Deadlines, hearings, and the people who decide — kept current so neighbors can find each other and show up. Every date links back to the county’s own notice.
Soonest first, across every county. Past dates drop off automatically.
Grant County
Deadline
Written comment deadline — data center ordinance
Friday, August 7, 2026 · Noon
By email to the Zoning Officer, or by mail to 210 E 5th Ave, Milbank
The county's notice did not say plainly what the ordinance was about — it cited the ordinance number instead. This is the deadline to get your comment into the permanent record.
Three or four sentences is enough: who you are, where you live, what concerns you, and what you are asking the Commission to do.
It goes into the record permanently, whether or not you can be in the room on the 10th.
Email steve.berkner@grantcountysd.us, or mail the Zoning Officer at 210 East 5th Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252.
“Written comments may be filed by emailing the County Zoning Officer at steve.berkner@grantcountysd.us or by mailing them to the Zoning Officer at 210 East 5th Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252 on or before noon on August 7, 2026. No materials will be placed on the website after 5 p.m. on August 7, 2026.”
Every water protection switches off below 10 MW
They apply only to a facility “exceeding ten (10) megawatts of IT load.” At or under that, none of them apply.
The water limit is a ratio, not a cap
It sets a “maximum annual Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) of 0.05 gallons per kWh” with no limit on total gallons. A larger facility uses more electricity, so it can lawfully draw more water and still comply.
It is an annual average
A hot, dry August can run well above the limit and still average out compliant across twelve months — the months the aquifer is under the most stress are the ones the annual figure hides.
The quarter-mile from your house may not apply
Equipment must sit “fifty feet from the property boundary… and/or one-quarter mile (1,320 feet) from any church, school, or residence.” As written, fifty feet alone can satisfy it.
The overnight noise limit permits bursts to 60 dBA
45 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., but with “5 dBA for a total of 15 minutes in any one-hour period; or 10 dBA for a total of 5 minutes in any one-hour period; or 15 dBA for a total of 1.5 minutes” allowed on top.
Paying for infrastructure damage is optional
“Approval of a data center may be conditioned upon” financial assurance for water-supply impacts. May, not shall.
One requirement has no number in it
§1220.08(4)(e)(ii) requires storage “for a minimum of [24–72] hours at peak load.” The brackets are still in the draft going to hearing.
The powerline and the ordinance are moving through this county at the same time
Grant County has been taking 765 kV presentations since 6 January 2026, when Xcel and Otter Tail presented to the Commission; powerline setbacks went to Planning & Zoning on 13 April. The ordinance itself requires an applicant to produce written verification from the electric utility of capacity on its supply lines and substations — capacity that does not exist today. We are told these are separate projects. They are arriving in the same county in the same year, and residents have had no say in either.
Prints three to a page, front and back — cut into thirds.
Deuel County
Public hearing
Special joint meeting — 765 kV powerline
Monday, August 10, 2026 · 6:30 p.m.
Courthouse, 2nd Floor Commission Room, Clear Lake
Deuel County Zoning & Planning Commission special meeting, held jointly with the Deuel County Commission. Item #4 on the agenda is the 765 kV powerline.
You can do both on the 10th. Milbank to Clear Lake is about half an hour — Grant at four, Deuel at half past six.
What the line is
Xcel Energy and Otter Tail Power’s “PowerOn Midwest – South Dakota,” under MISO Tranche 1 and 2.1 — a 765 kV line from the Big Stone plant south to Brookings and east into southern Minnesota. Structures 150 to 175 ft tall and 140 to 150 ft wide, on a 250 ft right-of-way. Construction projected 2030 to 2034. It needs South Dakota PUC approval as well as county approvals.
Deuel has already raised the question
County minutes from 20 January 2026 record “queued natural generation requests in Deuel County totaling 1586 MW.” The same agenda carried “Moratorium on Incoming 765KV Transmission Lines.”
Residents asked in January and are still asking
The 6 January minutes list questions on route, light pollution, land prices, blackout risk, health, and “Why hasn’t there been a better system to notify residents?”
Prints three to a page, front and back — cut into thirds.
Grant County
Public hearing
Joint public hearing — data center ordinance
Monday, August 10, 2026 · 4:00 p.m.
Grant County Courthouse, 210 E 5th Ave, Milbank
The Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners sit together. This is the last point at which the text of the ordinance can change.
You do not have to speak. Attendance is counted, and a full room is itself a message.
Arrive by 3:45 if you can.
If you do speak: your name, where you live, the one thing you came to say. Two minutes is plenty.
“The Grant County Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners will hold a joint public hearing on Monday August 10, 2026 at 4 p.m. at the Grant County Courthouse located at 210 East 5th Avenue, Milbank, SD.”
Monday is the last point the text can change
Both bodies sit together. The Planning Commission may recommend the ordinance with or without amendment; the Commissioners then hold a first reading by title and set a second reading. Amendments happen Monday or they don’t happen.
Prints three to a page, front and back — cut into thirds.
McPherson County
Public hearing
Conditional use permit hearing — Leola Data Center
Tuesday, August 11, 2026 · 9:05 A.M.
Courtroom, McPherson County Courthouse, Leola
Leola Data Center has applied for conditional use permit 26-CUP-04 to construct a data processing center in Spring Township. The Zoning Board of Adjustment decides whether to approve or reject it, and the notice states that any interested person may appear and be heard.
The notice provides one way to be heard: appear at the courtroom in the McPherson County Courthouse in Leola at 9:05 A.M. on August 11.
Anyone interested in the approval or rejection of the permit may speak — you do not have to be a party to the application.
“NOTICE IS, HEREBY GIVEN: Leola Data Center has applied for a Conditional Use Permit (26-CUP-04) to McPherson County Zoning Board of Adjustment under Article 4.01.03 and Chapter 5.33 to construct a Data Processing Center in that part of the E1/2 of Section 28-T128N-R68W of Spring Township in McPherson County, South Dakota. … At this time and place, any person interested in the approval or rejection of the conditional use permit may appear and be heard.”
What is actually being decided
This is a conditional use permit under Article 4.01.03 and Chapter 5.33, not a rezoning. The board is deciding whether a data processing center may operate on this parcel under the existing zoning.
Where the site is
The notice describes the location only by survey: the E1/2 of Section 28-T128N-R68W in Spring Township. It gives no street address and no acreage.
What the notice does not say
It states nothing about power draw, water use, the operator behind the application, investment, or tenant. Those are unanswered as of the notice, not omitted here.
Minnehaha County
Meeting
Community discussion — what a data center means for Sioux Falls
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 · 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Larkspur Study Room, Prairie West Branch Library, 7630 W. 26th St., Sioux Falls
An open community conversation hosted by Let Sioux Falls Vote, South Dakota for Data Center Transparency, and Dakota Rural Action. It is not a presentation and not a debate — the hosts have set it up to make room for residents' questions.
Come with a question. The hosts have built the evening around residents' questions rather than a prepared presentation.
You do not need to have followed this for months — the discussion is aimed at people just starting to hear about it as much as at people already involved.
“This isn't a presentation telling you what to think. It isn't a debate. It's a community discussion. … Most importantly, we'll make space for your questions. If you've ever felt like these decisions move too fast or are too complicated to follow, this conversation is for you.”
Questions the hosts plan to take up
What impacts data centers can have on communities; how they could affect neighborhoods and infrastructure; what authority the City actually has; what residents can do, individually and together; and where the projects proposed in and around Sioux Falls currently stand.
Who is hosting
Three groups jointly: Let Sioux Falls Vote, South Dakota for Data Center Transparency, and Dakota Rural Action. The event is public and open to anyone, on or off Facebook.
Clay County Planning Commission - Small and Large Data Centers
Monday, September 21, 2026 · 5:15pm
Vermillion Courthouse, 211 W Main St, Vermillion, SD 57069
the Clay County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on September 21h, 2026, regarding the amendment of the 2013 Revised Zoning Ordinance for Clay County. Specifically, the Planning Commission will be considering a recommendation of adoption to the County Commission for an amendment to Article 4, Districts and Boundaries; Section 4.05, District Regulations Established; Section 4.05.05, C-1: Commercial District; Section 4.05.06, I-1: Light Industrial District; and Section 4.05.07, I-2: General Industrial District
Zoning amendment adding Small and Large Data Centers as conditional uses in the C-1, I-1 and I-2 districts (plus a second notice on definitions)
Show up, bring your neighbors
“NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Notice is hereby given that the Clay County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on September 21h, 2026, regarding the amendment of the 2013 Revised Zoning Ordinance for Clay County. Specifically, the Planning Commission will be considering a recommendation of adoption to the County Commission for an amendment to Article 2, Definitions; Section 2.02, Definitions; Article 3, General District Regulations
A copy of the proposed amendment to the zoning regulations is available for public review at the Clay County Courthouse in the Zoning/Veterans Administrator’s Office during regular business hours.
The Planning Commission public hearing will be held at the following time, date, and location:
5:15 PM
September 21th 2026
Clay County Courthouse
The purpose of this hearing is to explain the proposed amendment to interested persons, to answer questions regarding this item and to hear public comment on this item. The Planning Commission invites all interested persons to attend and offer their comments. Those interested persons not able to attend are invited and encouraged to send written comments to the Zoning/Veterans Administrator, 211 W. Main St., Suite 203, Vermillion, SD 57069.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you need special assistance to participate in this hearing, please contact the Zoning/Veterans Administrator at (605) 677-7145. Anyone who is deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech-disabled may utilize Relay South Dakota at (800) 877-1113 (TTY/Voice). Notification 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable the County to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this hearing.
Noah Westergaard
Zoning/Veterans Administrator
Published on: September 11th 2026”
Codington
Meeting
Codington County Planning Commission - Discussion on battery energy storage ordinance
Monday, September 21, 2026 · 7:30pm
Codington County Extension Complex, 1910 W. Kemp Ave., Watertown
RURAL (Residents United for Rural and Agricultural Land) - Community meeting on ordinances
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Goodwin Community Center, 141 Chicago Ave, Goodwin, SD 57238
RURAL (Residents United for Rural and Agricultural Land) Is seeking Public input on proposed Deuel County zoning ordinance changes on industrial development
Determine what your concerns are, do some research, come with ideas!
Tentative - Aberdeen City Council - Presentation of Data Center Ordinance First Draft
Monday, September 28, 2026 · 5:30pm
City Council Chambers, 123 S. Lincoln St., Aberdeen
First draft of the city's data center ordinance, "in two weeks" from 09/14 article
A special meeting was held Monday night at the Aberdeen Civic Theater put on by the Aberdeen City Council. Councilmembers wanted to hear from citizens regarding a proposed ordinance the council is trying to write governing any potential data center projects looking to Aberdeen for a location.
Currently, there are no proposed data center projects in Aberdeen. There are two active data center projects surrounding Aberdeen including in Ellendale, North Dakota and near Leola, South Dakota.
This was the third of three special meetings the council has had while attempting to gather information for the proposed ordinance. The other’s delt with industry experts and local business interests.
Most of the speakers express skepticism or concerns for data center projects in Aberdeen.
Speaker Clark Thayers urged the council to look towards an ordinance already put in place by the Brown County Commission, with some changes…
Ryan Clay, owner and operator of “One Legged Pheasant” brewing in Aberdeen also expressed concerns surrounding energy usage by data centers..
Erin Ronayne Rudner, Democrat candidate seeking to represent District 3 in the state legislature proposed a five point plan councilmembers should consider when drafting this ordinance…
Denzel Eisenbeisz was the lone speaker in favor of data center projects, pointing out potential energy benefits…
Several speakers spoke about Aberdeen’s lack of affordable housing. Section 8 or low income housing has dried up as property owners can get more money from data center employees currently working in Ellendale. Brodie Mueller says its not just housing, but tourism that will be hurt from the lack of space Aberdeen currently has…
City councilmember Alan Johnson said in his closing statements the council would consider everything said over the past month and a first draft of the ordinance will be presented at the Aberdeen City Council meeting in two weeks.
RURAL (Residents United for Rural and Agricultural Land)- community meeting; not a county meeting
Monday, September 28, 2026 · 6:30pm
Astoria Village Inn, 339 Main St, Astoria, SD 57213
RURAL (Residents United for Rural and Agricultural Land) is seeking public input on proposed Deuel County zoning ordinance changes on industrial development
“Identify your concerns, do your research, and come up with potential solutions”
Minnehaha County Planning and Zoning - Data Center Ordinance Discussion
Monday, September 28, 2026 · 7pm
County Admin Building, 3rd Floor Commission Chambers, 415 N Dakota Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Discussion on data centers, Planning Director Scott Anderson (item 8A)
Send written comment early: the agenda warns material delivered the day of the hearing may not get a full review.
TENTATIVE Brookings County Planning and Zoning Commission - Discussion of 765 kV Setback Recommendations
Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Brookings County Development Department (Planning & Zoning), 520 3rd St., Suite 110, Brookings, SD 57006
Show up, speak out, Call your neighbors and bring them too!
“BROOKINGS, SD (KELO.com) — It was a packed house Thursday night as a Brookings County Planning and Zoning subcommittee addressed the issue of a proposed 765-kilovolt power line. A long line of residents testified against the line, expressing health concerns from stray voltage. They asked the subcommittee to reject the project altogether, or to require large setbacks from residential areas and farms.
The line would cross the property of a Hutterite Colony. Colony member Lawrence Wipf compared the power line to his colony’s recent application for a new hog barn: “That setback (for the hog barn) was a half mile. So, why is that a half mile (setback)? I’m sure it’s got its reasons, I don’t know exactly why, but it’s a half mile. So, I would say in all fairness, this one should be no less than that, if not more.”
The subcommittee approved a 2,000-foot setback requirement. Their proposal will go to the Brookings County Planning and Zoning commission, which will take up the issue early next month.”
IMPORTANT! SD Public Utilities Commission public input - 765 kV (EL26-026)
Tuesday, October 20, 2026 · 6:00pm
Brookings Inn, 2500 E. Sixth St., Brookings
PowerOn Midwest facility permit SD Public Utilities Commission public input, 765 kV (EL26-026)
Email puc@state.sd.us, or mail PUC, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. Include EL26-026, your full name, mailing address, email and phone. Accepted until the decision; no party status needed (PUC Siting Guide, page 2).
“On September 4, 2026, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (Commission)
received a facility permit application (Application) from Northern States Power Company, doing
business as Xcel Energy, and Otter Tail Power Company, (collectively, Applicants) for the
PowerOn: Big Stone South to Brookings County to South Dakota/Minnesota Border Project
(Project). The Project will consist of an approximately ninety-mile long 765 kilovolt (kV)
transmission line located in Grant, Deuel and Brookings Counties in South Dakota and associated
facilities including the Big Stone Station Expansion in Grant County, and the 345 kV Brookings
County Substation expansion ( consisting of an expansion of the current 345 kV Brookings County
Substation and a new expansion area to enable the 765 kV connection approximately five miles
away) in Brookings County. The Project also includes an approximately five-mile long 345 kV
transmission line connecting the Brookings County 345 kV Substation Expansion to the Brookings
County 765 kV Substation expansion. Applicants anticipate construction to be completed and in
service in 2034. Applicants estimate the total construction cost of the proposed Project to be
approximately $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion.
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to SDCL Chapters 1-26 and
49-41 Band ARSD Chapter 20:10:22.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-15 and 49-418-16 the Commission hereby provides Notice that
the Commission will hold the following public input meetings:”
IMPORTANT! SD Public Utilities Commission - public input on 765 kV (EL26-026)
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 · 12:00 Noon
Milbank School Theater, 1001 E. Park Ave., Milbank
SD Public Utilities Commission - public input on 765 kV (EL26-026) PowerOn Midwest facility permit
Email puc@state.sd.us, or mail PUC, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. Include EL26-026, your full name, mailing address, email and phone. Accepted until the decision; no party status needed (PUC Siting Guide, page 2).
“On September 4, 2026, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (Commission)
received a facility permit application (Application) from Northern States Power Company, doing
business as Xcel Energy, and Otter Tail Power Company, (collectively, Applicants) for the
PowerOn: Big Stone South to Brookings County to South Dakota/Minnesota Border Project
(Project). The Project will consist of an approximately ninety-mile long 765 kilovolt (kV)
transmission line located in Grant, Deuel and Brookings Counties in South Dakota and associated
facilities including the Big Stone Station Expansion in Grant County, and the 345 kV Brookings
County Substation expansion ( consisting of an expansion of the current 345 kV Brookings County
Substation and a new expansion area to enable the 765 kV connection approximately five miles
away) in Brookings County. The Project also includes an approximately five-mile long 345 kV
transmission line connecting the Brookings County 345 kV Substation Expansion to the Brookings
County 765 kV Substation expansion. Applicants anticipate construction to be completed and in
service in 2034. Applicants estimate the total construction cost of the proposed Project to be
approximately $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion.
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to SDCL Chapters 1-26 and
49-41 Band ARSD Chapter 20:10:22.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-15 and 49-418-16 the Commission hereby provides Notice that
the Commission will hold the following public input meetings:
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CT
Brookings Inn
2500 E. Sixth St.
Brookings, SD 57006
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CT
Milbank School Theater
1001 E. Park Avenue
Milbank, SD 57252
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT
Clear Lake Community Center
218 Third Ave. S.
Clear Lake, SD 57226
The purpose of the public input meetings will be to hear public comments regarding the
Application and the Project. At the meeting, Applicants will present a brief description of the
Project, after which interested persons may appear and present their views, comments, and
questions regarding the Application. A copy of the Application is on file with the Grant, Deuel and
Brookings County Auditors and at the Commission's office in Pierre. The Application and all other
documents in the docket, including detailed maps of the Project, may be accessed on the
Commission's website at puc.sd.gov under Commission Actions, Commission Dockets, Electric
Dockets, 2026 Electric Dockets, EL26-026.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20:10:22:40, the parties to this proceeding are
currently the Applicants and the Commission Staff. Each municipality, county, and governmental
agency in the area where the facility is proposed to be sited; or any person residing in the area
where the facility is proposed to be sited, or any directly interested person, may be granted party
status in this proceeding by making timely written application to the Commission. Applications for
party status will be available at the public input hearing or may be obtained from the Commission's
website or by contacting the Commission. Applications for party status must be filed with the
Commission on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, November 3, 2026. The Commission will also accept
comments in writing from anyone, either by mail, personal delivery, or e-mail until the time of the
decision. You only need to apply for party status if you want to participate formally in the case by
putting on actual testimony or other factual evidence, conducting discovery, cross-examining
witnesses, making legal arguments, and to preserve your right to appeal to the courts if you do
not believe the Commission's decision is legally correct. You do not need to have party status in
order to submit written comments.
Following the public input meeting, the Commission may schedule a formal evidentiary
hearing conforming to SDCL Chapter 1-26 to consider issues raised by any party or the
Commission itself. At such a formal hearing, all parties will have the opportunity to appear, present
evidence, and cross-examine the other parties' witnesses and exercise all other rights afforded
by SDCL Chapters 1-26, 49-1, and 49-41 Band ARSD Chapters 20:10:01 and 20:10:22, including
rights of appeal to the courts.
For approval, Applicant must show that the proposed Project will comply with all applicable
laws and rules, will not pose a threat of serious injury to the environment nor to the social and
economic condition of inhabitants or expected inhabitants in the siting area, will not substantially
impair the health, safety or welfare of the inhabitants, and will not unduly interfere with the orderly
development of the region with due consideration having been given to the views of governing
bodies of affected local units of government. Based upon these factors, the Commission will
decide whether a permit to construct should be granted, denied, or granted upon such terms,
conditions, or modifications of the construction, operation, or maintenance as the Commission
finds appropriate. It is therefore
ORDERED, that the Commission will hold public input meetings on the Application and
Project on the following dates:
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CT at the Brookings Inn, 2500 E. Sixth St.,
Brookings, SD 57006;
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CT at the Milbank School Theater,
1001 E. Park Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252; AND
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT at the Clear Lake Community Center,
2
218 Third Ave. S., Clear Lake, SD 57226. It is further
ORDERED, that pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20: 10:22:40, applications for
party status should be filed on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, on November 3, 2026.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, these hearings will be held in physically
accessible locations. Please contact the Public Utilities Commission at (605) 773-3201 at least
48 hours prior to the meeting if you have special needs so arrangements can be made to
accommodate you.”
IMPORTANT! SD Public Utilities Commission - public input on 345 kV (EL26-028)
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 · 5:30pm
Milbank School Theater, 1001 E. Park Ave., Milbank
Big Stone South to Hankinson to Bison facility permit
SD Public Utilities Commission public input, 345 kV (EL26-028)
Email puc@state.sd.us, or mail PUC, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. Include EL26-028, your full name, mailing address, email and phone. Accepted until the decision; no party status needed (PUC Siting Guide, page 2).
“On September 8, 2026, the Commission received an Application from Otter Tail Power
Company (Applicant) for a Transmission Facility Permit for an electric transmission line in Grant
and Roberts Counties, South Dakota. Specifically, Applicant proposes to construct a new 345kV
electric transmission line ("the Project"). The South Dakota portion of the Project consists of
approximately 71 miles of 345 kV transmission line that runs from the existing Big Stone South
Substation located west of Big Stone City, South Dakota, to the South Dakota - North Dakota
border at a location northeast of New Effington, South Dakota, between Lien and Victor
Townships. The Project will consist of single-circuit transmission structures constructed on steel,
single-pole (monopole) structures. The Project will also involve modifications to the existing Big
Stone South Substation to accommodate new breaker positions, switches for the new singlecircuit 345 kV transmission line, and relocation of the 345 kV Big Stone South to Ellendale
termination into the substation. Facility components will also include temporary laydown/staging
areas, pulling/tensioning sites, and access roads. The Project is expected to be located along
1,286.4 acres of right-of-way located in South Dakota. The Project would have a 150-foot rightof-way along the length of the transmission line. The Project estimates construction costs between
$190.6 to $228.7 million and is expected to start construction in 2030, complete in 2033, and in
service by the first quarter of 2034.
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to SDCL Chapters 1-26 and
49-41 B and ARSD Chapter 20: 10:22.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-15 and 49-418-16, the Commission will hold the following
public input meetings:
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT
Milbank School Theater
1001 E. Park Avenue
Milbank, SD 57252
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11 :00 a.m. CT
Rosholt Community Center
19 E. Main St.
Rosholt, SD 57260
The purpose of the public input meetings will be to hear public comments regarding the
Application and the Project. At the meetings, Applicant will present a brief description of the
Project, after which interested persons may appear and present their views, comments, and
questions regarding the Application. A copy of the Application is on file with the Grant and Roberts
County Auditors and at the Commission's office in Pierre. The Application and all other documents
in the docket, including detailed maps of the Project, may be accessed on the Commission's web
site at puc.sd.gov under Commission Actions, Commission Dockets, Electric Dockets, 2026
Electric Dockets, EL26-028.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20: 10:22:40, the parties to this proceeding are
currently the Applicant and the Commission Staff. Each municipality, county, and governmental
agency in the area where the facility is proposed to be sited; or any person residing in the area
where the facility is proposed to be sited, or any directly interested person, may be granted party
status in this proceeding by making timely written application to the Commission. Applications for
party status will be available at the public input hearing or may be obtained from the Commission's
web site or by contacting the Commission. Applications for party status must be filed with the
Commission on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, November 9, 2026. The Commission will also accept
comments in writing from anyone, either by mail, personal delivery, or e-mail until the time of the
decision. You only need to apply for party status if you want to participate formally in the case by
putting on actual testimony or other factual evidence, conducting discovery, cross-examining
witnesses, making legal arguments, and to preserve your right to appeal to the courts if you do
not believe the Commission's decision is legally correct. You do not need to have party status in
order to submit written comments.
Following the public input meeting, the Commission may schedule a formal evidentiary
hearing conforming to SDCL Chapter 1-26 to consider issues raised by any party or the
Commission itself. At such a formal hearing, all parties will have the opportunity to appear, present
evidence, and cross-examine the other parties' witnesses and exercise all other rights afforded
by SDCL Chapters 1-26, 49-1, and 49-418 and ARSD Chapters 20: 10:01 and 20: 10:22, including
rights of appeal to the courts.
For approval, Applicant must show that the proposed Project will comply with all applicable
laws and rules, will not pose a threat of serious injury to the environment nor to the social and
economic condition of inhabitants or expected inhabitants in the siting area, will not substantially
impair the health, safety or welfare of the inhabitants, and will not unduly interfere with the orderly
development of the region with due consideration having been given to the views of governing
bodies of affected local units of government. Based upon these factors, the Commission will
decide whether a permit to construct should be granted, denied, or granted upon such terms,
conditions, or modifications of the construction, operation, or maintenance as the Commission
finds appropriate. It is therefore
ORDERED, that the Commission will hold public input meetings on the Application and
Project on the following dates:
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT at the Milbank School Theater, 1001
E. Park Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252; AND
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11 :00 a.m. CT at the Rosholt Community Center, 19
E. Main St., Rosholt, SD 57260. It is further
ORDERED, that pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20:10:22:40, applications for
party status should be filed on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, on November 9, 2026.
2
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, these hearings will be held in physically
accessible locations. Please contact the Public Utilities Commission at (605) 773-3201 at least
48 hours prior to the hearing if you have special needs so arrangements can be made to
accommodate you.”
IMPORTANT! SD Public Utilities Commission - public input on 765 kV Powerlines (EL26-026)
Thursday, October 22, 2026 · 5:30Pm
Clear Lake Community Center, 218 Third Ave. S., Clear Lake
SD Public Utilities Commission - public input on 765 kV Powerlines (EL26-026) PowerOn Midwest facility permit
Email puc@state.sd.us, or mail PUC, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. Include EL26-026, your full name, mailing address, email and phone. Accepted until the decision; no party status needed (PUC Siting Guide, page 2).
“On September 4, 2026, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (Commission)
received a facility permit application (Application) from Northern States Power Company, doing
business as Xcel Energy, and Otter Tail Power Company, (collectively, Applicants) for the
PowerOn: Big Stone South to Brookings County to South Dakota/Minnesota Border Project
(Project). The Project will consist of an approximately ninety-mile long 765 kilovolt (kV)
transmission line located in Grant, Deuel and Brookings Counties in South Dakota and associated
facilities including the Big Stone Station Expansion in Grant County, and the 345 kV Brookings
County Substation expansion ( consisting of an expansion of the current 345 kV Brookings County
Substation and a new expansion area to enable the 765 kV connection approximately five miles
away) in Brookings County. The Project also includes an approximately five-mile long 345 kV
transmission line connecting the Brookings County 345 kV Substation Expansion to the Brookings
County 765 kV Substation expansion. Applicants anticipate construction to be completed and in
service in 2034. Applicants estimate the total construction cost of the proposed Project to be
approximately $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion.
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to SDCL Chapters 1-26 and
49-41 Band ARSD Chapter 20:10:22.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-15 and 49-418-16 the Commission hereby provides Notice that
the Commission will hold the following public input meetings:
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CT
Brookings Inn
2500 E. Sixth St.
Brookings, SD 57006
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CT
Milbank School Theater
1001 E. Park Avenue
Milbank, SD 57252
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT
Clear Lake Community Center
218 Third Ave. S.
Clear Lake, SD 57226
The purpose of the public input meetings will be to hear public comments regarding the
Application and the Project. At the meeting, Applicants will present a brief description of the
Project, after which interested persons may appear and present their views, comments, and
questions regarding the Application. A copy of the Application is on file with the Grant, Deuel and
Brookings County Auditors and at the Commission's office in Pierre. The Application and all other
documents in the docket, including detailed maps of the Project, may be accessed on the
Commission's website at puc.sd.gov under Commission Actions, Commission Dockets, Electric
Dockets, 2026 Electric Dockets, EL26-026.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20:10:22:40, the parties to this proceeding are
currently the Applicants and the Commission Staff. Each municipality, county, and governmental
agency in the area where the facility is proposed to be sited; or any person residing in the area
where the facility is proposed to be sited, or any directly interested person, may be granted party
status in this proceeding by making timely written application to the Commission. Applications for
party status will be available at the public input hearing or may be obtained from the Commission's
website or by contacting the Commission. Applications for party status must be filed with the
Commission on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, November 3, 2026. The Commission will also accept
comments in writing from anyone, either by mail, personal delivery, or e-mail until the time of the
decision. You only need to apply for party status if you want to participate formally in the case by
putting on actual testimony or other factual evidence, conducting discovery, cross-examining
witnesses, making legal arguments, and to preserve your right to appeal to the courts if you do
not believe the Commission's decision is legally correct. You do not need to have party status in
order to submit written comments.
Following the public input meeting, the Commission may schedule a formal evidentiary
hearing conforming to SDCL Chapter 1-26 to consider issues raised by any party or the
Commission itself. At such a formal hearing, all parties will have the opportunity to appear, present
evidence, and cross-examine the other parties' witnesses and exercise all other rights afforded
by SDCL Chapters 1-26, 49-1, and 49-41 Band ARSD Chapters 20:10:01 and 20:10:22, including
rights of appeal to the courts.
For approval, Applicant must show that the proposed Project will comply with all applicable
laws and rules, will not pose a threat of serious injury to the environment nor to the social and
economic condition of inhabitants or expected inhabitants in the siting area, will not substantially
impair the health, safety or welfare of the inhabitants, and will not unduly interfere with the orderly
development of the region with due consideration having been given to the views of governing
bodies of affected local units of government. Based upon these factors, the Commission will
decide whether a permit to construct should be granted, denied, or granted upon such terms,
conditions, or modifications of the construction, operation, or maintenance as the Commission
finds appropriate. It is therefore
ORDERED, that the Commission will hold public input meetings on the Application and
Project on the following dates:
Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CT at the Brookings Inn, 2500 E. Sixth St.,
Brookings, SD 57006;
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. CT at the Milbank School Theater,
1001 E. Park Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252; AND
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT at the Clear Lake Community Center,
2
218 Third Ave. S., Clear Lake, SD 57226. It is further
ORDERED, that pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20: 10:22:40, applications for
party status should be filed on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, on November 3, 2026.
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, these hearings will be held in physically
accessible locations. Please contact the Public Utilities Commission at (605) 773-3201 at least
48 hours prior to the meeting if you have special needs so arrangements can be made to
accommodate you.”
IMPORTANT! SD Public Utilities Commission - public input on 345 kV (EL26-028)
Thursday, October 22, 2026 · 11:00am
Rosholt Community Center, 19 E. Main St., Rosholt
Big Stone South to Hankinson to Bison facility permit 345 kV (EL26-028)
Email puc@state.sd.us, or mail PUC, 500 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, SD 57501. Include EL26-028, your full name, mailing address, email and phone. Accepted until the decision; no party status needed (PUC Siting Guide, page 2).
“On September 8, 2026, the Commission received an Application from Otter Tail Power
Company (Applicant) for a Transmission Facility Permit for an electric transmission line in Grant
and Roberts Counties, South Dakota. Specifically, Applicant proposes to construct a new 345kV
electric transmission line ("the Project"). The South Dakota portion of the Project consists of
approximately 71 miles of 345 kV transmission line that runs from the existing Big Stone South
Substation located west of Big Stone City, South Dakota, to the South Dakota - North Dakota
border at a location northeast of New Effington, South Dakota, between Lien and Victor
Townships. The Project will consist of single-circuit transmission structures constructed on steel,
single-pole (monopole) structures. The Project will also involve modifications to the existing Big
Stone South Substation to accommodate new breaker positions, switches for the new singlecircuit 345 kV transmission line, and relocation of the 345 kV Big Stone South to Ellendale
termination into the substation. Facility components will also include temporary laydown/staging
areas, pulling/tensioning sites, and access roads. The Project is expected to be located along
1,286.4 acres of right-of-way located in South Dakota. The Project would have a 150-foot rightof-way along the length of the transmission line. The Project estimates construction costs between
$190.6 to $228.7 million and is expected to start construction in 2030, complete in 2033, and in
service by the first quarter of 2034.
The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to SDCL Chapters 1-26 and
49-41 B and ARSD Chapter 20: 10:22.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-15 and 49-418-16, the Commission will hold the following
public input meetings:
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT
Milbank School Theater
1001 E. Park Avenue
Milbank, SD 57252
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11 :00 a.m. CT
Rosholt Community Center
19 E. Main St.
Rosholt, SD 57260
The purpose of the public input meetings will be to hear public comments regarding the
Application and the Project. At the meetings, Applicant will present a brief description of the
Project, after which interested persons may appear and present their views, comments, and
questions regarding the Application. A copy of the Application is on file with the Grant and Roberts
County Auditors and at the Commission's office in Pierre. The Application and all other documents
in the docket, including detailed maps of the Project, may be accessed on the Commission's web
site at puc.sd.gov under Commission Actions, Commission Dockets, Electric Dockets, 2026
Electric Dockets, EL26-028.
Pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20: 10:22:40, the parties to this proceeding are
currently the Applicant and the Commission Staff. Each municipality, county, and governmental
agency in the area where the facility is proposed to be sited; or any person residing in the area
where the facility is proposed to be sited, or any directly interested person, may be granted party
status in this proceeding by making timely written application to the Commission. Applications for
party status will be available at the public input hearing or may be obtained from the Commission's
web site or by contacting the Commission. Applications for party status must be filed with the
Commission on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, November 9, 2026. The Commission will also accept
comments in writing from anyone, either by mail, personal delivery, or e-mail until the time of the
decision. You only need to apply for party status if you want to participate formally in the case by
putting on actual testimony or other factual evidence, conducting discovery, cross-examining
witnesses, making legal arguments, and to preserve your right to appeal to the courts if you do
not believe the Commission's decision is legally correct. You do not need to have party status in
order to submit written comments.
Following the public input meeting, the Commission may schedule a formal evidentiary
hearing conforming to SDCL Chapter 1-26 to consider issues raised by any party or the
Commission itself. At such a formal hearing, all parties will have the opportunity to appear, present
evidence, and cross-examine the other parties' witnesses and exercise all other rights afforded
by SDCL Chapters 1-26, 49-1, and 49-418 and ARSD Chapters 20: 10:01 and 20: 10:22, including
rights of appeal to the courts.
For approval, Applicant must show that the proposed Project will comply with all applicable
laws and rules, will not pose a threat of serious injury to the environment nor to the social and
economic condition of inhabitants or expected inhabitants in the siting area, will not substantially
impair the health, safety or welfare of the inhabitants, and will not unduly interfere with the orderly
development of the region with due consideration having been given to the views of governing
bodies of affected local units of government. Based upon these factors, the Commission will
decide whether a permit to construct should be granted, denied, or granted upon such terms,
conditions, or modifications of the construction, operation, or maintenance as the Commission
finds appropriate. It is therefore
ORDERED, that the Commission will hold public input meetings on the Application and
Project on the following dates:
Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. CT at the Milbank School Theater, 1001
E. Park Avenue, Milbank, SD 57252; AND
Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 11 :00 a.m. CT at the Rosholt Community Center, 19
E. Main St., Rosholt, SD 57260. It is further
ORDERED, that pursuant to SDCL 49-418-17 and ARSD 20:10:22:40, applications for
party status should be filed on or before 5:00 p.m., CT, on November 9, 2026.
2
Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, these hearings will be held in physically
accessible locations. Please contact the Public Utilities Commission at (605) 773-3201 at least
48 hours prior to the hearing if you have special needs so arrangements can be made to
accommodate you.”
Lincoln County Commission and Sioux Falls City Council - joint public hearing on Data Centers
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 · 7pm
City Council Chambers, Carnegie Town Hall, 235 W 10th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57104
Sioux Falls City Council and the Lincoln County Commission have agreed to have a discussion on Data centers on October 27th, 2026 during their 8-25-2026 Meeting. The discussion around this was very interesting to watch. We suggest watching the meeting included in the links from the Lincoln County Commission's Youtube page.
Rapid City Planning Commission - Discussion on Data Center Ordinances
Thursday, November 5, 2026 · 7am
City Council Meeting Room, 300 Sixth St., Rapid City
Ordinance 6746 (26OA006), data center regulations, continued from 09/10
“RAPID CITY, S.D. – An ordinance that would give the city guidelines in the approval process of data centers was continued until Nov. 5 by the City of Rapid City Planning Commission.
In 2024, the City adopted regulations for data centers within the city limits with certain provisions. As data centers have grown nationwide and community concerns have been recorded, however, Rapid City chose to revisit its data center ordinance.
As a result, a proposed ordinance addressing several of those concerns was developed and heard Thursday morning at the Planning Commission, the first step of the approval process.
“Today we heard from many of the industry representatives that they had some concerns but overall thought the context of the ordinance was solid,” Community Development Director Vicki Fisher said. “What you didn’t see at the meeting today that has been shared through emails and phone calls is, there are others in the community who have voiced perhaps we haven’t gone far enough.”
Before the proposed ordinance is back on the Nov. 5 Planning Commission agenda, city planners will hear from different parties to tweak the ordinance, if necessary. Fisher said it’s likely a working session with the city council, and a public open house would be held to discuss the ordinance.
“Our goal is to ensure voices are heard and the final document reflects what is needed to best protect the community and the interests of Rapid City,” Fisher said.
Hyperscale data centers would be prohibited under the proposed ordinance. Hyperscale is defined as using 50 MW or more of energy and 10,000 gallons of water per day.
It’s estimated that 10MW of energy would power 4,000 to 8,000 homes and 10,000 gallons of water is the general use by 33 homes daily.
Smaller data centers would face fewer restrictions. Micro data centers – using a maximum of 10 MW of power and 4,000 gallons of water per day – would be permitted. Large-scale centers – using more than 10 MW of power and a maximum of 10,000 gallons per day would require a conditional use permit.
Other stipulations in the proposed ordinance would require micro data centers be at least 500 feet from a residential zoning district (closer requires a conditional use permit), and more than one micro data center on property would require a conditional use permit.
Large-scale data centers would be required to be at least 1,000 feet from a zoning district that allows residential, closer than that would require a variance, and more than one data center on a property would require a conditional use permit.
“The regulations are really geared toward protecting the community, especially residential areas that may be around industrial at this time,” Jessica Olson, City of Rapid City Planning Manager, said Thursday afternoon. “So, in that, making sure those industrial areas are not impacting further out.”
In December 2024, the City of Rapid City adopted an ordinance defining data centers and identifying them as permitted use in light and heavy industrial districts. Olson provided a memo last week to Planning Commission members highlighting several issues – water use, water quality, power, noise and vibration – that have been well-researched since then and addressed in the current proposed ordinance.
Water intensive cooling systems would be prohibited and a maximum of 10,000 gallons of water could be used each day. In addition, the city could deny the data center based on available water in the area and, based on conditions, the water provider could restrict flows based on availability.
The electric utility would be required to provide an approval letter prior to approval and on-site power generators would be limited to emergency use only.
To address the noise issue, the proposed ordinance mandates a sound study and mitigation measures to meet acceptable decibel levels.
Micro data centers would be restricted to 500 feet from a residential zoning district without a conditional use permit; large data centers face the same hurdles within 1,000 feet.
Finally, the conditional use permit would require public hearing, notice, mail, sign, and optional neighborhood meeting.”
