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Investor-owned utility

Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power) interconnection application

Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power) is an investor-owned utility serving 69,800 residential customers in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming (EIA-861, 2025). Gridpol files Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power) interconnection applications for licensed installers – solar, storage and EV chargers – with single-line diagram and site plan, unlimited for $500 a month.

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Partly researched from official sources. verify on first project: blackhillsenergy.com connection reset for automated fetch; SD/WY/MT interconnection application, documents, fees, credit terms not retrieved.

Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power) at a glance

Utility

Black Hills Power, Inc. (Black Hills Corporation)

Type

Investor-owned utility

EIA utility ID

19545

Residential customers

69,800 (EIA-861, 2025)

Net-metered residential customers

226 (EIA-861, 2025)

Service territory

2 counties in Montana, 6 counties in South Dakota, 3 counties in Wyoming

Documents Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power) asks for

  • Interconnection application formFilled in by us from your project data in the utility’s portal or on its form. Gridpol prepares this.
  • Single-line diagram (one-line)Drawn by us from your equipment data: modules, strings, inverter, battery, disconnects, point of interconnection, meter. Gridpol prepares this.
  • Site plan / site layoutDrawn by us from your roof sketch or photos: array, inverter, battery, disconnect, meter and main panel locations. Gridpol prepares this.
  • PV module spec sheetManufacturer data sheet of the modules.
  • Inverter spec sheetManufacturer data sheet (string inverter, microinverter or hybrid inverter).
  • Customer signatureThe account holder signs the application or authorization. We send the signature link.
  • Recent electric billName, service address, account and meter number must match the application.
  • Final inspection sign-offApproved electrical inspection from the authority having jurisdiction after installation.

Typical documents for US utilities – not yet verified for Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power). We confirm Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power)’s exact list on the first project.

Sources

South Dakota interconnection rule

Commission

South Dakota Public Utilities Commission

Interconnection rule

ARSD 20:10:36 (Small Generator Interconnection) – Small Generator Facility Interconnection · source

Applies to

Public utilities (PUC rate-regulated IOUs: Xcel/NSP, Black Hills, NorthWestern, MDU, Otter Tail) for facilities <=10 MW not under FERC/RTO jurisdiction

Application form

Commission tier application forms (application forms available from the commission, 20:10:36:33); certificate of completion; interconnection agreement

Timelines

Tier 1: acknowledgment within 3 business days, completeness within 10 BD, applicant 20 BD to cure, review within 15 BD after complete (20:10:36:33). Completion requires passed screens, code inspector approval, witness test if done, certificate of completion, executed agreement (20:10:36:34).

Fees

Tier 1 $50; Tier 2 $50 + $1/kW up to $500; Tier 3 and 4 $100 + $2/kW up to $1,000 (20:10:36:06).

Insurance

Tier 1: proof of adequate homeowners/general/commercial liability; Tier 2 up to $500,000; Tiers 3-4 up to $1,000,000 at utility request (20:10:36:26). Endorsements (utility additional insured etc.) not required for residential <=10 kW (20:10:36:27).

External disconnect

Only if required by the utility: primary-line lockable visible-break device; secondary-line lockable device with clearly indicated status; lockbox alternative (20:10:36:15).

Export compensation

None statewide
No statewide net metering rule; compensation per utility tariff (e.g. avoided-cost/PURPA).

Not bound by the rule

Electric cooperatives and municipal utilities are not rate-regulated by the PUC and set their own interconnection and buyback policies.

Other utilities in South Dakota

All South Dakota utilities →

Gridpol Unlimited

$500 / month

Unlimited interconnection applications. 12-month agreement, signed online. The agreement starts the day you sign; first invoice right away, then monthly.

  • Unlimited interconnection applications
  • Single-line diagram and site plan for every application
  • Pre-submission check against the utility’s requirements
  • Homeowner e-signature link for the authorization
  • Filing in your utility portal accounts or by the utility’s method
  • Utility questions, corrections and resubmissions
  • Follow-up through approval, inspection and PTO
  • Customer list, exports, API and webhooks
Get started

Applications are typically submitted within 2 business days after complete documents. Utility review times are set by each utility.

Get started – $500/month unlimited