PIERRE, S.D. – The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has approved assessing filing fees to a Colorado company looking to build a wind farm north of Philip in Haakon County.
Philip Wind Partners, L-L-C is proposing to building up to 87 wind turbines with an installed name plate capacity not to exceed 333 megawatts. They filed the application August 15th.
Also proposed as a part of the project is a seven-mile 230-kilovolt tie-in transmission line and the Philip North Switchyard to connect the project to the Oahe to New Underwood 230-kilovolt transmission line.
The Western Area Power Administration would build the Switchyard and two tie-in lines.
The wind farm would cover 68-thousand 300 acres in northwest and western Haakon County mainly south of Highway 34 and west of Highway 73 although portions would be built east of 73. The project has an estimated cost of 750-million dollars and if granted a permit by the P-U-C, is expected to be operational in December of 2027.
Filing fees were also approved Tuesday by the P-U-C for an less than one mile long transmission line to be constructed by Basin Electric Power Cooperative for the project.
A public input meeting is set for October 2nd at 5:30 pm Mountain Time at at the American Legion in Philip.