RAPID CITY, S.D. – The title of “largest solar farm in South Dakota” officially belongs to a plant east of Rapid City.
National Grid Renewables, a Minneapolis-based company, announced that its 128 megawatt (MW) solar project in eastern Pennington County had become operational in late June, marking the end of a little over a year of construction.
“It’s exciting to add Wild Springs to the New Underwood Community. Since the groundbreaking of the Wild Springs Solar Project, National Grid Renewables has been a great neighbor,” said Jack Trullinger, mayor of nearby New Underwood.
Wild Springs is expecting to provide approximately $29.5 million in direct economic impact, including $12 million in new tax revenue, over the first 20 years of operations.
“This area of southwestern South Dakota is a very good solar resource,” said Dick Johnson, CEO and General Manager of West River Electric Association. “I think you’ll see a lot more solar generation moving forward from a west river perspective. I think this will be a legacy we’ll be proud of to say that this solar project is in our back yard.”
It is anticipated that the plant will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of around 37,000 homes each year. Wild Springs says this will also help offset about 190,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually – the equivalent of over 40,000 cars.
In addition to the new tax revenue, National Grid is planning to give half a million dollars in charitable contributions to the New Underwood School District over the next 20 years.
“The predicted tax revenue along with the generous charitable contribution to the school district is a very welcome bonus,” Trullinger added.
Wild Springs’ solar farm sprawls across about 1,500 acres of ranch land in the rural part of South Dakota’s second most populous county, Pennington County, or about two square miles.
Officially part of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) – which delivers electricity across approximately 60,000 miles in the central United States – Basin Electric Power Cooperative, headquartered in North Dakota and a provider for several rural electric cooperatives across the Dakotas, will purchase the solar farm’s electricity.
“The completion of Wild Springs marks a significant step in our commitment to bringing clean, sustainable energy solutions to the state of South Dakota,” said Blake Nixon, President of National Grid Renewables. “We’re excited to see the impact of this project reach local and state residents through additional tax revenue, charitable contributions, and above all else – clean energy solutions.”
Though solar energy is not a popular form of power generation in the state – South Dakota ranks 42nd in the country for installed solar power, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association – efforts like this and another one in the Black Hills could change that ranking. Fall River Solar, a 500-acre farm being constructed in the county it shares a name with, is expected to come online at the end of 2024.
