A plan that could bring at least 100 wind turbines to one of two central South Dakota locations has commissioners in several Mitchellarea counties considering the possibility of further wind energy development in the region.
Prairie Winds, a subsidiary of Basin Electric Power, wants to develop a large wind farm at one of two Mitchell-area locations. One is north of White Lake, while the other is south of Winner.
Prairie Winds has been in talks with commissioners from counties involved.
"I honestly think that if a wind farm wanted to come here, you could put a wind turbine on every ... property in Tripp County without a problem," said Tripp County Commissioner Tresh Swedlund.
The proposed location near White Lake consists of 37,000 acres located about 15 miles north of White Lake, including land in Brule, Aurora and Jerauld counties. Power would be transmitted through WAPA's electric transmission system at the Wessington Springs Substation in Jerauld County.
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The location eight miles south of Winner is on approximately 83,000 acres. If this location becomes the home for the 150-megawatt project, it would interconnect with the Western Area Power Administration's electric transmission system at Winner Substation.
The counties and Basin Electric have been in talks for months about the project, but exact details have yet to be finalized.
Aurora County Commissioner Oscar Thompson said he's heard from landowners in support of bringing the project to the county, although he was surprised to learn that an alternate location was being considered.
Initially concerned about the effect the project might have on the county's infrastructure, Thompson said he's fully in favor of developing the project.
"Whatever it takes, we said we'd be glad to cooperate," Thompson said. "I wish it was a done deal."
The USDA Rural Utilities Service and WAPA will host two public meetings on the project at the end of the month. The first will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. April 28 at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Winner. Another will be from 4 to 7 p.m. April 29 at the Commerce Street Grille in Plankinton.
Representatives from USDA Rural Utilities Service, WAPA and PrairieWinds are scheduled to attend the meeting, where they will distribute more information on the project as well as address any questions or concerns.
A 34-tower wind farm recently went into production south of Wessington Springs and northeast of White Lake.
