MITCHELL, S.D. - The major-party candidates seeking a six-year term on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission have made wind energy a big issue in their campaigns.

Democrat Steve Kolbeck of Brandon said the PUC needs to be more aggressive in making deals with companies that build transmission lines that South Dakota energy providers could use.

Republican John Koskan of Wood said the PUC needs to consider all forms of energy and be creative in its marketing because of growing markets in places like the Twin Cities.

Libertarian Ben Sutter of Rapid City also is on Tuesday's ballot.

Koskan, a rancher, served 10 years in the South Dakota House and six years in the state Senate.

He said that when he was in the Legislature, he helped form the South Dakota Energy Infrastructure Authority. According to the group's Web site, it "brings together public and private entities in an effort to identify and address South Dakota's needs in the area of renewable electrical energy development."

Kolbeck works at Alliance Communications in Garretson and handles customer service, fiber-optic maintenance, high-speed Internet implementation and other technology.

South Dakota has lots of wind but not much generation of actual wind-produced power. Both agree the market is to the east.

"Wind energy is a huge struggle in South Dakota because South Dakota doesn't use enough electricity to capitalize on the amount of wind energy we can produce," said Kolbeck.

Koskan said wind energy should play a big role in the state's future of but that all forms of energy need to be explored.

Kolbeck said Koskan has shown support for spending money on nuclear energy research in South Dakota. "I don't doubt the power of nuclear power or its efficiency. I doubt its placement," he said.

Koskan said that Kolbeck "agrees we should have nuclear energy, but not in South Dakota. That's not a leader's position. I want to look at it and see if it's a viable energy source, and to find out if South Dakota is suited for it. If South Dakotans want it, to say we shouldn't have it is irresponsible."