South Dakota Data Center News

Apr 15, 2026

Data Center Boom Meets Resistance in Maine: Lawmakers Pass a Yearlong Freeze

The Maine Legislature approved sending a bill to Gov. Janet Mills that would impose a statewide moratorium on large data centers and create a special council to help towns vet potential projects.

Main action:Maine Legislature sent a bill to Gov. Janet Mills to institute a moratorium of more than a year on data centers above a certain size and to create a special council to assist municipalities in vetting projects; the bill was sponsored by Democratic Rep. Melanie Sachs and the governor had not responded publicly to whether she will sign it.
Background and details: The move follows intense community backlash and is part of broader activity in at least a dozen states where similar proposals have been introduced; related developments include an Ohio ballot effort that must gather more than 400,000 signatures by July 1 to attempt a statewide ban, failed or stalled bills in states such as Georgia and South Dakota, and commentary from stakeholders including the Data Center Coalition, Maine Broadband Coalition, GrowSmart Maine, and the Maine Policy Institute.

Apr 4, 2026

Benji Backer: Nature is Nonpartisan

Benji Backer has launched Nature is Nonpartisan to create a culturally relevant, nonpartisan conservation movement and to reframe how environmental issues are discussed.

Main action: Nature is Nonpartisan has produced media projects (a six-episode YouTube series already filmed) and is launching campaigns including “Going Public” (a public-lands ownership/certificate campaign running until May 30) to mobilize Americans around public lands and conservation. The organization also helped craft an executive order establishing the “Make America Beautiful Again” Conservation Commission and continues policy engagement while positioning the movement as nonpartisan.
Background and complementary action: Benji Backer previously founded the American Conservation Coalition (ACC, ~100,000 conservative members referenced) and now aims to broaden outreach beyond a single political constituency. Meanwhile, Energy Right (founder Skyler Zunk, team of five) is doing local clean-energy education in rural Virginia — promoting community solar, agrovoltaics (sheep grazing under panels), and addressing local concerns around land use and permitting, including the need to power growing energy demand from data centers in Northern Virginia.

Apr 2, 2026

States Race to Win the Tech Economy in 2026 State of the State Addresses

Broadband and technology were prioritized across nearly 30 governors’ 2026 State of the State addresses.

Main announcement: Governors across the country emphasized broadband expansion, AI policy and workforce development, and data center/energy planning; specific claims include Maine reporting “more than a quarter million homes and businesses” served, Wisconsin reporting 410,000 businesses and households with new or improved internet, Kansas connecting 117,000 households and businesses, and the Virgin Islands reporting a territory-wide internet program with over 50,000 users per month. The addresses also included concrete funding and contract figures: Maryland announced a $4 million AI workforce training investment, and South Dakota cited a $35 million Department of Defense contract for warhead production.
Background and other details: Governors described partnerships and policy actions: Maryland cited collaborations with Bloomberg Philanthropies, Microsoft, a South Korean biotech firm, and AstraZeneca for AI work; Iowa cited partnerships with Amazon Web Services and Google Public Sector to modernize state systems; several governors (Indiana, New York, Nebraska) debated who should shoulder data center energy costs or accelerate permitting; some states (New Hampshire, Delaware, South Carolina) signaled nuclear energy pathways and DOE engagement. Implementation timelines are those stated in addresses (2026) and referenced ongoing programs and contracts (e.g., South Dakota’s $35 million DoD contract already awarded).

Feb 25, 2026

Xcel–Google Pact Brings 1.9 GW of Clean Power, Iron-Air Battery to Minnesota

Xcel Energy has announced a partnership with Google to supply power to Google’s Pine Island data center and add 1,900 MW of new clean energy to the grid.

Main announcement: Xcel Energy and Google will add 1,900 MW of new clean energy (supported by a Clean Energy Accelerator Charge (CEAC)) comprising 1,400 MW wind, 200 MW solar, and 300 MW long-duration energy storage, and Google will cover all new grid infrastructure costs; the Electric Service Agreement will be filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in the coming weeks. The agreement also includes a $50 million investment in Xcel Energy’s Capacity*Connect Program to strengthen grid reliability.
Background and project details: The storage component includes a 300-MW (30-gigawatt-hour) iron-air battery from Form Energy (a 100-hour system, described as the largest battery project by GWh announced globally to date); Xcel reports its Minnesota mix is already 70% carbon-free and says residential bills remain below the national average. The agreement is presented as protecting existing customers from increased costs while enabling new large electricity loads.

Dec 18, 2025

Climate Change Solutions - December 16, 2025

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) issues a Climate Change Solutions newsletter summarizing recent climate, energy, and environmental policy developments, briefings, and media coverage in the United States.

Newsletter content highlights articles on FEMA reform (FEMA Act, H.R.4669), ghost fishing gear in Hawaiʻi, and global green building standards (LEED, BREEAM), plus an EESI briefing on how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (P.L. 119-21) changed 12 clean energy and efficiency tax incentives and how companies and consumers are adjusting.
Capitol Hill updates cover House passage or advancement of the Electric Supply Chain Act (H.R.3638), ePermit Act (H.R.4503), ESTUARIES Act (H.R.3962 / S.2063), and multiple PFAS bills (H.R.6668 / S.3457, H.R.6626 / S.3460, H.R.6667, S.3445, S.3446), as well as links to EESI legislative trackers, grid and industrial decarbonization briefings, and external media citations of EESI work on data centers, water use, and EERE investments.

Dec 17, 2025

Our top 25 accomplishments of 2025

Fresh Energy has summarized its 2025 achievements advancing clean energy and climate policy in Minnesota and outlined priority decarbonization actions for 2026.

Key 2025 actions included: defending Minnesota’s 100% clean electricity law from rollbacks, helping secure PUC approval for 6,080 MW of new wind, solar, and storage by 2030, driving a data center policy package into law with consumer and environmental protections, supporting multiple electrification, energy efficiency, EV charging, and bill-credit pilots, influencing residential energy code updates and industrial decarbonization funding (including $200 million in Climate Smart Food Systems grants), and advocating for MISO transmission expansions and against federal vehicle emissions rollbacks.
Looking ahead to 2026, Fresh Energy plans to: ensure progress toward 100% clean electricity by 2040, provide policy leadership on Sustainable Aviation Fuel, co-create a technical roadmap for industrial decarbonization, advocate for community-centered cumulative impacts rules, engage in ECO triennial planning and transportation electrification plans, and continue addressing hard-to-decarbonize sectors through grid, renewables, and clean technology investments in Minnesota.

Dec 4, 2025

With new locations in Brandon, Beresford, company finds growing market in modular data center industry

Thermo Bond Buildings announced expansion to Beresford and a new location in Brandon, South Dakota, and expects to add more than 50 jobs in 2026.

Expansion and hiring: Thermo Bond is expanding operations into Beresford and moved into Encore Park in Brandon (repurposed former Hegg Modular building); the company expects to add more than 50 jobs in 2026 and has grown to more than 600 employees, including 200+ new jobs in the Sioux Metro area in the past year.
Background and operations details: Founded in 1987 in Elk Point to serve wireless and telecom, Thermo Bond builds precast concrete modular data center shelters (typical unit 12-by-36-feet, hurricane-resistant) and a lightweight non-concrete shelter; plants operate in Elk Point, SD and Elkhart, IN.
- Event: Sioux Metro Growth Summit — Dec. 9, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Sanford Event Barn, Sioux Falls; subject/agenda: “Energizing Tomorrow” (deep dive into energy/data infrastructure opportunities).

Dec 2, 2025 · RMI

The Five Types of Electro-Industrial States

Rocky Mountain Institute presents a typology classifying US states into five electro-industrial archetypes.

Main announcement/action: RMI authors classify states into five archetypes — Momentum Hubs (Arizona, California), Fast‑Track Builders (Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ohio, Idaho), Policy Champions (New York, Michigan, Virginia, Oregon, Washington, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania), Open‑Door Starters (Vermont, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Mississippi, Iowa), and Early‑Stage Starters (Missouri, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Maine, Alabama, Louisiana, Indiana, West Virginia, Montana, Arkansas). The typology is based on policy reliability, regulatory ease, economic capacity, physical infrastructure (power and interconnection), and market momentum.
Background and details: The analysis highlights that market momentum and policy reliability should operate in tandem; low regulatory burdens accelerate short-term investment but may strain local housing and infrastructure without accompanying policy ambition. The authors reference the report GREASE Lightning as a policy playbook for designing investment-led, state-driven electro-industrial strategies.

Dec 1, 2025

Hurricanes in 2024 led to the most hours without power in the United States in 10 years

U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that U.S. electricity customers experienced an average of 11 hours of electricity interruptions in 2024, nearly twice the annual average of the previous decade.

Main finding: The EIA’s Electric Power Annual 2024 shows U.S. customers averaged 11 hours of interruptions in 2024; Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton accounted for 80% of hours without electricity, and interruptions attributed to major events averaged nearly 9 hours in 2024 versus nearly 4 hours (2014–2023). The report uses industry metrics SAIDI and SAIFI to characterize outages.
Details & state impacts: The report cites South Carolina averaged nearly 53 hours without power in 2024; Hurricane Beryl left 2.6 million Texas customers without power (July), Hurricane Helene left 5.9 million customers across 10 states (with at least 1.2 million in South Carolina), and Hurricane Milton left 3.4 million Florida customers without power; Hawaii averaged 4.4 interruptions, while several states (Arizona, South Dakota, North Dakota, Massachusetts) averaged less than 2 hours of interruptions.

Oct 6, 2025

Xcel, Sparkfund Propose Battery Storage Network Across Minnesota

Xcel Energy has proposed under its CapacityConnect plan to install up to 200 MW of distributed battery storage across Minnesota by 2028, in partnership with Sparkfund.

Deployment details: The proposal targets up to 200 MW by 2028, with individual host sites sized 1 MW to 3 MW (approx. shipping-container scale) located at local businesses, commercial or industrial sites, or nonprofit organizations; hosts receive direct payments and Xcel will operate each battery to charge when energy is inexpensive and dispatch during peak demand.
Context and implementation: The procurement supports Xcel’s Upper Midwest Energy Plan (which calls for 600 MW of storage by 2030); Xcel will file the proposal with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, scale deployments in collaboration with Sparkfund, prioritize local workers, comply with Xcel’s labor standards, and review performance, costs, and customer experience as the program grows.

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