South Dakota currently lacks the energy capacity needed to support a hyperscale data center, according to panelists at a recent community forum in Sioux Falls.
The issue was discussed on Monday, March 9, during the Downtown Rotary Club meeting as part of an overall hyperscale data center dialogue, titled “Courageous Conversation: Data Centers in South Dakota,” at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance. Supporters highlighted potential economic benefits and the risk of being “left behind” other states, while critics argued the state lacks the infrastructure, planning and local support for such projects.
One of the panelists, retired IT professional John Ray said that although about 81% of South Dakota’s energy comes from hydroelectric, wind and solar power, the state has very limited ability to store that energy. Renewable generation can reach about 7,300 megawatts under ideal weather conditions, but as of March 2026, the state had only about 1 megawatt of operational utility-scale battery storage…