South Dakota
South Dakota clashes with Minnesota on clean energy, coal plant closures
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – A political border war between South Dakota and Minnesota on how to handle tax policies, abortion and the pandemic response could spill over into renewable energy and the future of coal plants.
At issue is the pace with which gas and electric companies can transition away from fossil fuels without compromising reliability and affordability for customers, and what role government plays in those calculations.
That reliability was tested several times over the past few years, including during a winter storm in January that nearly caused rolling blackouts, one South Dakota official said.
The Democratic-controlled Minnesota Legislature passed a law in 2023 requiring all electric utilities in the state to produce only carbon-free energy by 2040 using sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric and nuclear power.
Xcel Energy, whose 3.7 million electrical customers include about 100,000 South Dakotans, is based in Minneapolis, so that law applies to the utility.
The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, consisting of three elected Republicans, sent a letter to Xcel in January asking the company to reverse plans to close several coal-fired power plants ahead of schedule as part of its transition.
“Evidence is mounting that the premature closures … will elevate the risk of electricity outages particularly in tight load hours, including hours of extreme cold and extreme heat, as well as those hours when wind generation is low,” the letter stated. “These events are likely to pose a threat to life and property.”
The company stuck to its timetable, which includes replacing the coal plants with solar projects in the next few years, a plan approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
Minnesota PUC commissioner: ‘Massively frustrating conversation’
More recently, members of Minnesota’s PUC clashed with utility company Otter Tail Power over its decision to amend its long-range plan to push back closures of coal plants – including Big Stone near Milbank, in northeast South Dakota – until at least 2040.
The Minnesota PUC approved Otter Tail’s Integrated Resource Plan on May 30 after concessions that included the company no longer using its North Dakota-based Coyote Station plant for Minnesota customers beyond 2031.
Otter Tail’s most recent modeling projects a retirement date of 2046 for South Dakota-based Big Stone, which started operation in 1975 and burns coal from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin.
“I just find this to be a massively frustrating conversation,” Minnesota PUC Commissioner Joe Sullivan said at the May 30 meeting . “I sympathize with Otter Tail because you have two different jurisdictions that look at the world differently. But if (Coyote Station) were in Minnesota, we’d say, ‘Otter Tail, it’s time to pull out.’”
Otter Tail, which serves about 130,000 electricity customers in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, addressed the delicate balance of transitioning to renewable energy when submitting its 2022-36 plan to state PUCs.
“Shifting the generation fleet’s focus to dispatchable gas resources and away from coal will help to improve operational flexibility while hedging market risk,” the report said. “That said, it is also necessary to ensure fuel-secure generation is available for those times when self-generation is necessary to maintain reliability of the system.”
South Dakota opposes new EPA rules
Disputes about the urgency of ditching fossil fuels for clean energy start at the federal level, where the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) follows protocols in line with the party that controls the White House.
The EPA released new rules April 25 that elevate pollution controls for the coal industry, impacting wastewater discharge, the handling of coal ash and carbon emission limits. EPA Administrator Michael Regan, appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, called it a “defining moment” for the agency.
South Dakota joined 22 other states in asking a federal court to review the new standards, which North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley said were intentionally set “to destroy the coal industry.”
In a statement to News Watch, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley referenced a recent Supreme Court decision that reversed the landmark 1984 Chevron ruling, eroding much of the power of federal agencies such as the EPA to interpret laws they administer, leaving that to the courts.
“The EPA’s directive and attack on fossil fuels is another example of a federal agency creating undue burdens on states and private businesses without proper authority while Congress does not act,” Jackley wrote. “The Supreme Court ruling in the Chevron case is aimed at addressing this type of action by the federal bureaucracy.”
SD 8th in per capita energy consumption
The Inflation Reduction Act passed by Congress and signed by Biden in 2022 included $370 billion in tax credits and other support for clean energy initiatives.
South Dakota has increased its wind energy production to 55% of in-state net power generation, a larger share than in all other states except Iowa, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). Other power sources include hydroelectric (29%), coal (10%), natural gas (6%), oil (0.3%) and solar (0.01%).
But South Dakota ranks eighth among U.S. states in energy consumption per capita, with 31% of households using electricity to heat their homes during frequently harsh winters.
South Dakota sees new interest in solar power
Despite being home to wide-open spaces and abundant sunshine, South Dakota ranks 47th in the nation for production of solar power.
Dependability of resources and rising energy costs are where Kristi Fiegen, chair of the South Dakota PUC, centers her concerns amid talk of climate change and reducing greenhouse gases, she told News Watch in a phone interview.
“When I talk about reliability of the grid, I want dispatchable generation of electricity for customers in South Dakota,” said Fiegen, who is up for re-election in 2024. “Non-dispatchable energy (wind and solar) is reliant on the weather. And when it’s reliant on the weather, we don’t when we turn on the lights if it’s going to be there.”
Winter storms tested the power grid
Fiegen, who was first elected to the PUC in 2011, helps regional transmission organizations (RTOs) maintain and monitor the electrical grid, which was pushed to the limit during recent winter storms that nearly caused rolling blackouts.
The 61-year-old Chancellor native holds leadership roles in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a nonprofit organization that manages electric transmission for parts of 14 states, including South Dakota.
South Dakota is also part of the 15-state Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), which helps ensure energy distribution regardless of whether a customer uses Xcel, MidAmerican Energy, Black Hills Energy, NorthWestern Energy, Otter Tail or another utility company.
Cooperation between these and other RTOs nationally was critical during Winter Storm Gerri, which brought brutally cold air and blizzard conditions to much of the Midwest in January.
“During that storm we got 7,000 megawatts (of electricity) from the East to help us keep the lights on,” said Fiegen. “If we hadn’t gotten that, we would have shut off lights in January during the first week of (legislative) session.”
A year earlier, in December 2022, Winter Storm Elliot led MISO to declare a maximum generation event due to higher-than-expected electricity consumption and loss of production from natural gas facilities due to freezing, mainly in the South. Similar problems emerged during a 2021 winter storm that rocked Texas and shut down power.
“Since those events, we’ve devoted a lot of time to resource adequacy,” said Fiegen, who serves alongside fellow Republicans Chris Nelson and Gary Hanson on the PUC. “We believe in clean energy, but our No. 1 goal as commissioners in South Dakota is to have reliable and cost-effective electricity for our customers.”
‘It’s a life and death issue, not convenience’
Coal was replaced by natural gas as the largest energy source in the United States in 2016, with natural gas now making up 39% of electricity generation compared to 20% for coal.
Transitioning to solar and wind too quickly could impact the reliability of the electrical grid in extreme conditions, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) stated in its 2023-24 Long-Term Reliability Assessment.
“There is a need for dialogue among a broad group of stakeholders when policies and regulations have the potential to affect future electricity (capabilities),” the study said. “Regulations that have the potential to accelerate generator retirements or restrict operations must have sufficient flexibility and provisions to support grid reliability.”
That report was cited by South Dakota’s PUC in its letter to Xcel Energy, which responded that it shares the commission’s reliability priorities and will be adding solar and wind capacity as well as dispatchable energy through nuclear and hydrogen-ready combustion turbines.
The company’s stated goal is to provide customers with “100% carbon-free electricity by 2050 and reduce carbon emissions from its operations 80% from 2005 levels by 2030.”
South Dakota PUC member Nelson told News Watch in April that there will always be a need for electric power generated by coal, natural gas or other sources that don’t let up when the weather turns still or cloudy.
“I do expect we’re going to see a pretty significant increase in the amount of solar and wind because we really need to keep a diversity of power generation sources,” Nelson said. “But there’s going to be times when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining, and we need to have some way to generate electricity during those times. When it’s 25 degrees below zero, you want your house to stay warm because at that point it’s a life and death issue, and not a convenience issue.”
This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization. Read more in-depth stories at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email every few days to get stories as soon as they’re published. Contact Stu Whitney at stu.whitney@sdnewswatch.org.
Editor’s note: If you cite the results of this poll, credit South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy, per copyright law and our republishing policy.
PIERRE, S.D. – With seven weeks until the June 2 primary, U.S. House Rep. Dusty Johnson is close to avoiding a runoff in the race to secure the GOP nomination for governor, according to a new poll sponsored by South Dakota News Watch and the Chiesman Center for Democracy at the University of South Dakota.
In the contests for U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, state Attorney General Marty Jackley and U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds have solid leads over their challengers.
The scientific survey of 500 registered Republicans, conducted April 7-11 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, found Johnson leading the four-way contest for governor with 34% of likely GOP primary voters supporting his candidacy.
The other three candidates are effectively tied for second due to the margin of error being plus-or-minus 4.5%. State House Speaker Jon Hansen, of Dell Rapids, has 18% support from GOP voters, and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden and Gov. Larry Rhoden both have 17%. Roughly 14% of those surveyed were undecided.
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Everything South Dakota voters need to know about statewide contests in the primary and general elections.
If no candidate receives at least 35% of the vote on the June 2 ballot, a runoff between the top two finishers will take place July 28. The winner of the contest will meet Democrat Dan Ahlers in the Nov. 3 general election.
Rhoden’s support drops; Hansen surges
While Johnson, who grew up in Pierre and lives in Mitchell, saw a 6-point increase from the News Watch/Chiesman poll conducted last October, Rhoden’s support fell 10 points.
Julia Hellwege, director of the Chiesman Center and USD associate professor in political science, said Rhoden’s association with his predecessor, former Gov. Kristi Noem, could be behind the drop in poll numbers.
“He has aligned himself closely with Noem. They worked closely together, and he continues to champion her and stand by her,” she said. “There’s a potential that has been a side effect.”
Rhoden served as lieutenant governor under Noem and became governor in January 2025 when President Donald Trump made her secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He fired her last month after severe criticism.
Hellwege pointed out the poll found that Johnson even leads in West River, a stronghold for Rhoden, who is from Union Center east of Sturgis.
She said one candidate more than any other has been the main beneficiary of the declining support for the sitting governor.
“Anyone shifting from Rhoden is more likely to shift towards Hansen,” Hellwege said, noting that Hansen is a state lawmaker, like Rhoden was, who plays up his conservative Christian credentials.
Hellwege said in comparing the new poll results with those from last year, a certain pattern can be seen. That includes the surge in support for Hansen and Johnson, a decline in support for Rhoden, a stable level of support for Doeden and a lower number of undecided voters.
“My interpretation is many Rhoden voters in the last poll shifted to Hansen voters and the undecideds went to Johnson,” Hellwege said.
SD governor: Johnson in driver’s seat
Hellwege highlighted the extent to which the math favors Johnson.
“Even if all the undecided voters go to one of those second-place candidates, plus if you factor in the margin of error, they still would barely reach where Johnson is sitting right now,” Hellwege said.
Brad Coker, founder of Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy, ranked as one of the least-biased and most-factual pollsters, also believes Johnson is in a comfortable position.
“Johnson is moving into the clear front-runner status,” he said.
“People know him. People like him, and that’s probably why he’s ahead right now. Whether he can hold on to that will depend on what the other campaigns – particularly Hansen’s – are able to do in the coming weeks,” Coker told News Watch, pointing to the poll results that found Johnson has a 47% favorability rating, the highest of any of the candidates.
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Coker said Hansen has the best chance to challenge Johnson not only because his candidacy has seen the biggest increase in support but also due to not many people knowing him – yet.
“Hansen’s name recognition is only 73%. He’s still got 27% of the voters who don’t know who he is, which I think gives him a much higher ceiling than Doeden and Rhoden,” Coker said. “That tells me Hansen is getting some traction.”
On the flip side, Doeden’s 35% unfavorable rating and high name recognition indicate his support has mostly peaked, Coker said.
“He has a higher negative rating than positive rating, which tells me he’s got a core group behind him, but his growth potential is far more limited, especially since he has 89% name recognition,” Coker said.
The poll was conducted after the four candidates met in the March 31 KELO-TV debate but before the April 13 SDPB and South Dakota News Watch forum.
US House: Jackley has comfortable lead
Since Johnson ran for governor, that opened up South Dakota’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
In that contest, Jackley – who is from Sturgis and previously served as U.S. attorney for the District of South Dakota – has a comfortable lead toward securing the GOP nomination.
According to the poll, he has 68% support from South Dakota Republican voters surveyed, well ahead of challenger James Bialota Jr., who has 12%, with 20% of respondents undecided.
“This primary is definitely in Jackley’s favor, even if all the undecideds move to Bialota,” Hellwege said.
The winner will face Democrat Nicole “Nikki” Gronli in the November general election.
US Senate: Incumbent Rounds ahead by large margin
Rounds – who’s from Pierre and was South Dakota’s governor from 2003 to 2011 – also enjoys a sizable lead over his challenger.
He received 66% support from GOP voters surveyed, compared to 18% for challenger Justin McNeal, with 16% of respondents undecided.
“The fact that McNeal, who is vastly outspent by Rounds, is able to get up to 18% is commendable. But at the same time, I don’t think there’s any expectation that Rounds will not be able to hold on to that seat,” Hellwege said.
The winner will take on Democrat Julian Beaudion in November.
Favorability poll results for all governor, House and Senate candidates
The News Watch/Chiesman poll also asked Republicans their opinions of the candidates. To see results for each person, click the arrow below and the tab for each section: overall, by gender, age and region where they’re from.
Coming Tuesday
Tuesday’s story will focus on South Dakota News Watch/Chiesman Center for Democracy poll results on the job performance rating South Dakotans give Gov. Larry Rhoden, Sen. John Thune and other elected officials. The story also includes voter thoughts on Noem’s time as DHS secretary and President Trump’s decision to fire her.
South Dakota News Watch is an independent nonprofit. Read, donate and subscribe for free at sdnewswatch.org. Contact politics and statehouse reporter Alexander Rifaat: 605-736-4396/alexander.rifaat@sdnewswatch.org.
South Dakota
FCS Football Recruiting Roundup: South Dakota, Montana State Target 2027 Defensive Standouts
Welcome to another edition of the FCS Football Central Recruiting Roundup.
As spring practice winds down, recruits are still continuing to get on campus to visit schools and meet with their coaching staff. I caught up with some of the latest prospects who received an offer from an FCS program after their visit.
Amarie King | 2027 | DB | 5’7″ 140 lbs | Case High School | Racine, WI
King received his latest offer from South Dakota on April 17 after speaking with defensive coordinator Billy Kirch.
“Coach Kirch told me bout the offer, and that conversation went well. He told me a lot about the school, and asked me what my family and parents do. He said that my film was amazing and that he wanted to offer me,” King said.
“My recruitment is going well, although it is a little stressful here and there, but I am really just being patient and trusting the process, and keep working.”
He has visits to South Dakota and Drake coming up. Last season, he finished with 44 tackles, eight pass breakups, and six interceptions for the Eagles.
After a great conversation with coach kirch I’m blessed to I’ve received my first division 1 offer from @SDCoyotesFB @AntonGraham_ @MJ_NFLDraft @CoachBKirch @joshmanchigiah pic.twitter.com/jaxIYac67A
— Amarie King (@Amarieking27) April 17, 2026
Jayden Harris | 2027 | ATH | 6’2″ 170 lbs | Manteca High School | Manteca, CA
Harris picked up his latest offer from Montana State on Friday when he was in Bozeman for the Bobcats’ Junior Day, and meeting with cornerbacks coach Jordan Lee, defensive coordinator Bobby Daly, and head coach Brent Vigen.
“First, it was Coach Lee, then I had meetings with Coach Daly and Coach Vigen, who broke the news while we were talking. They want me to come in and play early. They like my versatility as a defensive back, and that’s why they offered me,” Harris said.
“The visit was cool! The snow was coming down, and the coaches still showed love. Recruiting is going well right now. Most schools that are in touch with me see something in me for sure, especially since I’m a zero-star athlete, so that’s love. I feel like I’m the best DB in California, and my measurements and production speak for themselves.”
He also has offers from Idaho, Washington State, and Sacramento State. He has upcoming visits to Arizona State and New Mexico.
Last season, he finished with 63 tackles, 11 pass breakups, nine interceptions, six tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two pick-sixes for the Buffaloes.
Blessed to receive an offer from Montana State University 🐾 @ballcoachLee @CoachBobbyDaly @CoachSauve @CoachSmith59 @bvigen @BrandonHuffman @Rivals_Recruits @GregBiggins pic.twitter.com/ofYdjJKcmK
— Jay Harris (@JaydenOHarris) April 18, 2026
Maurice “MJ” Harrell | 2026 | DB | 6’1″ 170 lbs | Hutchinson CC | Hutchinson, KS
Harrell picked up his first Division I offer from Houston Christian on April 17 after he spoke with cornerbacks coach DeMarcus Coleman.
“Coach Coleman called and told me he liked what we saw from the videos I sent him, and that he wanted me to be a part of his program,” Harrell said.
Last season, he finished with 20 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and a fumble recovery for the Blue Dragons. Mercyhurst, Division II UTPB, and Missouri Southern are some other schools he has been in contact with.
Blessed To Receive my first d1 offer from Houstan Christian University pic.twitter.com/OBD9ITQZHS
— MauriceHarrell (@M_Harrell19) April 18, 2026
Jadhari Young | 2026 | WR | 6’1″ 200 lbs | De Anza College | Cupertino, CA
Young received his latest offer from Eastern Illinois on April 15 after speaking with wide receivers coach Tino Smith.
“Coach Smith called me, and we had a long and great conversation. He told me he believes in me and that he thinks I can be great under his coaching,” Young said. “My recruitment has been going great since I graduated two weeks ago. A lot of coaches have expressed a lot of interest in me.”
Young also has offers from Sacramento State, Prairie View A&M, and Chicago State. Last season, he hauled in receptions for 559 yards and seven touchdowns for the Mountain Lions. He was named a Golden Coast Conference First Team selection.
He will be taking his official visit to Eastern Illinois on April 24. Gardner-Webb, West Florida, Monmouth, Stony Brook, and UMass are some other schools he is hearing from.
Blessed to receive my 5th D1 offer from Eastern Illinois University — Dhari Young “DEBO” (@dharigogetit) April 15, 2026
Thank you Coach @coachtinosmith for believing in me💯 pic.twitter.com/yMZjnsfRvK
AJ Moore | 2027 | RB | 5’9″ 200 lbs | College of Dupage | Glen Ellyn, IL
Moore received his first Division I offer from Lindenwood on April 17 after speaking with running backs coach Lane Lawson.
“Coach Lawson called and offered me. He just told me he’d be really excited to have me over and thinks I could be a part of something special with the program they got going over there,” Moore said.
Last season, he finished with 81 carries for 518 yards and five touchdowns, while adding nine receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns for the Chaparrals, who won their fifth consecutive NJCAA Division III national championship. Moore is working on scheduling his official visit to Lindenwood.
#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachLawsonLU I am blessed to have my first division 1 offer from Lindenwood University @LindenwoodFB @Dupage_Football @JUCOFFrenzy @AllenTrieu @JordanWesty1 pic.twitter.com/DGLjZC4gIA
— AJ Moore (@ajmoore6_) April 17, 2026
Leshem Nyante | 2027 | OT | 6’5″ 265 lbs | Anna High School | Anna, TX
Nyante picked up his latest offer from Texas Rio Grande Valley on April 17 after he spoke with offensive line coach Jeff Bowen.
“Coach Bowen reached out this morning to officially extend the offer. It was a great talk, and he mentioned they really liked my film and how I would fit their system. So we are focused on building that relationship now,” Nyante said.
“I’m really grateful for how my recruiting process is unfolding so far. Things are definitely moving fast with spring ball right around the corner, and it’s been great seeing the increase in interest every week.”
He also has offers from Arkansas State, Division II Midwestern State, and East Central University. Old Dominion, Texas State, UTEP, and New Mexico are some other schools he is hearing from. Nyante will be taking an official visit to Arkansas State in June.
#AGTG After a great conversation with @CoachJeffBowen , I am blessed to receive a D1 offer from @UTRGVFootball !!@8_parr @Coach_Rigg @tylerdedwards33 @Sevier5 @jessedstew @AnnaCoyotesFB @CoachTBush @Perroni247 @SWiltfong_ @CKennedy247 pic.twitter.com/6o9H13baAb
— Leshem (Shem) Nyantee (@leshemnyantee10) April 17, 2026
Matthew Lashley | 2027 | DB | 6’1″ 198 lbs | Riverside City College | Riverside, CA
Lashley received his latest offer from East Texas A&M on April 15 after speaking with safeties coach Luke Jaicks.
“Coach Jaicks called and offered me. He’s a great coach, and I would love to play for him,” Lashley said. “My recruitment is going well; it’s starting to heat up after spring ball.”
He also has an offer from Southern Utah. Last season, he finished with 14 tackles and two interceptions for the Tigers.
Blessed to receive another D1 offer to @Lions_FB! @JacksonSimon25 @nilsonsports pic.twitter.com/X4iLU8VRID
— Matthew Lashley (@MatthewLashley_) April 15, 2026
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