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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
March 20, 2018, 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, March 19, 2018. 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 Meetings Held on February 22, and March 2, 2018, and the Ad Hoc Meeting on February 23, 2018 (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries and Complaints Received by the Commission (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL18-005 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its 2017 Transmission Cost Recovery Reconciliation and 2018 Transmission Cost Recovery Factors (Staff Analysts: Joseph Rezac, Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On February 15, 2018, the Commission received MidAmerican Energy Company’s (MidAmerican) filing for approval of tariff revisions to its Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) 2017 Reconciliation and 2018 New Factor Calculation. MidAmerican’s TCR 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 2017, and for forecast over/under recovery for 2018. MidAmerican requests the new TCR factors have an effective date of April 2, 2018. Approximately 5,000 South Dakota customers will be affected by the TCR rate change. The bill increase for a typical residential customer averaging 700 kWh per month will be approximately $0.04 per month or 0.06 percent.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the revised Transmission Cost Recovery rate factors and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of April 2, 2018?
2. EL18-006 In the Matter of the Request for Approval of an Electric Service Territory Boundary Agreement between City of Fort Pierre and West Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Darren Kearney; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On February 23, 2018, Commission staff filed an Electric Service Territory Boundary Agreement between the City of Fort Pierre and West Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. This filing is made pursuant to current efforts of the PUC to verify electric territory mapping data for conversion to electronic format and use in a Geographic Information System (GIS) database. With the assistance of the above-referenced utilities, Commission staff has confirmed the service territory boundary shared by these utilities and has prepared updated mapping information. Commission staff asks for approval of the agreement to update official mapping data to properly reflect the service territory boundaries shared by the utilities in this docket.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the proposed electric service territory boundary agreement?
3. EL18-007 In the Matter of the Filing by Lookout Solar Park I Project Regarding its Notification of Intent to Apply for a Permit for an Energy Conversion Facility (Staff Analysts: Jon Thurber, Darren Kearney; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
On February 23, 2018, Lookout Solar Park I, LLC (Lookout Solar) filed a Notice of Intent to submit an application for a permit for an energy conversion facility. Lookout Solar proposed to construct, own, and operate a 110-megawatt solar generation facility located on the Pine Ridge Indian reservation in Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota. Associated facilities will include a substation with 110 MVA, and approximately 18 34.5.kilovolt single line transmission cables crossing 11 miles in Custer County, South Dakota. The energy conversion facility, known as Lookout Solar Park I, is proposed to be located on the following tracts: the 3395 and 3395-A tracts of Section 36, Township 41N and Range 48W; and the 6368 tract of Section 35, Township 41N and Range 48W. On February 28, 2018, Commission staff filed its recommendation for the affected siting area and local review committee.
TODAY, shall the Commission designate the affected area? AND, shall the Commission designate a local review committee as described in SDCL 49-41B-6? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
4. EL18-008 In the Matter of the Request for Approval of an Electric Service Territory Boundary Agreement between Aurora Municipal Electric and Sioux Valley Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc. dba Sioux Valley Energy (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On February 26, 2018, Commission staff filed an Electric Service Territory Boundary Agreement between Aurora Municipal Electric and Sioux Valley Energy This filing is made pursuant to current efforts of the PUC to verify electric territory mapping data for conversion to electronic format and use in a Geographic Information System (GIS) database. With the assistance of the above-referenced utilities, Commission staff has confirmed the service territory boundary shared by these utilities and has prepared updated mapping information. Commission staff asks for approval of the agreement to update official mapping data to properly reflect the service territory boundaries shared by the utilities in this docket.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the proposed electric service territory boundary agreement?
5. EL18-010 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Division of MDU Resources Group Inc. for Approval of the Annual Update to Its Infrastructure Rider Rate (Staff Analysts: Patrick Steffensen, Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On March 1, 2018, the Commission received a petition from Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) for approval of the annual update to its Infrastructure Rider Rate, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Infrastructure Rider Rate 56 tariff. MDU is proposing to decrease the tariff rate to $0.00432 per kWh for the rate period covered by this filing. Under the Infrastructure Rider Rate 56 tariff, MDU shall update the Infrastructure Rider annually to be effective each May 1.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee in the amount of up to $250,000 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date?
6. EL18-011 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Division of MDU Resources Group Inc. for Approval of the Annual Update to Its Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Rate (Staff Analysts: Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On March 1, 2018, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) filed for approval of its annual update to its Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) Rider. MDU’s TCR rate has been adjusted to reflect the projected charges for 2018 assessed to MDU for transmission service provided by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Southwest Power Pool, along with projected revenues and/or credits received by MDU for transmission related services. MDU proposes a TCR rate of $0.00545 per kWh effective May 1, 2018.
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?
Gas & Electric
1. GE18-002 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for the Approval of Its Reconciliation and Annual Report for 2017 and 2017 Reconciliation for the Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factor (Staff Analysts: Joseph Rezac, Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On February 23, 2018, the Commission received a filing from MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) that included the company’s 2017 Energy Efficiency Plan Annual Report and reconciliation of the company’s Energy Efficiency Plan cost recoveries for the 2017 calendar year. Further, MidAmerican requested approval of its 2018 Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factors that account for the 2017 reconciliation amounts, the 2017 performance incentive, and the 2018 Energy Efficiency Plan budget approved by the Commission in docket GE17-002. MidAmerican requested an effective date of April 2, 2018, for the Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factors and accompanying tariff sheets. On March 8, 2018, MidAmerican responded to staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the 2017 reconciliation amounts and the 2017 performance incentive? AND, shall the Commission approve the changes to the Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factors and tariff sheets, with an effective date of April 2, 2018?
Telecommunications
1. TC15-002 In the Matter of the Application of Boomerang Wireless LLC dba enTouch Wireless for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in Certain Exchanges within the State of South Dakota (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On January 22, 2015, the Commission received a Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier from Boomerang Wireless LLC dba enTouch Wireless (Boomerang) for the purpose of offering Lifeline services on a wireless basis in certain rural areas of South Dakota. On February 19, 2015, the South Dakota Telecommunications Association was granted intervention. On July 15, 2016, Boomerang filed an amended application. On March 2, 2018, Staff filed a motion to dismiss the docket without prejudice.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Staff’s motion to dismiss without prejudice? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
2. TC18-006 In the Matter of the Approval of a Wireline Interconnection Agreement between Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC and Matrix Telecom, LLC dba VarTec Telecom (fka Comtel) (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On March 1, 2018, the Commission received a filing pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 252 for approval of the Wireline Interconnection Agreement between Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC and Matrix Telecom, LLC dba VarTec Telecom (fka Comtel).
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the interconnection agreement?
Announcements
- A public input hearing for docket EL18-003 - In the Matter of the Application by Dakota Range I, LLC and Dakota Range II, LLC for a Permit of a Wind Energy Facility in Grant County and Codington County, South Dakota, for the Dakota Range Wind Project will be held Wednesday, March 21, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. CDT in the Waverly-South Shore School Gymnasium, 319 Mary Place, Waverly, S.D.
- The PUC office will be closed for regular business on Monday, April 2, 2018.
- The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be Tuesday, April 3, 2018, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, S.D.
- Commissioners will attend the Center for Public Utilities’ Current Issues Forum, April 15-18, 2018, at the Eldorado Hotel, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- Commission meetings are scheduled for April 20 and May 1, 2018.
/s/Cindy Kemnitz .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
PUC Email
March 13, 2018
