South Dakota co-op scrambling to meet new growth as development blooms in the state

摘要

In South Dakota, East River Electric Cooperative's 12% growth in power demand last year and the outlook for further growth of 5% a year is causing the utility to fast-track building and upgrading transmission to serve new pipelines, ethanol and other plants. "Companies want to move quickly if they plan to locate or expand in South Dakota. This puts pressure on utilities because they want large amounts of power within eight months to a year," General Counsel Bob Sahr said in an interview. The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission on September 9 enabled faster construction on some lines. At East River's request the PUC issued an order confirming the state's siting law: If transmission follows existing rights-of-way and deviate from that corridor by not more than one mile in total, the lines do not need PUC approval to proceed.