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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting

Wednesday, December 3, 2003 at 8:30 A.M.
State Capitol Building, Cactus Conference 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. on December 2, 2003.

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 AD HOC COMMISSION MEETING

Other Issues

In re NorthWestern Corporation, Case No. 03-12872 (CGC), United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware (Commission Attorney: John Smith)

On September 14, 2003, NorthWestern Corporation (NorthWestern) filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. NorthWestern provides electric generation, transmission and distribution services and natural gas distribution services to customers in East Central South Dakota, as a utility regulated by the Commission. On November 16, 2003, MDU Resources Group, Inc. (MDU), Basin Electric Cooperative (Basin) and some of Basin's member cooperatives announced the formation of an alliance to evaluate potential utility opportunities presented by NorthWestern=s bankruptcy filing. NorthWestern's bankruptcy filing, the initiative of the MDU- Basin alliance and potential offers from other interested parties have the potential to affect gas and electric rates and other service issues in the area served by NorthWestern.

TODAY, shall the Commission decide to intervene in the NorthWestern bankruptcy case? AND, shall the Commission approve the hiring of bankruptcy counsel, subject to review and approval by the Attorney General?

_____________________
Heather K. Forney
Deputy Executive Director
heather.forney@state.sd.us
December 2, 2003