A Florida-based energy company is asking South Dakota regulators to approve a $174 million battery energy storage facility near Watertown, a project that would store surplus electricity from the grid and dispatch it during periods of peak demand.
Crowned Ridge Energy Storage, a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources, filed a permit application with the state’s Public Utilities Commission this month. The proposed facility would sit on 53 acres within the footprint of the existing Crowned Ridge wind energy project, roughly 13 miles northeast of Watertown.
The installation would use lithium-ion battery modules stored in up to 150 cabinet-style enclosures resembling shipping containers, each reaching no more than 25 feet in height. A 20-foot sound wall extending 860 feet along the northwest corner of the site is also included in the design.
The company is targeting a May 2028 operational start date. If approved, the project would add significant grid-balancing capacity to the region, complementing the wind generation already operating on the same land.
The Public Utilities Commission has scheduled a public input meeting for July 1 at 6 p.m. Central time at the Waverly South Shore School gymnasium, located at 319 Mary Place in Waverly, where residents can weigh in on the application.
Battery storage projects have expanded rapidly across the country as grid operators seek to manage the intermittent output of wind and solar facilities. South Dakota, which has seen substantial wind energy development along the Interstate 29 corridor, is increasingly positioned as a candidate for such infrastructure. For more on how state-level energy and property policy is evolving in South Dakota, see how new state laws will reduce property taxes for homeowners.