South Dakota makes electricity in places that look nothing like a typical industrial plant. Wind turbines rise over farm fields in Brookings and Clark counties. Two large dams hold back the Missouri River. A handful of gas and coal units sit near Sioux Falls, Rapid City and Big Stone City. This directory lists 50 of these facilities, from Elkton in the east to Pierre on the river. The sections below explain who regulates them, how the state's regions differ, and what you can realistically do with a listing as a landowner, job seeker, student, neighbor or contractor.

Who Regulates Power Plants in South Dakota

No single office runs every plant in the state. Authority is split among state, federal and local bodies, and the right contact depends on what you need.

The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, based in Pierre, is the main state regulator. Its three commissioners are elected statewide. The commission sets rates for investor-owned electric utilities and approves electric service territories. It also issues facility permits under the Energy Conversion and Transmission Facilities Act, found in SDCL Chapter 49-41B. In general, a large generating project, such as a wind farm of 100 megawatts or more, needs that permit before construction starts.

Smaller projects follow a different path. County commissions and planning boards handle zoning and conditional use permits. That is why setbacks, noise limits and decommissioning rules can differ from one county to the next. If a turbine project is proposed near your land, the county zoning office is usually your first stop. The commission's online docket is the place to read filings on larger projects.

Air and water permits for thermal plants come through the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, working alongside federal EPA rules. The Missouri River dams are different again. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operates them, and the Western Area Power Administration markets much of their electricity. Rural electric cooperatives and city utilities are mostly governed by their own boards rather than the commission when it comes to rates.

Missouri River Dams, Prairie Wind Farms and Thermal Plants

The listings fall into three groups, and each behaves differently for neighbors and visitors.

Hydropower comes first. Oahe, listed at 28563 Power House Road in Pierre, sits in Hughes County and is among the largest hydropower plants on the Missouri River system. Big Bend Dam, near Fort Thompson in Buffalo County, forms Lake Sharpe downstream. Its listing carries the phone number 605-245-2331. Fort Randall and Gavins Point lie farther downstream along the river.

Wind dominates the eastern listings. Brookings County has Minndakota Wind Power Plant near Elkton and Coyote Ridge near White. Grant County lists Cattle Ridge Wind Farm 1 in Milbank. Clark County has Crocker Wind Farm, and Deuel County lists Tatanka Ridge in Clear Lake along with Astoria Station. Farther west you will find Wessington Springs Wind Energy Center in Jerauld County and Rolling Thunder Wind Farm near Ree Heights in Hand County.

Thermal plants are fewer but larger in impact. Big Stone, at 48450 144th Street in Big Stone City, is a coal-fired station in Grant County. It is jointly owned by Otter Tail Power Company, NorthWestern Energy and Montana-Dakota Utilities, and the listing shows 605-862-6300. Angus Anson in Sioux Falls is a gas-fired plant owned by Xcel Energy. Groton Generating Station sits along Highway 37 in Brown County. Black Hills Corp's Ben French listing is in Rapid City.

Sioux Falls and Rapid City Compared With the Rural Prairie

Where you live changes how you deal with a power plant. In the two largest cities, the plant belongs to a utility you already pay each month. In a small town, the plant may be a wind farm owned by a company based far away.

Sioux Falls, in Minnehaha County, has the Angus Anson plant at 7100 East Rice Street. Rapid City, in Pennington County, has the Ben French listing at 409 Deadwood Avenue. Each is an urban site with a recognizable utility behind it, and customer questions go to that utility's service line.

Out on the prairie the pattern flips. Elkton, Clark, Milbank and Ree Heights each carry a plant listing, but the real footprint is the surrounding farmland. Landowners sign long-term leases for turbines and access roads. Local officials weigh tax revenue against concerns about noise, shadow flicker and views. An operations office in town often employs a small crew of skilled technicians, which matters in a community of a few hundred people.

Central South Dakota blends both patterns. Pierre, the state capital, sits next to Oahe. Huron lists a Northwestern Public Service Power Plant entry at 600 Market Street Southwest in Beadle County. Aberdeen and Groton in Brown County carry thermal listings, and the Aberdeen entry shows 605-225-6300. Distances are long. Sioux Falls and Rapid City are more than 300 miles apart, so phone before you plan a trip.

How to Use a South Dakota Power Plant Listing

A listing is a starting point for contact, not an invitation to drive up to the gate. Plants are controlled industrial sites, and wind projects sit on private farmland. Match your question to the right office:

Several listings show only a town address or a placeholder. Astoria Station, for example, lists "Tbd" as its street. In those cases, the county page is often the faster route to the right contact. Job postings come from the owner or operator, not from this directory, so check the company's own careers page.

Having a Say on a Proposed Plant

Large projects must go through public hearings. The Public Utilities Commission holds a public input hearing in the affected area, and residents can submit comments or ask to take part in the case. County commissions also take public comment before voting on conditional use permits. Notices usually appear in the local legal newspaper, so check it and the county's agenda for meeting dates.

Power plant facilities in South Dakota include a mix of federal, state, and municipally owned generation assets that contribute to the region's overall electricity supply. South Dakota's energy mix and the number of publicly owned facilities reflect the state's natural resources, regulatory environment, and historical development of its utility infrastructure.

Power Plant locations are available in 30 cities across South Dakota. They are spread across 24 counties.

Areas with the highest concentration of power plant locations include Elkton, Rapid, Milbank, often reflecting proximity to water resources, fuel supply infrastructure, or industrial demand centers.

Residents of South Dakota who are customers of a municipal or public power utility can contact their local power authority for billing assistance, energy efficiency programs, and information about planned outages or infrastructure upgrades in their service area.

Power Plant by Counties

B
C
D
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
P
S
Y

Residents of South Dakota who receive electricity service from a publicly owned utility can visit or contact that utility's customer service office to learn about outage reporting, billing options, and energy assistance programs. For information about a specific power generation facility in South Dakota, contacting the state's public utility commission is often the best starting point.

Browse Power Plant by county across South Dakota to find the nearest location.

Planning an Inquiry or Visit Across South Dakota

South Dakota is large and thinly populated, and that shapes every plant inquiry. A trip from Sioux Falls to Rapid City covers more than 300 miles. The Missouri River dams near Pierre and Fort Thompson sit hours from either city. Phone calls and emails save more time here than in most states.

Seasons matter too. Winter storms and ground blizzards can close rural roads and interstates for hours, and spring runoff brings high water along the Missouri River system. Wind farm service roads are often gravel or dirt, and they are private. Thermal stations such as Big Stone and Groton Generating Station are controlled-access industrial sites, so never assume you can walk in.

Start with the county. The zoning or planning office knows which projects sit inside its borders, and the county pages in this directory group nearby plants together. If your question involves rates or a utility complaint, contact the Public Utilities Commission. If it involves a dam, contact the Corps of Engineers project office at Oahe or Big Bend.

South Dakota Power Plant FAQs

It depends on size. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission issues the facility permit for large projects, generally wind farms of 100 megawatts or more, under SDCL Chapter 49-41B. The commission holds a public input hearing in the affected area, and landowners can ask to become a party to the case. Smaller wind projects are handled by the county, usually through a conditional use permit from the county commission or planning board. Setbacks from homes, noise limits and decommissioning bonds are often set locally, so Clark County rules may not match those in Brookings County. Call the county zoning office first, then check the commission's docket.

Both dams are run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and public access depends on current security rules. Oahe, on Power House Road near Pierre, has historically offered powerhouse tours and a visitor center, but schedules change from season to season. Big Bend Dam near Fort Thompson is also a working Corps project, and the listed number is 605-245-2331. Call ahead before you drive out, especially in winter. Bring photo identification in case it is requested. If a powerhouse tour is not available, ask whether the recreation areas and overlooks near the dam are open to visitors.

Many wind projects spread turbines across dozens of square miles of private farmland, so there is no single street address for the plant. Listings often use an operations office, a mailing address or a nearby town. Crocker Wind Farm lists a Commercial Street address in Clark, and Cattle Ridge Wind Farm 1 lists South Main Street in Milbank. A few entries, such as Astoria Station, show only a placeholder. Treat the address as a starting point for contact, not as a place to walk up to. Turbine sites and access roads are private property, and trespassing rules apply.

Call your electric utility, not the plant. Plant operators sell power into the grid and do not handle service calls. Your bill names your provider, which may be an investor-owned company, a rural electric cooperative or a city utility. The Angus Anson listing in Sioux Falls shows 800-895-4999. A toll-free number like this may connect to utility customer service rather than a control room, so confirm before relying on it. For downed lines, stay well back and call 911. For an unresolved complaint about an investor-owned utility, the Public Utilities Commission in Pierre can help.

Yes. South Dakota One Call, reached by dialing 811, notifies utilities so they can mark buried lines before you dig. This applies to fence posts, drain tile, ponds and foundations, not only large excavations. Rural landowners near wind farms should know that collection lines linking turbines are often buried in the fields. Locate requests are free to the person digging. Allow a few working days for marking, and confirm the current waiting period when you call. Overhead lines need their own clearance, so keep equipment, irrigation pipe and grain augers well away from them.

Wind resources and transmission explain most of it. The eastern prairie has steady wind, flat farmland and access to high-voltage lines that carry power toward Minnesota and the wider grid. Brookings County has more listings than any other county, and Grant, Pennington, Clark and Spink counties follow. The Missouri River dams are the main exception, since water and elevation drop decide where hydropower can be built. Western South Dakota has fewer listings, with Rapid City in Pennington County the main concentration, and the Black Hills area relies on different utilities from the east.