Geronimo Energy and Basin Electric Announce PPA for 128 MW Solar Project

Geronimo Energy and Basin Electric Power Cooperative have announced the execution of a PPA for the Wild Springs Solar Project.

Geronimo Energy, a National Grid company, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative have announced the execution of a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the Wild Springs Solar Project.

Wild Springs is a 128 megawatt (MW) solar energy project located in Pennington County, South Dakota, approximately 20 miles east of Rapid City. Ir is anticipated to begin operations in 2022. Using the EPA’s greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator, the project is estimated to offset carbon dioxide emissions by 190,000 metric tons annually.

Once operational, the project will be the largest solar project in South Dakota. It will be located in the service area of West River Electric Association, which is a distribution electric cooperative member of Basin Electric.

Basin Electric is a not-for-profit wholesale power provider to 141 member cooperative systems in nine states. In South Dakota, Basin Electric transmits its power supply to two generations and transmission (G&T) cooperatives, Rushmore Electric Power Cooperative and East River Electric Power Cooperative.

“For the first time in its history, Basin Electric will buy solar generation on a large scale to serve our members. The board’s decision to add solar generation to our resource portfolio is to continue with our all-of-the-above strategy, as well as solar generation becoming a more economic energy source. We are excited about adding solar to our already diverse generation mix,” stated Paul Sukut, CEO and General Manager of Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

The project has been supported by local and state community members and will bring significant economic benefits to the local area. Current estimations for the project’s economic benefits total over USD 17 million throughout the first 20 years of operation, including positive impacts in new tax revenue, construction jobs, new full-time jobs, and charitable funds through the project’s Education Fund. The Wild Springs Education Fund alone will offer approximately $500,000 in donations to the local school districts connected to the project above and beyond all tax revenue and local spending benefits.