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PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
January 14, 1997; 3:00 p.m.
Foss Building, Floyd Matthew Training Room
Pierre, South Dakota
NOTE: If you wish to join this meeting by conference call, please contact the Commission at 605- 773-3201 by 5:00 p.m., Monday, January 13, 1997
NOTE: Notice is further given to persons with disabilities that this Commission meeting is being held in a physically accessible place. If you have special needs, please notify the Commission and we will make all necessary arrangements.
AGENDA OF THE COMMISSION MEETING
Leadership
1. Election Of A Chairperson And Vice-Chairperson Of The Commission (General Counsel: Rolayne Ailts Wiest.)
South Dakota Codified Law 49-1-8 states in part that, "The members of the Commission shall elect a chairperson by majority vote and prescribe his duties." Traditionally, the three Commissioners have elected a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson every two years. This election has been conducted in January, following the general election held the previous November. The person thus elected the Chairperson has customarily functioned as the chief executive officer of the Commission. SDCL 49-1-12 requires that, "Every vote and official action of the Public Utilities Commission shall be entered of record and its proceedings shall be public upon the request of either party or any person interested." Accordingly, the determination of the Commission's leadership structure shall be made at this public meeting.
TODAY, how shall the Commission provide for its executive leadership?
Administration
1. Approval Of The Minutes Of The Commission Meeting of December 9, 1996, The Ad Hoc Commission Meeting of December 20, 1996; And The Commission Meeting Of December 31, 1996. (Staff: Shirleen Fugitt.)
Consumer Affairs
1. Status Report On Consumer Utility Inquiries And Complaints Recently Received By The Commission. (Consumer Representative: Leni Hook.)
The Commission has received 39 consumer contacts during 1997.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS: 30 contacts concerning telecommunications issues have been received since the last meeting. 10 contacts dealt with billing issues; 6 contacts involved the unauthorized switching of long distance services; 3 held order issues were addressed; 3 contacts involved telemarketers; 3 disconnection concerns were handled; 3 service problems were reported and 2 contacts were classified as "other."
ELECTRICITY: 5 complaints involving electricity were reported. 2 billing issues were handled; 1 disconnection, 1 deposit, and 1 "other" concerns were addressed.
GAS: 4 complaints involving natural gas were reported. 2 contacts concerned billing issues; 1 contact dealt with a service issue and 1 fee issue was reported.
A total of 11 complaints were resolved informally during 1997.
Electricity
1. EL96-021 IN THE MATTER OF THE COMPLAINT FILED BY RAYMOND AND BEVERLY NORDSTROM, SPEARFISH, SD, AGAINST E ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, INC. AND BLACK HILLS POWER AND LIGHT REGARDING ELECTRICAL SERVICE TO CERTAIN LOTS IN MOUNTAIN SHADOWS MOBILE HOME PARK, SPEARFISH, SD. (Staff Engineer: Martin Bettmann. Staff Attorney: Karen Cremer.)
On August 30, 1996, the Commission received a complaint from Raymond and Beverly Nordstrom (Complainants), Spearfish, SD, against e Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Black Hills Power and Light (Respondents). The issue in the complaint is which Respondent should provide electrical service to certain lots located in Mountain Shadows Mobile Home Park in Spearfish, SD. The Complainant requests that the entire park be served by only one of the providers. A regularly scheduled meeting of October 8, 1996, the Commission deferred action in this matter. A regularly scheduled meeting of November 1, 1996, the Commission found probable cause in this matter and directed the executive director to set a procedural schedule. The parties subsequently resolved this matter without going to hearing and Complainants filed a letter with the Commission on January 2, 1997, asking that the complaint be dismissed.
TODAY, shall the Commission dismiss this complaint based on the resolution reached by the parties?
On January 2, 1997, the Commission received a filing by Northern States Power Company (NSP) for approval of a fuel clause adjustment. The company proposes to include in its fuel clause adjustment for the billing month of January a "small refund of $1,277 or 0.001ยข per kWh associated with 1) interest income related to nuclear disposal fee refunds from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) and 2) an offsetting amount of interest expense associated with coal production tax liability paid by NSP to various fuel suppliers." The Company is requesting that the Commission waive the 30-day notice requirement pursuant to 20:10:13:20.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve NSP's fuel clause adjustment and waive the Commission's 30-day notice requirement?
Telecommunications
1. TC96-196 IN THE MATTER OF THE FILING BY U S WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. FOR REVISIONS TO ITS EXCHANGE AND NETWORK SERVICES TARIFF AND EXCHANGE AND NETWORK SERVICES CATALOG. (Staff Analyst: Dave Jacobson. Staff Attorney: Camron Hoseck.)
On December 5, 1996, the Commission received a filing by U S WEST Communications, Inc. (U S WEST) for approval of changes to its Exchange and Network Services Tariff and Exchange and Network Services Catalog pages. The company proposes to introduce an option for In Only Direct Inward Dialing (DID) Trunks that allow Reverse Battery Signaling. A reverse battery signaling option will allow customers with Customer Provided Equipment which is not compatible with E&M signaling to use the DID Call Transfer feature. U S WEST has requested an effective date of January 5, 1997. No parties filed to intervene on or before the intervention deadline of December 27, 1996.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the changes proposed by U S WEST?
On December 12, 1996, the Commission received an application by U S West Interprise America, Inc. (Applicant) for a Certificate of Authority to provide local exchange and interexchange telecommunications services within the state of South Dakota. Applicant proposes to offer high speed data communications services such as Private Line Data and fast packet services for the purpose of Network Integration for Local and Wide Area Networks (LANs/WANs). An intervention deadline of December 27, 1996, was established and Dakota Cooperative Telecommunications, Inc. (DCT), AT&T Communications of the Midwest, Inc. (AT&T), and the South Dakota Independent Telephone Coalition, Inc. (SDITC) have timely filed for intervention. The Applicant filed a response to each of the above-mentioned petitions to intervene on January 6, 1997.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to DCT, AT&T, and SDITC in this docket?
3. TC96-202 IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION OF KENNEBEC TELEPHONE COMPANY, INC. FOR APPROVAL OF A BOUNDARY CHANGE WITH GOLDEN WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. (Staff Analyst: Martin Bettmann. Staff Attorney: Camron Hoseck.)
On December 17, 1996, the Commission received a filing by Kennebec Telephone Co., Golden West Communications and Steve and Denise Perry for approval of a modification to the telephone boundary of the Presho exchange of Kennebec and the Murdo exchange of Golden West to satisfy the service request of Steve and Denise Perry. No interventions were filed prior to the intervention deadline of December 27, 1996.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the boundary change requested?
4. TC96-204 IN THE MATTER OF THE FILING BY KADOKA TELEPHONE COMPANY AND GOLDEN WEST TELECOM FOR APPROVAL OF A NEW AND REVISED MAP OF TERRITORY BOUNDARIES. (Staff Analyst: Martin Bettmann. Staff Attorney: Camron Hoseck.)
On December 20, 1996, the Commission received a filing by Kadoka Telephone Company and Golden West Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc. requesting approval of a new and revised map of the telephone boundaries for Kadoka and Golden West Cooperative. No customers or facilities from either telephone company will be affected by the changes. No interventions were filed on or before the intervention deadline of January 3, 1997.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the boundary changes requested?
On December 19, 1996, the Commission received a request by PAM Communications to offer negotiated rates. PAM Oil, Inc. d/b/a PAM Communications initially requested that the Commission waive the Commission's tariff filing requirements for local telecommunications service and cited ARSD 20:10:13:02 through 20:10:13:107, inclusive, as the appropriate rules to be waived. On January 3, 1997, PAM Communications modified its request to remove all references to code or rule cites, though sustaining its request that requirements pertaining to its filing of tariff schedules be waived. An intervention deadline of January 10, 1997, was established.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant any interventions that may be timely filed? And, how shall the Commission proceed?
On December 23, 1996, the Commission received a filing by U S WEST Communications for approval to introduce a new optional dialing capability for the completion of calls. Under the proposal, customers will be able to call a special 1-800 number to reach an interactive voice response platform. After reaching the platform, customers will be given the following options to bill their call: 1-800 U S WEST Calling Card, Third Number, or Collect. An effective date of January 15, 1997, has been requested by U S WEST. An intervention deadline of January 10, 1997, was established.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant any interventions that may be timely filed? And, how shall the Commission proceed?
Announcements
1. The next Commission meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., February 11, 1997, in the Floyd Matthew Training Room of the Foss Building in Pierre, SD.
______________________________
William Bullard, Jr.
Executive Director
Thursday, January 9, 1997
