South Dakota inches toward studying nuclear power as data center energy demands loom

By: Makenzie Huber, Joshua Haiar

Outlets: South Dakota Searchlight

Published: January 30, 2026

Words: 1,489

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

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South Dakota Republican Gov. Larry Rhoden’s proposed $300,000 nuclear energy study is a step toward the inevitable, energy and economic development professionals say.

“We’re going to ultimately have to get to nuclear,” said CEO and President of NorthWestern Energy Brian Bird during a panel discussion in Sioux Falls in October.

Emerging industries including data centers, Bird said, will “need a tremendous amount of energy to do what they need to do.”

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