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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
June 24, 2014, at 9:30 A.M. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
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. CDT on Monday, June 23, 2014. Lines are limited and are given out on a first come, first served basis, subject to possible reassignment to accommodate persons who must appear in a proceeding. Ultimately, if you wish to participate in the Commission Meeting and a line is not available, you may have to appear in person.
NOTE: To listen to the Commission Meeting live please go to the PUC's website www.puc.sd.gov and click on the LIVE link on the home page. The Commission requests persons who will only be listening to proceedings and not actively appearing in a case listen via the web cast to free phone lines for those who have to appear. The Commission meetings are archived on the PUC's website under the Commission Actions tab, Click on "Commission Meeting Archives," to access the recordings.
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 COMMISSION MEETING
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on June 10, 2014 (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries and Complaints Received by the Commission (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
On March 31, 2014, the Commission received an application by Black Hills Power, Inc. (BHP) for approval to increase rates for electric service to customers in its South Dakota service territory by approximately $14.6 million annually or approximately 9.27% based on BHP's test year ending September 30, 2013. The Company states a typical residential electric customer using 650 kWh per month would see an increase of $10.91 per month. The proposed changes may potentially affect approximately 65,500 customers in BHP's South Dakota service territory. The proposed increase would be effective no earlier than October 1, 2014. On June 6, 2014, GCC Dacotah, Inc., Pete Lien & Sons, Inc., Rushmore Forest Products, Inc., Spearfish Forest Products, Inc., Rapid City Regional Hospital, Inc., and Wharf Resources (U.S.A.), Inc. filed a Petition to Intervene. Dakota Rural Action also filed a Petition to Intervene on June 6, 2014.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to any parties that may have filed?
On May 5, 2014, Prelude, L.L.C. (Prelude) filed a complaint against Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Butte Electric Cooperative, Inc., Grand Electric Cooperative, Inc., Moreau-Grand Electric Cooperative, Inc., Rosebud Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Rushmore Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (Respondents). Prelude has projects located in Respondents' service territories. Prelude alleges that Respondents have failed to enter into good faith negotiations of long term electric power purchase agreements, pursuant to the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978. On June 10, 2014, the Commission granted intervention to South Dakota Electric Utility Companies. On June 13, 2014, the Commission received a Petition to Intervene from the South Dakota Rural Electric Association.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to any parties that may have filed?
On May 16, 2014, the Commission received a filing from NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern) requesting approval of revisions to its tariff which revises Rate No. 73 – Small Qualifying Facility Rider (Occasional delivery energy service) and Rate No. 74 - Small Qualifying Facility Rider (Time of delivery energy service). The proposed tariff rates reflect prices based on NorthWestern's method of avoided cost calculation. NorthWestern requests an effective date of July 1, 2014.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy's Tariff Revisions?
Natural Gas
On May 9, 2014, the Commission received an application by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. for approval of a revised Conservation Tracking Adjustment (CTA), pursuant to the terms of the Company's Conservation Program Tracking Mechanism Rate 90 tariff. The proposed CTA rate, applicable to service under Rates 60, 70, and 72, equates to $0.043 per dk or an increase of $0.032 per dk from the currently authorized CTA rate in the Black Hills area and an increase of $0.020 per dk from the currently authorized CTA rate in the East River area. On May 21, 2014, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. filed its responses to Staff's first data request. On June 6, 2014, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. filed its responses to Staff's second data request.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.'s request for approval of the Revised Conservation Program Tracking Mechanism Rate 90 Tariff effective July 1, 2014?
Telecommunications
On May 23, 2014, Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC (Qwest) filed for approval of revisions to its Access Service Tariff. This filing is the third step in implementing the Transitional Intrastate Access Service reductions mandated by the Federal Communications Commission's November 18, 2011, Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in WC Docket Nos. 10-90, etc. (FCC 11-161). A July 1, 2014, effective date is requested.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the requested tariff changes?
On May 23, 2014, the Commission received a Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier from Blue Jay Wireless, LLC for the purpose of offering Lifeline services on a wireless basis throughout a majority of South Dakota, in both rural and non-rural areas. On June 13, 2014, the South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) filed a Petition to Intervene.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to any parties that may have filed?
3. TC14-020 In the Matter of the Filing by BCN Telecom, Inc. for Approval of its Access Service Tariff No. 3 (Staff Analyst: Robin Meyerink; Staff Attorney: Karen Cremer)
On May 29, 2014, BCN Telecom, Inc. (BCN) filed its initial competitive access provider services tariff for Commission approval. All originating and terminating access rates mirror and are assessed switched access charges pursuant to the Company's Federal Access Tariff, FCC Tariff No. 5 and are in compliance with the FCC's ICC/USF Transformation Order. A June 30, 2014, effective date is requested.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve BCN's S.D.P.U.C. Tariff No. 3?
On June 3, 2014, TNCI Operating Company LLC's (TNCI OpCo) filed for approval of revisions to its South Dakota switched access tariff. This submission is made pursuant to the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, in Docket Nos. WC Docket No. 10-90, et al., FCC 11-161 Second Order on Reconsideration in Docket Nos. WC Docket No. 10-90, et al., FCC 12-47 and Section 51.911 of the FCC's rules, 47 C.F.R. §51.911. A July 1, 2014, effective date is requested.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the requested tariff changes?
Items for Commission Discussion
Announcements
- The PUC offices will be closed Friday, July 4, 2014, in observance of Independence Day.
- The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be Tuesday, July 8, 2014, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, S.D.
- Commission meetings are scheduled for July 22 and August 6, 2014.
/s/Cindy Kemnitz
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
PUC Email
June 17, 2014
