RAPID CITY, S.D. – Black Hills Energy crews have successfully restored power to nearly all customers in the Southern Hills following an Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) on Thursday.

The shutoff, which was initiated earlier in the day due to hazardous weather conditions, impacted approximately 560 customers. Affected areas included regions around Hot Springs, as well as the communities of Buffalo Gap and Oral.

While the majority of service has been reinstated, a limited number of customers remain without electricity due to active wildfires in other parts of the Southern Hills. Residents can find updates on these specific remaining outages at blackhillsenergy.com/outages.

“Safety is at the core of everything we do,” said Wes Ashton, vice president of South Dakota and Wyoming Utilities. “Since conditions have improved in the PSPS areas, our crews have inspected the system for damage and have safely restored power.”

The decision to implement the PSPS was driven by a dangerous mix of environmental factors common to the region.

“The combination of high wind speeds and low relative humidity can lead to conditions which make it unsafe to operate the electric grid. It was this combination of factors that prompted today’s Emergency PSPS,” Ashton said.

Company officials stated they will continue to monitor weather patterns and grid integrity throughout the evening, even as the emergency status has been lifted for the primary PSPS zones.

“While conditions have improved and the PSPS has now been cancelled, we will continue to monitor conditions with safety in mind,” Ashton said. “We appreciate our customers’ patience as we worked throughout the day to help keep our customers and communities safe.”

Detailed information regarding the utility company’s safety protocols and the Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff program is available at blackhillsenergy.com/psps. Residents in Rapid City and the surrounding Black Hills area are encouraged to stay informed on local fire conditions and utility updates.