RAPID CITY, S.D. – May 19, 2020 – Black Hills Energy has increased reliability for its customers with a new high voltage, 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission substation called the West Rapid City Substation located at the company’s operations center on Deadwood Avenue in Rapid City. To connect the substation to the grid, the project included construction of a new transmission line.

“We are excited to have the new transmission substation energized and serving our customers, especially during a time when assuring electric service reliability has never been more critical,”

“We are excited to have the new transmission substation energized and serving our customers, especially during a time when assuring electric service reliability has never been more critical,” said Marc Eyre, Black Hills Energy’s vice president of electric operations in South Dakota. “The new transmission substation strengthens the energy grid and ensures our ability to support our customers’ growing energy needs today and well into the future.”

“The new transmission substation is also crucial to supporting economic growth in the region,” Eyre added. “Reliable energy is one of the first resources important to new or expanding residential and commercial developments across our Black Hills Energy service area.”

The new transmission substation is one of several reliability projects that are in progress in South Dakota. This project will bring reliable energy that will be part of the energy grid while supporting Black Hills Energy customers.

“The transmission substation project will improve reliability for our customers and strengthen the integrated transmission network which supplies electricity to over 70,000 customers in South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana,” Eyre said. “Keeping the energy grid running takes careful planning, maintenance and investments in new infrastructure.”