Financial Performance - Black Hills Corp. reported operating income of $82.5 million for Q2 2025, up from $70.6 million in Q2 2024, and net income available for common stock increased to $27.5 million from $22.8 million in the same period [1][19] - Earnings per share (EPS) for Q2 2025 were $2.24, compared to $0.38 in Q2 2024, reflecting a significant increase due to new rates and rider recovery, despite higher operating expenses [1][19] - For the first half of 2025, the company achieved net income of $161.7 million, up from $150.6 million in the first half of 2024 [1][21] Growth Initiatives - The company is executing a $1 billion capital plan for 2025 to support long-term growth and maintain solid financial credit metrics [2] - Key projects include the $350 million Ready Wyoming electric transmission project, expected to be completed by year-end 2025, and the $280 million Lange II generation project in South Dakota, planned to be operational in the second half of 2026 [3][10] - The company anticipates that data centers will contribute over 10% of EPS by 2028, driven by ongoing construction of Meta's new data center in Wyoming [3] Regulatory Developments - Black Hills Corp. reaffirmed its 2025 earnings guidance range of $4.00 to $4.20 per share, based on favorable regulatory outcomes and operational stability [5][10] - The company received approval for new rates at Kansas Gas, providing an additional $10.8 million in annual revenues, and a certificate for a 99-megawatt generation project in South Dakota [5][10] Operational Highlights - Wyoming Electric recorded an all-time peak load of 379 megawatts, reflecting a 21% increase over the previous year's peak, marking 19 consecutive years of rising electric demand [6][5] - The establishment of an Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff program aims to enhance customer safety and mitigate wildfire risks across all electric utilities [6] Dividend and Share Issuance - The board of directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.676 per share, marking 55 consecutive years of dividend increases, the second-longest track record in the industry [10] - In Q2 2025, the company issued 0.3 million shares for net proceeds of $20 million, totaling 1.1 million shares for $65 million year-to-date [10]