Full Breakdown
Widespread Power Outages Impact Western South Dakota and Wyoming
11/14/2025, 8:23:37 AM
Overview of the Outage
On November 13, 2025, a significant power outage affected western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, leaving tens of thousands of residents without electricity. The outage began around 12:45 p.m. local time and was primarily attributed to a transmission facility issue outside the jurisdiction of Black Hills Energy, which serves many of the impacted areas. The blackout disrupted transportation, schools, and emergency services, with Rapid City being one of the hardest-hit locations.
Extent of the Impact
The outage affected approximately 70,000 customers of Black Hills Energy in South Dakota, while Rocky Mountain Power reported over 54,000 outages in Wyoming, particularly in the Casper area. Additional outages were reported by Powder River Energy Corp (17,782 customers) and Montana-Dakota Utilities (10,648 customers). The blackout extended into parts of Montana, impacting cities such as Gillette and Sheridan. Rapid City experienced a complete blackout, leading to traffic lights failing and prompting police to manually direct traffic at major intersections.
Official Responses and Restoration Efforts
Black Hills Energy activated its response plan and began partial restoration efforts by 1:50 p.m., with some areas regaining power. By 2:30 p.m., the company reported that approximately half of the affected customers had their power restored. However, some previously restored areas experienced outages again. The utility emphasized that safety remained a top priority and that restoration would be conducted in phases to ensure system stability.
Safety Precautions and Recommendations
Officials urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel due to hazardous conditions created by non-functional traffic signals. Drivers were instructed to treat intersections without working signals as four-way stops. Rapid City Transit suspended operations until 2:30 p.m., and the Pennington County Courthouse was evacuated due to electrical issues. Residents were advised to conserve energy, keep refrigerator doors closed, and avoid using generators indoors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
Criticism and Concerns
Despite the ongoing restoration efforts, residents expressed frustration over the lack of immediate information regarding the cause and expected duration of the outages. The situation was compounded by previous warnings from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) about geomagnetic storms affecting the grid's vulnerability. Some residents speculated that solar activity might have contributed to the outage, although Black Hills Energy officials denied any connection to solar flares.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Power’s out everywhere. We’re pretty loyal to our clients, man, these guys book these appointments a couple weeks out so nothings gunna stop us out here, lights are off in the shop, but lights are on in the world so we gotta get out here and cut hair,” — Philip Thomas, Barber
- “Safety is and will continue to be the company’s top priority.” — Black Hills Energy Statement
- “The city advises that if you do not need to travel, stay in place.” — Rapid City Officials
Conclusion and Ongoing Developments
As of Thursday evening, restoration efforts continued, with Black Hills Energy estimating that power would be fully restored by around 10 p.m. Residents were encouraged to stay informed through local news and utility updates. The outage marked one of the most extensive blackouts in the region since Winter Storm Atlas in 2013, highlighting the vulnerabilities of the electrical grid in the face of unforeseen events.
