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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
February 28, 2017, at 9:30 A.M. CST
Matthew Training Center, Foss 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 p.m. CST on February 27, 2017. 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 February 10, 2017 (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries and Complaints Received by the Commission (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL16-042 In the Matter of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy’s Application for Adjustment in its Cogeneration and Small Power Production Service Simultaneous Net Billing Generation Credit Rate(s) (Staff Analysts: Patrick Steffensen, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On December 30, 2016, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHE) filed a request for approval of an adjustment to its Cogeneration and Small Power Production Service Simultaneous Net Billing Generation Credit Rate(s). This filing updates this generation credit rate based on BHE’s current avoided costs. BHE requests an effective date of March 1, 2017. On February 13, 2017, Richard A. Bell, PE, CEM filed a Petition to Intervene and requested a 90-day extension of this matter.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to any party that may have filed? AND, shall the Commission grant the 90-day extension? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL17-002 In the Matter of the Filing by Otter Tail Power Company for Approval of Petition of Tariff Revisions to Its Meter Data and Privacy Policy (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On January 11, 2017, the Commission received a filing by Otter Tail Power Company (OTP) for approval of tariff revisions regarding its customer meter data privacy tariff. OTP requests that the Customer Meter Data Privacy tariff pages be inserted in Section 1 of its South Dakota Electric Rate Schedule designated as Section 1.09. On February 7, 2017, OTP responded to staff’s data request.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the tariff revisions with an effective date of March 1, 2017?
3. EL17-003 In the Matter of the Filing by Otter Tail Power Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to its Rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On January 17, 2017, the Commission received a filing from Otter Tail Power Company (OTP). This filing proposes updates to OTP’s Small Power Producer Riders, Sections 12.01, 12.02 and 12.03 in OTP’s tariff book. In the listed sections, OTP proposes to update the energy and capacity payments as well as the renewable energy credit values. These payments are made to qualifying facilities within the OTP service area. OTP requests an effective date of March 1, 2017.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the proposed revisions to Otter Tail Power Company’s rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration for Qualifying Facilities?
4. EL17-005 In the Matter of the Joint Request for Service Rights Exception between Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy and Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On February 6, 2017, the Commission received a Joint Request for Service Rights Exception between Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHP) and Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BHEC) to allow BHEC to provide electric service to a residence in BHP territory. Under the Service Rights Exception, BHP shall retain the right of service to any new commercial or residential facility or service that may be developed on the lot of land.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the requested service rights exception between Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy and Black Hill Electric Cooperative, Inc.?
5. EL17-006 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval of 2017 Transmission Facility Adjustment (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On February 15, 2017, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHE) filed an Application for Approval of its 2017 Transmission Facilities Adjustment (TFA). BHE seeks approval of the annual true-up of the actual amounts collected in the third year of the TFA, as approved in Docket EL16-005, and the forecasted recovery of revenue requirements associated with the fourth year of the TFA. BHE proposes TFA rates effective June 1, 2017, through May 31, 2018. Approximately 68,000 South Dakota customers will be affected by the TFA rate change. The bill increase for a typical residential customer averaging 650 kWh per month will be approximately 0.02%.
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?
6. EL17-007 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to its Transmission Cost Recovery 2016 Reconciliation and 2017 New Factor Calculation (Staff Analysts: Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On February 15, 2017, the Commission received MidAmerican Energy Company’s (MidAmerican) filing for approval of tariff revisions to its Transmission Cost Recovery 2016 Reconciliation and 2017 New Factor Calculation. MidAmerican’s Transmission Cost Recovery mechanism was established in the company’s most recent rate case EL14-072. With this filing, MidAmerican is establishing new TCR rates based on true ups to any over/under recovery from 2016, and for forecast over/under recovery for 2017. MidAmerican requests the new Transmission Cost Recovery factors have an effective date of April 3, 2017.
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?
7. EL17-008 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval of its 2017 Environmental Improvement Adjustment (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On February 15, 2017, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHE) filed an Application for Approval of its 2017 Environmental Improvement Adjustment (EIA). BHE seeks approval of its proposal for the annual true-up of EIA revenue requirement from June 1, 2016, through May 31, 2017, as approved in Docket EL16-006, and the forecasted recovery of EIA revenue requirement associated with eligible environmental improvements from June 1, 2017, through May 31, 2018. The Company proposes EIA rates effective June 1, 2017, through May 31, 2018. Approximately 68,000 South Dakota retail customers are affected by the EIA rate change. The average bill impact for a typical residential electric customer using 650 kWh is approximately 0.03%.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee up to the amount of $50,000 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date?
Gas and Electric
1. GE16-005 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of 2017 South Dakota Demand Side Management Plan (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On November 18, 2016, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NWE) filed to revise its Demand Side Management (DSM) for 2017. Specifically, NWE requests that the Commission approve the Company’s proposed modifications to its 2017 DSM Plan and budgets. Further, NWE requests that the Commission approve the revised gas and electric Energy Efficiency Adjustment rates and tariff sheets, that account for a true-up of tracker account balances and the 2017 DSM Plan proposed budgets, with an effective date of January 1, 2017. On December 13, 2016, Commission Staff (Staff) filed a letter requesting that the Commission suspend the 2017 DSM plan until March 1, 2017, and leave the current Energy Efficiency Adjustment rates in effect until otherwise ordered by the Commission. On December 21, 2016, the Commission issued an order suspending NWE’s 2017 DSM plan until March 1, 2017. On January 31, 2017, NWE filed a letter notifying the Commission of its intent to discontinue the company’s DSM program. After reviewing the company’s DSM program in consideration of Staff’s concerns regarding the cost effectiveness of the DSM plan, NWE concluded that the company is unable to offer a DSM program that meets the desired results for energy savings and achieve cost effectiveness levels expected by the Commission.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the termination of NorthWestern Energy’s DSM program? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
Natural Gas
1. NG17-002 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. for Approval of its Revised Conservation Tracking Adjustment (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On January 30, 2017, 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 company proposed a CTA rate, applicable to service under Rates 60, 70 and 72, of $0.028 per dk to be effective March 1, 2017. The proposed CTA rate is an increase of $0.004 per dk from the currently authorized CTA rate.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s request for approval of the revised Conservation Tracking Adjustment of $0.028 per dk and the associated Conservation Program Tracking Mechanism Rate 90 tariff sheet, with an effective date of March 1, 2017?
2. NG17-003 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Its Refund Plan regarding Refund from ANR Pipeline Company (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On February 2, 2017, MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) filed for approval of its refund plan regarding a refund from ANR Pipeline Company (ANR). MidAmerican received a gas supplier refund check from ANR for approximately $50,456. South Dakota’s portion of the refund plus interest is approximately $6,729. MidAmerican proposes to incorporate this refund amount into the April 2017 purchased gas adjustment rate.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s refund plan?
Telecommunications
1. TC16-050 In the Matter of the Application of eNetworks, LLC for a Certificate of Authority to Provide Local Exchange Services in South Dakota(Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On July 22, 2016, the Commission received an Application for Certificate of Authority to provide Local Exchange Services (Application) from eNetworks, LLC (eNetworks). In the Application, eNetworks sought a certificate of authority to provide local exchange service in South Dakota. On August 11, 2016, the South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) filed a petition to intervene. On August 29, 2016, eNetworks filed a revised page 3 and 5 of the application limiting their request to CenturyLink territory only. On September 12, 2016, SDTA filed a letter requesting withdrawal of intervention. On January 9, 2017, eNetworks requested a waiver of ARSD 20:10:32:03(11), pursuant to ARSD 20:10:32:10. eNetworks has responded to all of staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the request by eNetworks, LLC for a Certificate of Authority to Provide Local Exchange Services in South Dakota and requested waivers?
2. TC17-006 In the Matter of the Filing by Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink for Approval of Waiver of the Utilization Threshold Requirements in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On February 21, 2017, Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink (CenturyLink) filed for a waiver of the utilization threshold requirements outlined in FCC’s Number Resource Optimization Orders, FCC 00-429 and FCC 01-362 released in CC Docket No. 99-200, which would allow PA/NeuStar, the Number Pooling Administrator, to open a new Code of 10,000 consecutive numbers in the 605-XX4, 605-XX5, 605-XX6 or 605-XX7 NPA in the Sioux Falls Rate Center.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the request for Waiver of Utilization Threshold Requirements?
Items for Commission Discussion
Announcements
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PUC Commissioners will attend the South Dakota State Federation of Labor Legislative Conference on Thursday, February 23, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. CST in the Highlands/Hills Room at the RedRossa Italian Grille, Pierre, S.D.
- PUC Commissioners and staff will meet with consumers at the Sioux Empire Home Show, February 24-26, 2017, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center & Arena, Sioux Falls, S.D.
- PUC Commissioners and staff will meet with representatives of Xcel Energy on Thursday, March 2, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. CST at the Capitol Lake Visitor Center, Pierre, S.D. The agenda is to discuss the company’s Resource Treatment Framework filings in North Dakota and Minnesota.
- The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be Tuesday, March 14, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. CST in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, S.D.
- The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be Tuesday, February 28, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. CST in the Floyd Matthew Training Center in the Foss Building, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, S.D.
- Commission meetings are scheduled for March 28 and April 10, 2017.
/s/Cindy Kemnitz .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
PUC Email
February 22, 2017
