Lookout Solar Park Project on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota

Close

Lookout Solar Park I, LLC (Lookout Solar) proposes to construct and operate the Lookout Solar Project (Project) on 810-acres, partially located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and partially located on private off-Reservation lands in South Dakota. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is home to almost 47,000 residents across 2.1 million acres, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, a division of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Upon completion in 2021, the Lookout Solar Park on the Pine Ridge Reservation, will be the biggest solar park in South Dakota. The 140-megawatt project will be located about 80 miles from Rapid City in Oglala Lakota and Custer Counties on land under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. It will interconnect to high voltage transmission lines under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Western Area Power administration. The solar-generating facility will span 840 acres and will contain: 500,000 solar panels An energy storage facility A new collector substation Access roads to solar panels and associated facilities Underground 34.5 kV electrical collector lines connecting the solar panels to the collection substation A maintenance and operation center The Transmission Line Route will begin at the edge of the project area, at the boundary of Custer County and Oglala Lakota County. It will be placed underground in the county highway along Riverside Road, 148th Avenue, and Cottonwood Cutoff. The project will interconnect to the high voltage transmission grid via the eighteen 34.5 kV transmission line in Custer County. During construction, the park is expected to employ from 200 to 400 people. Consistent with South Dakota's commitment to growing its renewable energy portfolio, the project will generate electricity in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) regional grid and help SPP operators meet electricity demand in both immediate and surrounding control areas. The project is also expected to benefit the state, community, and local school districts by creating employment opportunities, increasing area business, and generating tax revenue.

High