South Dakota regulators have approved a major West River wind energy project.
The Public Utilities Commission granted a permit to Philip Wind Partners LLC to build a wind turbine farm in Haakon County.
The company behind the project said it’ll span 68,300 acres — that’s over 100 square miles — and generate 333 megawatts of energy. The $750 million project includes up to 87 turbines.
“The applicant has proven they are entitled to this permit under the criteria established in state law,” stated Commission Chairman Chris Nelson. “When constructed, this wind facility will be the largest in the state reinforcing our state’s electricity generation capacity."
According to PUC data, the two largest wind farms in the state are Deuel Harvest Wind Farm in Deuel County and Dakota Range Wind Project in Grant and Codington counties. Both are capable of producing just over 300 megawatts. Another project, Crocker Wind Farm in Clark County, is approved to have a capacity of up to 400 megawatts but currently is only capable of producing half that.
The newly approved wind farm is located a few miles north of Philip. Construction is set to begin in June.
Philip Wind Partners filed its application with the PUC in August of 2025. A public input meeting was held in Philip in October.
The company worked with PUC staff and set out requirements that must be adhered to during construction, operation and maintenance of the facility, according to a statement from the PUC. Some of those stipulations included details on easement agreements, aircraft detection lighting systems and transmission line route changes. The company's application also includes details on various environmental reports, including assessments on certain wildlife in the area.