Once operational, Wild Springs will be the largest solar project in South Dakota. It will be located in the service area of West River Electric Association, which is a distribution electric cooperative member of Basin Electric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor the first time in its history, Basin Electric will buy solar generation on a large scale to serve our members. The board\u2019s decision to add solar generation to our resource portfolio is to continue with our all-of-the-above strategy, as well as solar generation becoming a more economic energy source. We are excited about adding solar to our already diverse generation mix,\u201d stated Paul Sukut, CEO and general manager of Basin Electric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basin Electric is a not-for-profit wholesale power provider to 141 member cooperative systems in nine states. In South Dakota, Basin Electric transmits its power supply to two generation and transmission (G&T) cooperatives, Rushmore Electric Power Cooperative (Rushmore Electric) and East River Electric Power Cooperative. Those two G&T cooperatives then transmit the power supply to their respective distribution cooperatives, with Rushmore Electric being the G&T provider to West River Electric. West River Electric and the state\u2019s 27 other distribution co-ops power the homes, farms and businesses within their service areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur cooperative network is always looking to ensure we have a mix of power resources to meet the needs of our membership and renewable energy is an important part of that strategy,\u201d said Vic Simmons, general manager, Rushmore Electric. \u201cThis project with Geronimo Energy is an important strategic step as we look to the future in continuing our strong history of providing safe, affordable and reliable power.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dick Johnson, CEO and general manager of West River Electric, added: \u201cWe\u2019re excited that West River\u2019s service area will be home to the Wild Springs Solar Project. This solar energy project will benefit our cooperative family, as well as our local communities. As not-for-profit co-ops that are owned by our members, everything we do goes back to the people we serve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project has been supported by local and state community members and is estmated to generate over $17 million in economic benefits through its first 20 years of operation, including impacts in new tax revenue, construction jobs, new full-time jobs and charitable funds through the project\u2019s \u201cEducation Fund.\u201d The Wild Springs Education Fund alone will offer approximately $500,000 in donations to the local school districts connected to the project, above and beyond all tax revenue and local spending benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHistorically, there has been a misconception that solar in the northern regions of the United States wasn\u2019t feasible,\u201d stated David Reamer, president for Geronimo Energy. \u201cBoth Geronimo and Basin Electric recognized that the addition of solar to its overall generation fleet not only offers customers a clean, economic option for their electricity, but it also diversifies a utility\u2019s portfolio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geronimo\u2019s South Dakota operating project portfolio includes the recently completed Crocker Wind Farm, a 200-MW wind project located in Clark County, South Dakota. Geronimo also successfully developed the operational Pierre Solar Project, a joint effort with the City of Pierre and Missouri River Energy Services, located on city property in Hughes County, South Dakota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From: https:\/\/www.solarpowerworldonline.com\/2020\/02\/geronimo-energy-developing-south-dakota-solar-project\/<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Geronimo Energy, a National Grid company, and\u00a0Basin Electric Power Cooperative\u00a0announced the execution of a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the 128-MW Wild Springs Solar Project. Wild Springs is a clean solar energy project located in Pennington County, South Dakota, approximately 20 miles east of Rapid City. Wild Springs is anticipated to begin operations in 2022.…
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