Black Hills Gets Green Light For $280 Mln Lange II Power Project In South Dakota

(RTTNews) - Black Hills Corp. (BKH) announced that its South Dakota electric utility subsidiary has received approval from the Wyoming Public Service Commission for a certificate of public convenience and necessity or CPCN to begin construction of the Lange II Project.

This 99 MW dispatchable generation facility in Rapid City, South Dakota, aims to address regional capacity shortfalls due to aging plant retirements and increased reserve margin requirements.

The Lange II Project will feature six reciprocating internal combustion engines (RICE) capable of running on both natural gas and diesel, identified as the most cost-effective solution for reliably serving customers in South Dakota and eastern Wyoming. The total estimated investment is $280 million.

Black Hills Corp. CEO Linn Evans emphasized the company's focus on reliability, safety, and cost-efficiency. He noted the RICE units would strengthen system resiliency and enable rapid adaptation to changing demand. Construction is set to begin in Q3 2025, with operations expected to start in the second half of 2026.

BKH is currently trading at $57.66, or 0.05% lower on the NYSE.