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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
October 24, 2017, 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, October 23, 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 October 11, 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. EL17-042 In the Matter of the Application of Otter Tail Power Company for an Energy Conversion Facility Permit for the Construction of a Combustion Turbine Generator and Associated Infrastructure Including a Natural Gas Pipeline and Electric Transmission Line near Astoria, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Jon Thurber, Darren Kearney; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
On October 5, 2017, Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) filed an Application for permits to construct the facilities pursuant to SDCL Chapter 49-41B (Project). The project is located on approximately 8 acres of privately owned land in Deuel County, South Dakota, approximately 1.5 miles northwest of Astoria, South Dakota. The proposed project would include a plant stack reaching an estimated 105 feet above the graded surface. The project will result in the installation of approximately 0.5 miles of overhead transmission and a 10-inch diameter natural gas pipeline of less than 1,000 feet in length. Astoria Station is proposed to be located in the N 1/2 of Section 22, Township 113N, Range 48 West. The half-mile electric transmission line will extend west from the facility. The natural gas pipeline will extend to the south. At the Point of Interconnection, the power will transfer to the Big Stone South-to-Brookings 345 kV transmission line. Construction is proposed to begin in spring 2020, with generation start-up scheduled for May 2021. Otter Tail previously filed its required Notice of Intent to Apply for a Permit for an Energy Conversion Facility in Docket EL17-017. On October 17, 2017, the Local Review Committee filed a letter requesting $17,600 to hire a consultant.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee not to exceed $282,500 with an initial deposit of $8,000 for the energy conversion facility portion of the Application to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing as well as Docket EL17-017? AND, shall the Commission authorize the Executive Director to enter into necessary consulting contracts? AND, shall the Commission grant the Local Review Committee’s Request for $17,600 in order to hire a consultant?
2. EL17-044 In the Matter of the Joint Request for Service Rights Exception between Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On October 11, 2017, the Commission received a Joint Request for Service Rights Exception between Northern States Power Company (Xcel Energy) and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Southeastern) to allow Southeastern to provide one single phase electric service to a business in Xcel Energy territory. Under the Service Rights Exception, Xcel shall retain the right to serve if this single phase electric service needs to be upgraded to three phase electric service.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the requested service rights exception between Xcel Energy and Southeastern?
Natural Gas
1. NG17-009 In the Matter of the Application of South Dakota Intrastate Pipeline Company for Authority to Increase its Natural Gas Rates (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
On June 1, 2017, South Dakota Intrastate Pipeline Company (SDIP) filed with the Commission a Letter of Transmittal requesting authority to increase its natural gas rates. On June 22, 2017, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) filed a Petition to Intervene. The Commission issued an Order Granting Intervention on July 6, 2017. On June 29, 2017, SDIP filed a confidential application for authority to increase its natural gas rates. On July 11, 2017, MDU filed a Motion for Commission Review requesting the Commission strike SDIP’s claim of confidentiality made in its June 29, 2017, letter and open the docket submissions to MDU and the public for review. The Commission issued an Order Granting Motion for Commission Review and Making the Application Public on August 8, 2017. On October 2, 2017, Staff filed a Motion for Adoption of Procedural Schedule in the docket. On October 4, 2017, Staff filed a letter regarding the Motion for Adoption of Procedural Schedule Evidentiary Hearing Dates. At the October 11, 2017, Commission Meeting, the Commission adopted a partial procedural order and deferred action on the remaining items. On October 16, 2017, Staff filed a letter regarding Evidentiary Hearing Dates. On October 17, 2017, Staff filed a Motion to Compel SDIP to Provide Responses to Staff’s Discovery Requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission issue a procedural schedule? AND Shall the Commission grant Staff’s Motion?
2. NG17-011 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions regarding Farm Tap Service (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Mary Zanter, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
On July 24, 2017, MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) filed a letter requesting a docket be opened to consider a proposal that would allow MidAmerican to provide services to a number of farm tap customers connected to an interstate pipeline owned and operated by Northern Natural Gas Company (Northern), as a result of discussions between MidAmerican and Commission Staff (Staff). On August 23, 2017, the Commission issued an Order Approving Tariff Revisions on Less than 30 Days’ Notice. On October 10, 2017, MidAmerican filed proposed tariff revisions to clean up portions of MidAmerican’s tariff to ensure cross-references are correct with the new farm tap provisions approved on August 23, 2017, and revise a safety protocol on Sheet No. 56.1. MidAmerican is requesting the Commission approve these tariff revisions on less than 30 days’ notice with an effective date of November 1, 2017.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the tariff revisions on less than 30 days’ notice with an effective date of November 1, 2017?
3. NG17-013 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions regarding Contract Sales Service (Rate 86) and Transportation Service (Rate 87) Tariff (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On September 18, 2017, the Commission received a petition by NorthWestern Energy Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern) for approval of revisions to its tariff regarding Contract Sales Service, Rate 86, and Transportation Service, Rate 87. NorthWestern proposes the revisions primarily to add clarification to the tariff and allow NorthWestern to mirror up-stream pipeline procedures.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve NorthWestern’s Contract Sales Service (Rate 86) and Transportation Service (Rate 87) Tariff revisions with an effective date of November 1, 2017?
Items for Commission Discussion
Announcements
- An Ad Hoc Commission Meeting will be held Wednesday, October 25, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol, Pierre, S.D.
- The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be Tuesday, November 7, 2017, at 9:30 a.m. CST in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, S.D.
- The PUC office will be closed Friday, November 10, 2017, in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.
- Commissioners will attend the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners Annual Meeting and Education Conference, November 12-15, 2017, at the Hilton Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland.
- Commission meetings are scheduled for November 21 and December 5, 2017.
/s/Cindy Kemnitz .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
PUC Email
October 17, 2017
