The state has no specific interconnection guidelines; individual utilities will develop their own procedures in accordance with national guidelines.

The state has no specific interconnection guidelines; individual utilities will develop their own procedures in accordance with national guidelines.

PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS
South Dakota statute (SD Codified Laws 10-6-35.20) exempts from local property taxes renewable energy systems on residential and commercial property. The exemption applies to the entire assessed value of residential systems and 50% of the installed cost of commercial systems, and it may be taken for three years after installation. This exemption is not allowed for systems which produce energy for resale.

We are currently unaware of information regarding incentives for small wind systems provided by specific utilities. Please refer to each utility’s interconnection technical and non-technical requirements for relevant information.

The US Department of Energy has produced wind resource maps for each state. The map for South Dakota may be found here. You may also find the definitions of Wind Power Classes for the maps helpful.

There is additional information in the Wind Energy Atlas of the United States, where you can review maps for other locations in the US or get more information about how the maps were created.

The US Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network has also published wind resource data for South Dakota.

You may also find useful information at the web site for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This site contains extensive information about wind resources in the United States.

An electronic copy of the U.S. Department of Energy's 23-page Consumer’s Guide to Small Wind Electric Systems is available at the Wind Powering America web site. A state-specific Consumer’s Guide is available for South Dakota.

The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. Another item of interest is the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s web site on wind energy projects and wind energy events/news occurring throughout the country.

The PUC has had the responsibility of regulating electric and gas rates since 1975. The commission has authority to set retail rates, territorial boundaries and customer service regulations such as credit and disconnection policies. These regulations apply to investor-owned utility companies:

BLACK HILLS POWER & LIGHT CO.
PO BOX 1400
RAPID CITY SD 57709-1400
Phone: (605)348-1700
http://www.blackhillscorp.com

MIDAMERICAN ENERGY
PO BOX 778
SIOUX CITY IA 51101-0778
Phone: (712)277-7500
http://www.midamericanenergy.com

MONTANA-DAKOTA UTILITIES CO.
400 N 4TH ST
BISMARCK ND 58501-4092
Phone: (701)222-7900
http://www.mdu.com

XCEL ENERGY
PO BOX 988
SIOUX FALLS SD 57101-0988
Phone: (605)339-8200
http://www.xcelenergy.com

NORTHWESTERN ENERGY
PO BOX 1318
HURON SD 57350-1318
Phone: (605)352-8411
http://www.northwestern.com

OTTER TAIL POWER CO.
215 S CASCADE ST
FERGUS FALLS MN 56537-2897
Phone: (218)739-8200
http://www.otpco.com

Rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities also are regulated by the PUC, but only in regard to territorial boundaries and in response to complaints of discrimination or poor service. The PUC has no control over the rates charged by cooperative and municipal utilities. Contact information for South Dakota’s investor-owned and municipal utilities, and for the state’s rural electric cooperatives, can be found on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission’s website.

Government Contacts

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
The South Dakota PUC has sponsored a series of statewide wind conferences, most recently in October 2003.

Capitol Building, 1st floor
500 East Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-5070
http://www.state.sd.us/puc

BUREAU OF ADMINISTRATION
Includes the Energy Management Office for North Dakota.

Tracy Thorne, Statewide Energy Manager
523 E. Capitol Avenue
Pierre, SD 57501-3182
Phone: (605) 773-3899
Fax: (605) 773-5980
BOAGeneralInformation@state.sd.us

Local Organizations Interested in Renewable Energy Issues

SOUTH DAKOTA WIND ENERGY CENTER
Highmore, South Dakota
http://www.highmore.org/wind/index.shtml

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
SD Wind Resource Assessment Network Home Page
http://www.engineering.sdstate.edu/~wran/

PLAINS ORGANIZATION FOR WIND ENERGY RESOURCES
http://www.eerc.und.nodak.edu/wind/html/sd.html

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