Leola Data Center

Facility record

Lifecycle

ProposedSource-reported lifecycle

Location precision

approximate

Address as listed

11641 358th Avenue

Coordinates

45.704374067105, -99.035447087942

Serving utility, source-reported

Montana-Dakota Utilities (MDU)

Operational capacity, source-reported

Not published

Planned capacity, source-reported

50 MW

Source record updated

2026-10-30

Source-reported capacity; not metered consumption. Review underlying documents and notes. Planned capacity may include future phases and is not added to operational capacity here. The source may use facility, grid-feed or IT capacity definitions; consult the linked documents.

Coordinate precision is a source label, not an independent parcel survey. A marker does not confirm utility territory or establish an effect on residential bills.

Reported lifecycle history

1. 2024-11Proposed

   Original conditional use permit application filed with McPherson County for a 50 MW data center on 2 of 20 acres adjacent to MDU's Leola Substation.

   Underlying source
2. 2024-12Proposed

   McPherson County enacted a moratorium on data-center siting and a one-mile setback ordinance while continuing to review this application.

   Underlying source

Source notes

Site is legally described as Section 28 (part E1/2), Township 126N, Range 68W, McPherson County -- a 20-acre parcel adjacent to Montana-Dakota Utilities' Leola Substation, at the SW corner of 358th Avenue (Highway 17) and 116th Street, about 5 miles southwest of Leola. The CUP application itself lists 11641 358th Avenue, Leola, SD 57456 as the site's general area/street address, which is what was geocoded here (US Census geocoder); precision is approximate because this is a street-level geocode, not a confirmed parcel-corner survey point. As of 2026-09-13 no final CUP decision had been located in the sources checked.

In Sept 2026 the SD PUC unanimously approved a settlement letting MDU serve the site (next to MDU's Leola substation, inside FEM Electric's area). Minimum load is 2,000 kW per billing period. The PUC said the vote does not authorize construction.

Sources and provenance

• Leola Data Center -- McPherson County Conditional Use Permit Application & Supplemental Information · source retrieved 2026-09-13
• McPherson County Postpones Approval Of Leola Data Center Conditional Use Permit · source retrieved 2026-09-13
• McPherson County Approves Moratorium On Data Centers, Enacts 1 Mile Setback · source retrieved 2026-09-13
• Leola data center electricity to be served by MDU, next faces county permitting · source retrieved 2026-10-27
• McPherson County officials want legal assurances on data center pledges · source retrieved 2026-10-10
• August 11th Notice of Hearing (Conditional Use Permit 26-CUP-04, posted July 22, 2026) · source retrieved 2026-10-30
• Leola Data Center - Community Fact Sheet · source retrieved 2026-10-30

Power Wars capture: 2026-11-02. Compute Atlas, CC BY 4.0. Entries are not independently verified by Power Wars unless stated.