°W97.856Con Ed2015
Chamberlain WindBrule County43.8485°N -99.2476°W2.62Basin Electric Coop2002
Coyote Ridge WindBrookings County44.45°N -96.55°W9838WEP Energy Group 2019
Crocker WindClark County45.0515°N -97.8264°W20077Geronimo Energy2019[18]
Crowned Ridge WindCodington County
Grant County		45.1549°N -96.8368°W20087NextEra Energy2019[19]
Day County WindDay County45.215°N -97.9056°W9966Nextera Energy2019
MinnDakota WindBrookings County44.2667°N -96.3444°W5436Avangrid 2008
Oak Tree WindClark County44.9333°N -97.7414°W19.511Con Ed 2014
Prairie WindsJerauld County
Aurora County
Brule County		43.8864°N -98.7875°W162101Basin Electric Coop 2011
Prevailing Wind ParkBon Homme County
Charles Mix County
Coddington County		43.039°N -97.526°W219.657S-Power2020[20]
South Dakota Wind Energy CenterHyde County44.5492°N -99.5°W40.527NextEra Energy2003
Tatanka Wind FarmMcPherson County45.9333°N -156°W190
(88.5 in SD)		179
(59 in SD)		Acciona2008[21]
Tatanka Ridge Wind FarmDeuel County44.592°N -96.576°W154.8562021[22]
Titan Wind Project
(Rolling Thunder Wind)		Hand County44.4778°N -99.1339°W25102009
Triple H Wind ProjectHyde County44.401°N -99.6038°W25092ENGIE US 2020[23] [24]
Wessington Springs WindJeraud County44.0025°N -98.5908°W5134NextEra Energy 2009
Willow Creek WindHand County44.8259°N -103.2074°W103382020

Storage power stations

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.

Battery storage

HVDC converter stations

See also: List of HVDC projects.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: South Dakota Electricity Profile . U.S. Energy Information Administration . 2024-06-26.
  2. Web site: South Dakota Electricity Profile Analysis . U.S. EIA . 2021-01-08.
  3. Web site: Pathfinder . . pris.iaea.org . 2021-01-10.
  4. Web site: Decommissioning Nuclear Facilities . www.world-nuclear.org . 2021-01-10.
  5. Web site: Ben French Power Plant . Global Energy Monitor . 2021-03-21.
  6. Web site: Big Stone Power Plant . Global Energy Monitor . 2021-01-11.
  7. https://web.archive.org/web/20100805232950/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38436091/ns/business-oil_and_energy NBC News
  8. Web site: Groton Generating Station . Basin Electric Coop . 30 July 2010.
  9. Web site: Co-ops Expanding . 2010-08-05 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162112/http://www.cme.coop/miscellaneous/pdf/Nov06/Nov12-13.pdf . 18 July 2011 . retrieved 5 August 2010
  10. Web site: Recovered Energy Generation . Basin Electric Power Cooperative . 2021-03-21.
  11. Web site: POET: Hudson, SD . POET, LLC . 2021-03-20.
  12. Web site: Combustion turbines . 2010-08-03 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100219191225/http://www.otpco.com/AboutCompany/CombustionTurbines.asp . 19 February 2010 . Combustion turbines, retrieved 3 August 2010
  13. Web site: POET: Chancellor, SD . POET, LLC . 2021-03-20.
  14. Web site: Hydro Plant . City of Spearfish . 2021-01-11.
  15. Web site: Why is Johnson Siding, South Dakota called "Johnson Siding"? . Michael Zimny . South Dakota Public Radio . 2019-11-14.
  16. Web site: Pierre Solar Project Set To Be Largest In State . Kenzie Wagner . South Dakota Public Broadcasting . 2016-07-19.
  17. Web site: South Dakota Wind Energy Projects . South Dakota PUC . 2021-01-11.
  18. Web site: Geronimo Energy begins operations of 200MW Crocker Wind Farm in South Dakota, US . www.nsenergybusiness.com . 2019-12-06.
  19. Web site: Crowned Ridge Wind II . Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC . 2019-07-09.
  20. Web site: sPower signs 30-year PPA for South Dakota wind farm . www.windpowerengineering.com . 2018-02-28.
  21. Web site: Tatanka Wind Farm . Acciona . 2021-03-21.
  22. Web site: 155-MW Tatanka Ridge Wind Farm providing power to South Dakota electric cooperative customers . Windpower Engineering&Development . 2021-01-20.
  23. Web site: Triple H . ENGIE US . 2021-03-21.
  24. Web site: South Dakota approves 250.5-MW Triple H Wind project . Michelle Froese . Windpower Engineering&Development . 2019-07-28.
  25. Web site: BP launches wind & battery storage project with Tesla . Windpower Engineering&Development . Michelle Froese . 2018-04-11.
  26. Web site: Tesla batteries in place at BP's 25-MW wind farm in S Dakota . Renewables Now . renewablesnow.com . 2018-11-15.
  27. Web site: Energy Education: DC ties serve critical role in connecting the grid . www.nmppenergy.org . 2018-06-01 . 2021-03-12.
  28. Web site: HVDC-Rapid City . Hitachi ABB . 2021-04-03.
  29. Web site: Rapid City Reliability . ABB . 2021-04-03.

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