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Ben French
110 MW natural gas power plant · Pennington County, South Dakota
- Operating capacity
- 110 MW
- 9 generators
- Main fuel
- Natural gas
- First unit online
- 1965
- Generation, 2023
- 3,103 MWh
Plant details
- EIA plant ID
- 3325
- Operator
- Black Hills Power, Inc.
- Sector
- Electric Utility
- County
- Pennington County
- Balancing authority
- WACM
- Location
- 44.0872, -103.2610
Capacity by fuel
Operating generators
- Natural gas100 MW 90.9%
- Petroleum10.0 MW 9.1%
Operating generators
Nameplate capacity and the month each began operating
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| Generator | Fuel | Capacity | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GT1Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Natural gas | 25.0 MW | Jul 1977 | Operating |
| GT2Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Natural gas | 25.0 MW | Aug 1977 | Operating |
| GT3Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Natural gas | 25.0 MW | Jun 1978 | Operating |
| GT4Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | Natural gas | 25.0 MW | Jun 1979 | Operating |
| 1Petroleum Liquids | Petroleum | 2.0 MW | Jul 1965 | Operating |
| 2Petroleum Liquids | Petroleum | 2.0 MW | Jul 1965 | Operating |
| 3Petroleum Liquids | Petroleum | 2.0 MW | Jul 1965 | Operating |
| 4Petroleum Liquids | Petroleum | 2.0 MW | Jul 1965 | Operating |
| 5Petroleum Liquids | Petroleum | 2.0 MW | Jul 1965 | Operating |
Retired generators
Retired since 2010
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| Generator | Fuel | Capacity | Retired | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST1Conventional Steam Coal | Coal | 25.0 MW | Retired Mar 2014 | Retired |
Generation and emissions, 2023
EPA eGRID annual data
- Net generation
- 3,103 MWh
- Capacity factor
- 0.3%
- CO2 emissions
- 4,082 tons
- CO2 emission rate
- 2,631 lb/MWh
Nearby power plants
Within 25 miles
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| Plant | Fuel | Capacity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lange Generating Station | Natural gas | 40.0 MW | 2.4 mi |
| Wild Springs | Solar | 128 MW | 21 mi |
Frequently asked questions
- How much power can Ben French produce?
- Ben French has 110 MW of operating nameplate capacity across 9 generators as of August 2026.
- Who operates Ben French?
- EIA lists Black Hills Power, Inc. as the operator of Ben French.
- How much electricity did Ben French generate?
- Ben French reported 3,103 MWh of net generation in 2023 and 4,082 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to EPA eGRID.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860M (August 2026); U.S. EPA eGRID2023 · Data for August 2026