Brule County, South Dakota: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Chamberlain
No data center or power plant project is on record in Brule County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Brule County is home to Chamberlain and Kimball. 3 MW has retired here since 2019, including Chamberlain Wind Project (wind, 3 MW, 2023). Employers here counted 1,947 jobs in 2025, up 3.8% from 2019. Its power plants have 20 MW of capacity, 100% of it wind. Unemployment was 1.6% in August 2026, against 2.2% in 2019.
Cities and towns in Brule County
Brule County is home to Chamberlain and Kimball.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Bijou Hills, Cedar Grove Colony, Grass Ranch Colony, Ola.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Brule County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in South Dakota |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 5,254 | 5,278 | ▲ 0.5% | 35th of 66 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,876 | 1,947 | ▲ 3.8% | 29th of 66 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $34,984 | $42,625 | ▲ 21.8% | — |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 12 | 10 | ▼ 16.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.2% | 1.6% | ▼ 0.6pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 3 MW | — |
NorthWestern Energy - (SD) is the largest utility serving Brule County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 12.56¢/kWh in 2024. Electrical contractors employ 10, down 16.7% since 2019 against up 38.0% statewide, at an average $35,877 a year. 5,278 people live here, up 0.5% since 2020.
Who powers Brule County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: −3 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Brule County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthWestern Energy - (SD) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 51,467 | 12.56¢ | 40% |
| Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD) | Cooperative | Bundled | 6,483 | 13.64¢ | 8% |
| Charles Mix Electric Assn, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 99% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 1
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 20 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brule County Wind | RWE Clean Energy | Wind | 20 MW | 2018 |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamberlain Wind Project | Wind | 3 MW | 2023 |
The Brule County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 1,947 | $42,625 | 1.00 |
| Electrical contractors | 10 | $35,877 | 0.71 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Brule County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Brule County. South Dakota has 4 local measures on record statewide.
Brule County and its neighbors
Of the 6 counties that border Brule County, Buffalo County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brule County | 5,278 | ▲ 3.8% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Aurora County | 2,801 | ▼ 14.1% | 20 MW | — | — | — |
| Buffalo County | 1,802 | ▲ 8.2% | 538 MW | — | — | — |
| Charles Mix County | 9,303 | ▲ 4.4% | 320 MW | — | — | — |
| Gregory County | 4,037 | ▲ 6.1% | — | — | — | — |
| Jerauld County | 1,654 | ▲ 5.1% | 213 MW | — | — | — |
| Lyman County | 3,694 | ▼ 2.2% | — | — | — | — |
More of South Dakota
Brule County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Brule County, South Dakota?
4 utilities have service territory in Brule County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy - (SD), Central Electric Coop, Inc - (SD), Charles Mix Electric Assn, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, NorthWestern Energy - (SD), charged residential customers 12.56¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Brule County?
1 operating plant with 20 MW of capacity. The largest is Brule County Wind (20 MW, wind).
Are there data centers in Brule County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Brule County.
Is Brule County adding jobs?
Employers counted 1,947 jobs in 2025 against 1,876 in 2019 (+3.8%, BLS QCEW).
Does Brule County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Brule County. South Dakota has 4 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.