Where Sioux Falls candidates stand on energy and utilities

Energy: Rounds says he supports an all-of-the-above approach to domestic energy production and opposes what he describes as excessive federal regulation of energy producers. (On the Issues — Mike Rounds for Senate)

No public statement found in our sources.

Grid reliability: His campaign positions include investing in infrastructure to maintain grid stability and meet peak demand. (The Ballot Brief)

Utility rates: He says he would scrutinize utility rate proposals and oppose unjustified increases, with transparency and fairness for consumers. (Kloucek for PUC)

Data centers: He would require transparency, local input, and a clear accounting of who pays for infrastructure associated with data centers; he opposes developments that leave South Dakotans with higher bills or fewer resources. (Kloucek for PUC)

Pipelines: He says he would oppose pipelines and demand respect for affected landowners’ property rights and local control. (Kloucek for PUC)

Data centers: Dupic said he does not support tax credits or tax breaks for data centers and does not want residents to bear their costs. (KELOLAND News)

Data centers: She said she would not currently support new hyperscale data centers in South Dakota, citing unanswered public concerns; she said she would be open to discussing them if those concerns were addressed. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Data centers: She said data centers are needed but should be done right, described many related issues as local-control matters, and said she does not want them near schools or residential areas. She also said she is not a fan of moratoriums. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: On data centers, she says the state should address energy demand, infrastructure, water use, property rights, and land-use regulation, and ensure development does not burden local taxpayers or community resources. (SDPB — Meet the Candidates: Lauren Nelson)

Legislative issues: Swihart identifies data centers, taxes, and transparency as important issues for the Legislature. (SDPB — Meet the Candidates: Kay Swihart)

Data centers: She opposes hyperscale data centers, citing concerns about water and electricity use, and supports SB 135, which requires certain data centers to cover costs associated with power demand and notify local water providers. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Data centers: She supports data centers if they do not harm people, and says their water use, energy needs, and potential health effects should be disclosed in advance. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Data centers: She supports strong regulation of hyperscale data centers to protect the environment, property owners, and utility customers, and opposes tax cuts for them. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting)

Data centers: She says data centers are needed to keep up with technology, but also says she has heard from voters who do not want them in South Dakota and that she personally does not want them in the state. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Data centers: He opposes data centers unless they can demonstrate that their closed-loop water systems will not harm the community, their energy use will not raise rates, and the community welcomes them. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Data centers: He supports a moratorium on constructing data centers, saying voters do not want them in their communities and that he doubts they will provide permanent local jobs. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Data centers: She supports addressing regulations for hyperscale data centers and protecting residents from their financial and environmental harms. (Meet the Candidates: Kathleen Brudvig)

Data centers: He said data centers should pay their own way and not increase residents’ costs or take resources from them; he supports allowing them in communities that want them if they do not harm state resources. (Meet the Dist. 11 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)

Data centers: She supports data-center development while protecting people, water, and electricity, and favors locating facilities so they are not near homes or bad neighbors. (Meet the Dist. 11 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)

Data centers: She supports guardrails to protect communities and natural resources from data-center impacts, while not opposing economic development or technology opportunities generally. (Meet the Dist. 11 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)

Data centers: She said more research is needed on data centers’ environmental impacts and possible offsets before deciding whether they are beneficial or unacceptable. (Meet the Dist. 11 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)

Data centers: She said last session’s Senate Bill 135 addressed concerns about utility rates, zoning and water use related to data centers. She also said local collaboration among Sioux Falls-area legislators and local officials is important to making policy that serves residents. (KeloLAND)

Data centers: He supports local control over decisions about data-center siting and said communities should make those decisions, with property rights taken into account. (KeloLAND)

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: He said he supported the legislature’s data-center bill of rights and favors smart growth for communities. (KELOLAND)

No public statement found in our sources.

No public statement found in our sources.

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: On proposed data centers, he said he is not an automatic yes or no and that the issue calls for consideration rather than a blanket position. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

Data centers: She says her priorities include guardrails and protections for hyperscale data-center construction and proposed tax cuts, supporting schools, and property-tax relief. (SDPB, Meet the Candidates: Erinn Williams)

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: She supports a two-year moratorium on data centers while further information is gathered. (Sioux Falls Simplified, Meet the Dist. 15 folks who want to represent you in Pierre)

No public statement found in our sources.

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: On data centers, Shubeck said a law passed in the prior session put restrictions in place, including requiring data centers to pay for needed electricity upgrades and protecting ratepayers from increased rates. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

No public statement found in our sources.

Property rights: He said projects such as carbon pipelines and data centers should not justify eminent domain, and said he would support stronger property-rights protections. (SDPB)

Data centers: Rhead said he does not support data centers in South Dakota, citing their water and electricity use and the relatively small number of jobs he believes they create. (Sioux Falls Simplified)

No public statement found in our sources.

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: He says he would introduce legislation for a moratorium on generative-AI and cryptocurrency-mining data centers in South Dakota while their long-term effects remain unknown. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Meet the Candidates: Austin Brunick (2026))

Data centers: She supports a legislative moratorium on data-center development until more is known, saying growth should be managed to protect farmland, water, small businesses and communities. (South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Meet the Candidates: Leslie Gerrish (2026))

No public statement found in our sources.

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: He supports a moratorium on data centers until rules and relevant facts are available, and says the public should receive advance disclosure about project ownership, public subsidies and effects on utility bills. (Yankton Press & Dakotan, Holcomb Looks To Bring ‘A Working Man’s Voice’ To The State Capitol (2026))

Data centers: Says limiting what is allowed for large-scale data centers is a priority, and that rural hospitals need to be kept running. (SDPB, Meet the Candidates: Karen Springer)

Data centers: On data-center proposals, she said she would rely on the expertise of the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission, which was discussing a task force to gather public input. (Sioux Falls Simplified, Meet the candidates for Minnehaha County Commission)

Data centers: Opposes hyperscale AI data centers in the county and supports a moratorium on new centers while strict guidelines are developed, saying they do not bring enough jobs and strain local resources. (Sioux Falls Simplified, Meet the candidates for Minnehaha County Commission)

No public statement found in our sources.

No public statement found in our sources.

No public statement found in our sources.