Big Bend Dam — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 3375
- Capacity
- 538.3 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Buffalo, SD
- Operating Since
- 1964
- Generators
- 8
- Operator
- USACE-Omaha
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 812,996 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 17.2%
- Balancing Authority
- Southwest Power Pool
- ISO/RTO
- SPP
- NERC Region
- MRO
Big Bend Dam
OperatingHydro
Ranked #2 of 4 Hydro plants in SD#46 of 1454 nationally
538.3 MW Hydro operating in Buffalo, SD — Southwest Power Pool
EIAGEMWD
538.3 MW
Nameplate Capacity
8
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1964
Operating Since
Location
Ownership & Operator
Owner data does not fully agree across sources.
EIA typically reports the operating utility, while GEM resolves to the financial owner or parent corporation. Both can be correct.
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | USACE-Omaha | US Army Corps of Engineers - Omaha District | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Owner(s) | USACE-Omaha | US Army Corps of Engineers - Omaha District [100%] | United States Army Corps of Engineers |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
GEM identifies the owner as US Army Corps of Engineers - Omaha District [100%]
This entity is not yet in the GEM ownership database — chain unavailable.
About
Big Bend Dam is a major embankment rolled-earth dam on the Missouri River in Central South Dakota, United States, creating Lake Sharpe. The dam was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Pick-Sloan Plan for Missouri watershed development authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944. Construction began in 1959 and the embankment was completed in July 1963. Power generation began at the facility in 1964 and the entire complex was completed in 1966 at a total cost of $107 million. The hydroelectric plant generates 493,300 kilowatts of electricity at maximum capacity, with an annual production of 969 million kilowatt hours, and meets peak-hour demand for power within the Missouri River Basin.
Read more on WikipediaBig Bend Dam is a 538.3 MW hydroelectric power plant located in Buffalo County, South Dakota. The plant began operating in 1964 and is owned and operated by USACE-Omaha. It utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology with water as its primary fuel source. The facility consists of 8 generators.
Big Bend Dam is the second-largest of three hydroelectric plants in South Dakota, and ranks 46th out of 194 hydroelectric plants nationally. The plant operates within the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) balancing authority and the Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO) NERC region. The latest annual generation data indicates an output of 812,996 MWh, resulting in a capacity factor of 17.2%.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
MRO
Balancing Authority
Southwest Power Pool
Grid Voltage
230 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Federal
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
40.6K MWh
Latest Month
813.0K MWh
Annual Generation
17.2%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial Data
No financial data available for this plant.
Pricing & Market Data
HIGH confidencePoint of Interconnection
Nearest Substation
Fort Thompson Substation · 69 kV
Substation Distance
0 km
Operator
East River Electric Power Cooperative
Coord Source
OSM spatial
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
SPP
LMP Node
WAUE.BIGBEND.1_8
Pricing Hub
SPP North Hub
Node Source
Curated node match
News & Articles (10)Beta
General
Big Bend Dam
Power generation began at Big Bend Dam in 1964 and the entire complex was completed in 1966. Big Bend hydroelectric power plant is operated to meet peak...
USACE Northwestern Division (.mil)·1 years ago
Grid·capacity addition
Gavins Point Dam: Its history and creation on the Missouri River
CROFTON, Neb. (KTIV) - Gavins Point Dam, near Yankton, South Dakota, is the last dam along the Missouri River.
Gavins Point Dam (operator)
KTIV·1 years ago
Industry·corporate
The power of people: Omaha District employees share their experiences working on Missouri River dams
John Mills, senior powerplant mechanic at US Army Corps of Engineers, Omaha District, poses for a photo in his office at Big Bend Dam, South Dakota.
John Mills (other)US Army Corps of Engineers (other)
Army.mil·2 years ago
Regulatory·federal policy
Will South Dakota be ready when other states come for our water?
The Missouri River is one of the nation's least-appreciated resources, but that could change as Western states grow more desperate for...
South Dakota Searchlight·3 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 10 articles