South Dakota commercial electricity rates

Analyst note

The South Dakota commercial price sat above the U.S. average in 0 of 10 years; the gap was -1.48 ¢ in 2015 and -2.20 ¢ in 2024. In the 2024 ranking South Dakota sits between North Carolina (10.56 ¢) one place above and New Mexico (10.54 ¢) one place below; the top of the list is 27.63 ¢ away and the bottom 3.36 ¢. South Dakota was 34th in 2015 with 9.16 ¢ and is 35th now; a fall in the table. South Dakota commercial prices rose in 6 of 9 years. The largest rise was +5.2% in 2021, and the largest fall -1.2% in 2018. The South Dakota price peaked at 10.55 ¢ in 2024 and bottomed at 9.16 ¢ in 2015; 2024 is the peak and +15.2% from the low. Compounded, that is +1.58% a year in South Dakota, -0.45 points against the U.S. South Dakota buys 0.35% of all U.S. commercial electricity with 0.40% of the accounts, so the average South Dakota account uses 0.88 times the national average.

A middle price: 10.55 ¢/kWh for South Dakota commercial accounts, rank 35 of 51, -17.3% against the U.S. South Dakota: +15.2% over nine years, or +1.6% a year, trailing the national +19.8% by 4.7 points; 2021 was the biggest single move (+5.2%) and 2024 the high.

Last year's change in South Dakota was +3.8% and still rising. Against the residential price of 12.86 ¢ the gap is 2.31 ¢. Commercial sales are 37.5% of South Dakota electricity sold, and an average South Dakota account used 5,441 kWh a month, an implied bill near $574.

Counting revenue instead of kWh, South Dakota commercial accounts bring in 36.4% of South Dakota sector revenue on 37.5% of the kWh, a discount of 1.1 points that comes from the price level: 10.55 ¢ here against 12.86 ¢ for residential and 8.28 ¢ for industrial accounts. The average South Dakota commercial account uses 5,441 kWh a month, 27 of 51 among states on that measure; a residential account uses 0.18 times as much and an industrial account 11.91 times. Commercial accounts are 15.17% of the 516,156 accounts in South Dakota.