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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
September 13, 2016, 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, September 12, 2016. 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 August 30, 2016 (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries and Complaints Received by the Commission (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL16-022 In the Matter of the Application by Prevailing Winds, LLC for a Wind Energy Facility Permit for the Prevailing Winds Wind Energy Facility (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Kristen Edwards)
On June 28, 2016, Prevailing Winds, LLC filed with the Commission an Application for a Wind Energy Facility Permit to construct the Prevailing Winds Wind Energy Facility (Project), a 201-megawatt nameplate capacity wind energy facility located on the Dry Choteau Creek Coteau, an upland divide that rises 300 to 350 feet above the Choteau Creek Valley along its western boundary and then gradually descends for several miles to the east (Project Area), near Avon, South Dakota, in Bon Homme and Charles Mix Counties. The proposed Project includes up to 100 wind turbines, associated access roads, an underground electrical power collector system, a collector substation, an operations and maintenance facility, and associated transmission interconnection facilities. The Project would interconnect at a new Western Area Power Administration (Western)-owned switching station to be constructed within the Project Area adjacent to Western's Fort Randall to Utica Junction 230-kilovolt double-circuit transmission line, or alternatively at Western's existing Utica Junction 230-kV switching station, approximately 22 miles east of the Project Area. The Project would generate utility scale electric power for residential, commercial, and industrial consumers. On August 30, 2016, Prevailing Winds, LLC filed a Motion to Withdraw the Application Without Prejudice.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the Motion to Withdraw the Application Without Prejudice? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL16-029 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Update Its Communities Served (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On August 19, 2016, the Commission received a filing by MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) for approval of tariff revisions to update its communities served. MidAmerican proposes to update the communities served by adding the counties served to account for the unincorporated areas. MidAmerican requests an effective date of September 19, 2016.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the tariff revisions with an effective date of September 19, 2016?
3. EL16-030 In the Matter of the Petition of Otter Tail Power Company for Approval of the Environmental Cost Recovery Rider Charge (Staff Analysts: Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On August 31, 2016, the Commission received an application by Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) for approval of its annual update to the Environmental Cost Recovery Rate under Otter Tail's Environmental Cost Recovery Rider, Rate Schedule 13.08, for the actual and forecasted cost and revenue through the recovery period of November 2016 through October 2017 for Big Stone Plant's Air Quality Control System (AQCS) and Hoot Lake Plant's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS). Otter Tail states the rate impact of this request (for both projects) will decrease the ECR Rider Rate from $0.00643 per kWh to $0.00550 per kWh. The bill decrease for a typical residential customer averaging 955 kWh per month will be approximately $0.89 or 1.00%.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee for actual expenses related to the Environmental Cost Recovery Rider not to exceed $50,000?
4. EL16-031 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of its 2017 Transmission Cost Recovery Eligibility and Rate Adjustment (Staff Analysts: Patrick Steffensen, Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On September 1, 2016, the Commission received a petition from Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) for approval of its 2017 Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) Rider, TCR rate factor, and tracker account report. For 2017, Xcel proposes recovery of the South Dakota jurisdictional portion of the revenue requirements related to 16 transmission projects located throughout its service territory. Xcel does not propose to include any new projects for 2017. Xcel proposes to recover $8.01 million associated with these projects for the 2017 calendar year. Included in the $8.01 million figure is the 2016 under-collection balance of $851,543. The total of the transmission investment costs and the tracker balance results in an average bill impact of $2.85 per month for a typical residential electric customer using 750 kWh per month. This is an increase of $0.83 per month from the current TCR Rider recovery. Xcel proposes to implement a rate of $0.003797 per kWh applied to all energy billed to each customer class beginning January 1, 2017, through December 31, 2017. This represents an increase of $0.001109 from the existing rate of $0.002688 per kWh.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee in the amount of up to $50,000 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date?
Natural Gas
1. NG16-008 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Update Its Communities Served (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On August 19, 2016, the Commission received a filing by MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) for approval of tariff revisions to update its communities served. MidAmerican proposes to update the communities served by adding the counties served to account for the unincorporated areas. MidAmerican requests an effective date of September 19, 2016.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the tariff revisions with an effective date of September 19, 2016?
2. NG16-009 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of its Gas Transportation Tariff Revisions Regarding Fuel Retention Percentage (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On August 24, 2016, the Commission received a filing from NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern). This filing proposes to update Sheet No. 6.2 in Section No. 5 of NorthWestern's filed natural gas tariff. NorthWestern's tariff provides that the Fuel Retention Percentage is to be updated annually and be effective October 1 each year. NorthWestern also proposes to update the fuel rate for customers with an average daily therm usage greater than 30,000. NorthWestern states that customers who fit this high usage criterion are primarily direct connect customers whose gas system is not subject to the normal losses in a distribution system. NorthWestern seeks an effective date of October 1, 2016.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the proposed tariff revisions?
Telecommunications
1. In the Matter of Request for Certification Regarding the Use of Federal Universal Service Support in Dockets TC16-022, TC16-023, TC16-031, TC16-032, TC16-038, TC16-039 and TC16-042.
TC16-022 In the Matter of the Request of Valley Telephone Company Study Area: 361495 for Certification Regarding its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On June 29, 2016, the Commission received an application from Valley Telephone Company requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 11, 2016, the Company responded to Staff's data request and on September 2, 2016, the Company filed the responses into the docket
TC16-023 In the Matter of the Request of Red River Rural Telephone Association dba Red River Communications Study Area: 381631 for Certification Regarding its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On June 29, 2016, the Commission received an application from Red River Rural Telephone Association dba Red River Communications requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 22, 2016, the Company responded to Staff's data request.
TC16-031 In the Matter of the Request of Jefferson Telephone Company Study Area: 391666 for Certification Regarding Its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On June 30, 2016, the Commission received an application from Jefferson Telephone Company requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 30, 2016, the Company responded to Staff's data request.
TC16-032 In the Matter of the Request of City of Faith Municipal Telephone Company Study Area: 391653 for Certification Regarding its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On June 30, 2016, the Commission received an application from Faith Municipal Telephone Company requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 24, 2016, the Company responded to Staff's data request.
TC16-038 In the Matter of the Request of RT Communications, Inc. Study Area: 512251 for Certification Regarding its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On June 30, 2016, the Commission received an application from RT Communications, Inc. requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 30, 2016, the Company responded to Staff's data request.
TC16-039 In the Matter of the Request of Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC Study Area: 395145 for Certification Regarding its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On July 1, 2016, the Commission received an application from Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 23, 2016, the Company responded to Staff's data request. This docket was originally before the Commission on August 30, 2016, and was deferred at that time.
TC16-042 In the Matter of the Request of West River Cooperative Telephone Company Study Area 391689 for Certification Regarding its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On July 5, 2016, the Commission received an application from West River Cooperative Telephone Company requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On September 6, 2016, the Company responded to Staff's data request.
TODAY, shall the Commission provide a certification to the Federal Communications Commission and to the Universal Service Administration Company regarding the use of Federal Universal Service Support in each of the above dockets?
Items for Commission Discussion
Announcements
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Commissioners will attend the Pierre Solar Project dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Missouri River Energy Services on Monday, September 26, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. CDT at the project site near the Pierre, S.D., Regional Airport
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The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be Tuesday, September 27, 2016, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol, Pierre, S.D.
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Commission meetings are scheduled for October 11 and 26, 2016.
/s/Cindy Kemnitz
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
PUC Email
September 7, 2016
