South Dakota Wind Energy Projects

Wind Farms in Production
South Dakota has several operating wind farms including:

• The South Dakota Wind Energy Center in Hyde County has 27 turbines that can produce 40.5 megawatts (MW) of energy. It is South Dakota’s first major wind farm, beginning operation in 2003. It is owned by NextEra Energy Resources (formerly known as FPL Energy) and the power is sold to Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

• The MinnDakota Wind Farm in Brookings County began operating its 36 turbines in January 2008. The farm can produce 54 MW of electricity. Iberdrola Renewables owns the wind farm and sells the electricity to Xcel Energy.

• The Tatanka Wind Farm is located in McPherson County. Its 59 turbines began producing electricity in March 2008. It has a generating capacity of 88.5 MW. The project was developed by Acciona Energy and the power is sold into the MISO market.

• The Wessington Springs Wind Project in Jerauld County began operating in February 2009. Owned by Babcock & Brown, the 51 MW of electricity the project is capable of producing with its 34 turbines is purchased by the Heartland Consumers Power District, which is headquartered in Madison, S.D.

• Buffalo Ridge I Wind Farm, in Brookings County, is a 24-turbine farm capable of producing 50.4 MW of wind energy. Developed by Iberdrola Renewables, the wind farm began operation in April 2009. Northern Indiana Public Service Company purchases the power.

• The first phase of the Titan Wind Project in Hand County went into production in December 2009. Built and operated by BP Alternative Energy, the energy from the 25-megawatt project is purchased by NorthWestern Energy. The wind farm has 10 turbines.

• The Day County Wind Farm began operation in April 2010. It was developed by NextEra Energy Resources and features 66, 1.5-MW turbines. It has a generating capacity of 99 MW of energy, which is purchased by Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

• Buffalo Ridge II Wind Farm in Brookings and Deuel counties has 105 turbines. The farm has a generating capacity of 210 MW of wind energy. Developer Iberdrola Renewables provides power to customers served by MISO. The wind farm began operation in December 2010.

• The PrairieWinds SD1 Wind Project, located in Jerauld, Aurora and Brule counties, has 101, 1.5-MW turbines and has a generating capacity of 151.5 MW of wind energy. The project was developed by Basin Electric Power Cooperative and includes one turbine owned by Mitchell Technical Institute. The turbine is used in conjunction with MTI’s Wind Turbine Technology Program. PrairieWinds SD1 began operation in February 2011 and the energy produced is also purchased by Basin Electric.

• South Dakota Wind Partners Wind Project, located directly next to PrairieWinds SD1 wind farm in Jerauld County, consists of seven, 1.5-MW turbines. It has a generating capacity of 10.5 MW of wind energy. Like its neighboring project, Basin Electric Power Cooperative is also the developer and power purchaser of this project.

• The Oak Tree Wind Farm, located in Clark County, began operations in December 2014. It has a total of 11 turbines with a combined capacity of 19.5 MW. Energy generated by the project, which is owned and operated by Consolidated Edison Development, is contracted to NorthWestern Energy.

• The Beethoven Wind Farm, with a total capacity of 80 MW, is made up of 43 turbines located in Bon Homme, Hutchinson, and Charles Mix counties. The project came online in May 2015. NorthWestern Energy is purchasing all energy generated by the project.

• The Campbell County Wind Farm, developed by Consolidated Edison Development, began operation on Dec. 31, 2015. The 43-turbine project has a total capacity of approximately 94.3 MW and all generated power is purchased by Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
  
  
• The Brule Wind Farm, located in Brule County, began operations in October of 2018. It has a total of nine turbines with a combined capacity of 20 MWs. Energy generated by the project, which is owned and operated by Consolidated Edison Development, is contracted to NorthWestern Energy.
  
  
• The Aurora Wind Farm, located in Aurora County, began operations in October of 2018. It has a total of nine turbines with a combined capacity of 20 MWs. Energy generated by the project, which is owned and operated by Consolidated Edison Development, is contracted to NorthWestern Energy.
  
  
• Crocker Wind Farm, located in Clark County, is planned to have a total capacity of up to 400 MWs and up to 120 turbines. Phase I of the wind farm, consisting of 200 MWs, began operation in November 2019 and has 77 2.72-MW wind turbines. Phase II of the wind farm, consisting of an additional 200 MWs, has not yet started construction but has received a permit from the PUC. Geronimo Energy developed the project and sells the energy to several large commercial entities.
  
  
• Coyote Ridge Wind Farm, located in Brookings County, began operations in December of 2019. The project has 39 wind turbines with a total capacity of 97 MWs. Owners of the project include Avangrid Renewables LLC and WEC Energy Group. The project sells 100% of the energy produced to Google Energy LLC.
  
  
• Crowned Ridge I Wind Farm, located in Codington and Grant counties, began operations in December of 2019. The project has a total capacity of 200 MWs and consists of 87 wind turbines. NextEra Energy Resources owns the project and sells the energy to Xcel Energy.
  
  
• Prevailing Wind Park, located in Bon Homme, Charles Mix, and Hutchinson counties, began operations in March of 2020. The project has a total capacity of 219.6 MWs and consists of 57 3.8-MW turbines. The owner/operator of the project is S-Power and the energy is sold to Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
  
  
• Willow Creek Wind Farm, located in Butte County, began operation in September of 2020. The project has a total capacity of 103 MWs and consists of 38 turbines total. Wind turbines at the project consist of 33 2.78-MW turbines and 5 2.3-MW turbines. The owner/operator of the project is Ørsted and the power generated by the facility is sold to North Iowa Municipal Electric Cooperative (46 MWs), with the remainder being sold into the SPP Market.
  
  
• Triple H Wind Project, located in Hyde County, began operation in November of 2020. The project has a total capacity of 250 MWs and consists of 92, GE 2.72 MW turbines. The owner/operator of the project is Engie North America and the power generated by the facility is sold to Walmart and Boston University.
  
  
• Crowned Ridge II Wind Farm, located in Deuel, Grant and Codington counties, began operation in December of 2020. The project has a total capacity of 200 MWs and consists of 88 wind turbines. Wind turbines at the project consist of nine GE 2.1 MW turbines and seventy-nine GE 2.3 MW turbines. The owner/operator of the project is Northern States Power Company, doing business as Xcel Energy.
  
  
• Tatanka Ridge Project, located in Deuel County, began operation in January of 2021. The project has a total capacity of 155 MWs and consists of 56 wind turbines. The wind turbines consist of six GE 2.3 MW turbines and fifty GE 2.82 MW wind turbines.  WEC Energy Group owns an 85% interest in the project and operates the facility.  Avangrid owns the remaining 15% of the project.  The power generated by the facility is sold to Google and Dairyland Power Cooperative.
  
  
• Deuel Harvest Wind Farm, located in Deuel County, began operation in February of 2021. The project has a total capacity of 301 MWs and consists of 109 wind turbines. Wind turbines at the project consist of twelve GE 2.3 MW turbines and ninety-seven GE 2.82 MW turbines. Southern Power Company has an 80% ownership interest in the project and Invenergy has a 20% ownership interest. The project is operated by Invenergy and the power generated by the facility is sold into the MISO market and will be sold to Northern States Power Company, doing business as Xcel Energy, starting in October of 2021 and Great River Energy starting in January of 2023 through power purchase agreements.
  
  
• Dakota Range III Wind Farm, located in Grant and Roberts counties, began operation in April of 2021. The project has a total capacity of 151 MWs and consists of 32 Nordex 4.8 MW wind turbines. Engie North America owns and operates the project. The power generated by the facility is sold to Northern States Power Company, doing business as Xcel Energy, under a 10 year power purchase agreement for the purpose of serving a Google data center in Minnesota.
  
  
• Dakota Range I & II Wind Project, located in Grant and Codington counties, began commercial operation in January of 2022. The project is capable of producing up to 304 MW of electricity and consists of 72 wind turbines. Wind turbines at the project consist of 64 Vestas V136 (4.3 MW) turbines, seven Vestas V136 (3.8 MW) turbines, and one Vestas V120 (2.2 MW) turbine. The owner/operator of the project is Northern States Power Company, doing business as Xcel Energy.

Smaller projects are located around Howard, Gary, Canova, Carthage, Oaklane Colony and Rosebud. Altogether, South Dakota has more than 2,895 MW of wind energy installed.

Other areas considered for wind energy development are the Coteau des Prairies in the northeast; Buffalo Ridge, which extends north-south from Marshall County to Brookings County; Turkey Ridge within Turner and Yankton counties; Fox Ridge near Faith; and several central South Dakota counties and tribal lands.

July 2024