South Dakota Utility Cost Calculator

Co-op country

Cooperatives made 39% of South Dakota’s retail electricity sales in 2024, the third-largest cooperative share among the states, through 30 co-ops with about 180,000 accounts — Sioux Valley Southwestern Electric and Southeastern Electric are among the biggest. Northern States Power, NorthWestern Energy and Black Hills Power are the investor-owned utilities under the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, and 36 public entities serve towns.

Wind and hydro

Wind generated 58% of South Dakota’s electricity in 2024, second only to Iowa, and hydropower 22% — the Corps of Engineers’ Oahe dam was the largest single generator. Coal fell to 8%. South Dakota generated 21 TWh against 14 TWh of retail sales.

Homes average about 986 kWh a month at 14.20¢. The 2020 survey found 4,171 kWh a year of electric space heating where it is used — among the largest heating loads in the survey — yet the electric bill still peaks with summer cooling ($176.10 in July 2026). Outages are rare: 62 minutes per customer in 2024 excluding major events. Only 469 homes had net-metered solar.

Steady use, low bills

South Dakota’s average monthly use moved only between about 814 kWh (October 2025) and 1,146 kWh (July 2026). The final 2024 bill was $127.81 at 12.86¢ per kWh; the latest twelve months average $140.01. Only about 213,000 households have natural gas, and 39% of homes heat mainly with electricity or propane instead.

Gas and propane

Natural gas heats 58% of homes at $0.917 per therm (2025), one of the four lowest prices nationally; an account used about 627 therms in 2024. Propane heats 14% and averages 627 gallons a year, at $1.840 a gallon when EIA’s 2025–26 survey closed. The Office of Energy Assistance in the Department of Social Services handles applications.