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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
November 12, 2020, at 9:30 A.M. CST
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
NOTE: Docket participants who wish to join this meeting by conference call should contact the Commission at 605-773-3201 by 5:00 p.m. CST on Tuesday, November 10, 2020, to reserve a phone line. Lines are limited and assigned 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 docket discussion at 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 webcast 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 28, 2020 (Staff: Macy Jo Murren)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL19-007 In the Matter of the Application by Triple H Wind Project, LLC for a Permit of a Wind Energy Facility in Hyde County, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
On February 6, 2019, Triple H Wind Project, LLC (Triple H) filed for a permit to construct the Triple H Wind Project (Project), a wind energy facility located on approximately 27,247 acres of land in Hyde County, South Dakota, approximately 3.2 miles southwest of Highmore, South Dakota. The total installed capacity of the Project would not exceed 250.24 MW nameplate capacity. The Project would interconnect to the existing Leland Olds to Fort Thompson transmission line via a new 500-foot transmission interconnection line within the Project area. On July 24, 2019, the Commission issued a Final Decision and Order Granting Permit to Construct Facility; Notice of Entry with Permit Conditions (Permit). As required by Condition 40 of the Permit, Triple H filed an Escrow Agreement on November 2, 2020.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the Escrow Agreement? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL19-026 In the Matter of the Application by Tatanka Ridge Wind, LLC for a Permit of a Wind Energy Facility in Deuel County, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
On June 17, 2019, the Commission received an Application for a Facility Permit (Application) from Tatanka Ridge Wind, LLC (Tatanka or Applicant), a subsidiary of Avangrid Renewables, LLC. Tatanka proposes to construct a wind energy facility to be located in Deuel County, South Dakota, known as the Tatanka Ridge Wind Project (Project). The total installed capacity of the Project would be approximately 155 megawatts (MW) of nameplate capacity. A public input hearing was held on August 7, 2019. On November 27, 2019, the Commission issued a Final Decision and Order Granting Permit to Construct Facility; Notice of Entry (Permit). Pursuant to Condition 39 of the Permit, Applicant filed an Escrow Agreement for Commission approval on October 21, 2020.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve of the Escrow Agreement? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
3. EL20-018 In the Matter of the Application by Wild Springs Solar, LLC for a Permit of a Solar Energy Facility in Pennington County, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On May 15, 2020, the Commission received an Application for a Facility Permit (Application) from Wild Springs Solar, LLC (Wild Springs or Applicant), a wholly owned subsidiary of Geronimo Energy, LLC. Wild Springs proposes to construct a solar energy facility to be located in Pennington County, South Dakota (Project). The Project would be situated within approximately 1,499 acres and located approximately ½ mile south of New Underwood, South Dakota. The total installed capacity of the Project would not exceed 128 megawatts (MW) of nameplate capacity. The Project is expected to be completed in 2022. Applicant estimates the total cost of the Project to be $190 million. On July 14, 2020, the Commission received an application for party status for the Bundorf Family Trust and on July 28, 2020, the Commission issued an Order Granting Party Status to the Bundorf Family Trust. On August 6, 2020, the Commission issued an Order Adopting Procedural Schedule. On October 30, 2020, the parties filed a Joint Motion for Approval of Settlement Stipulation resolving all issues between the parties, except for the appropriate decommissioning financial assurance. On November 4, 2020, Wild Springs filed a Motion to Have Witnesses, Representatives, and Counsel Appear via Video Conference or Telephonically and a Motion for Approval of Decommissioning Condition. On November 5, 2020, staff filed a memorandum in support of the Settlement Stipulation.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the Joint Motion for Approval of Settlement Stipulation? AND shall the Commission grant Wild Springs’ Motion to Have Witnesses, Representatives, and Counsel Appear via Video Conference or Telephonically? AND shall the Commission grant Wild Springs’ Motion for Approval of Decommissioning Condition? Or how shall the Commission proceed?
4. EL20-024 In the Matter of the Joint Request for Approval of an Amended Electric Service Boundary between Codington-Clark Electric Cooperative, Inc. and H-D Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On August 8, 2020, the Commission received a joint request from Codington-Clark Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Codington-Clark) and H-D Electric Cooperative, Inc. (H-D Electric) requesting to correct the current assigned service territories indicated on the PUC service territory map. On November 2, 2020, the Commission received an updated joint request to have the Modak Dairy Inc. service site re-assigned to the service territory of Codington-Clark while continuing to allow H-D Electric to supply electric service to the site as outlined in docket EL08-021.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the amended electric service territories of Codington-Clark Electric Cooperative, Inc. and H-D Electric Cooperative, Inc.?
5. EL20-029 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Small Qualifying Facility Rider (Rates 73 and 74) (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On October 21, 2020, the Commission received an application by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern) for approval to revise its Rate No. 73 – Small Qualifying Facility Rider (Occasional delivery energy service) and Rate No. 74 – Small Qualifying Facility Rider (Time of delivery energy service) tariff rates to reflect prices based on projected 2020 - 2021 data. NorthWestern requests an effective date of December 1, 2020, for the proposed modifications to the rate schedules.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve NorthWestern Energy’s tariff revisions with an effective date of December 1, 2020?
6. EL20-030 In the Matter of the Joint Request for Service Rights Exception between Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. and NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On October 27, 2020, the Commission received a joint request from NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. seeking to allow NorthWestern Energy to provide electric service to a proposed hog confinement facility located in the assigned service territory of Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the requested service rights exception between NorthWestern Energy and Southeastern Electric Cooperative Inc.?
7. EL20-032 In the Matter of the Petition of Otter Tail Power Company for Approval of the Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Rate (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On October 30, 2020, Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) filed a petition for approval of its 2021 Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) Rider. Otter Tail’s TCR rate has been adjusted to reflect the TCR revenue requirements for the next recovery period (March 2021 – February 2022). The update includes the tracker balance estimated for the end of the current recovery period so that no over- or under-recovery of TCR costs occurs. Otter Tail is also requesting recovery of two new transmission projects in this annual update, the Erie-Frazee 115 kV Project and the Grant County-Norcross 115 kV Project. Otter Tail proposes the update to the rates be applied to usage on and after March 1, 2021.
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. NG20-009 In the Matter of the Filing of the South Dakota Intrastate Pipeline Company for Approval of 2021 Loss and Unaccounted Adjustment Percentage (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On October 21, 2020, the Commission received a Filing for Approval of 2021 Loss and Unaccounted Adjustment Percentage from the South Dakota Intrastate Pipeline Company (SDIP). SDIP is to establish a Loss and Unaccounted Adjustment Percentage on an annual basis to be filed with and approved by the Commission and effective each January 1. On October 29, 2020, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. filed a Petition to Intervene, and Ring-Neck Energy & Feed, LLC dba Ring-Neck Energy, LLC filed a Petition to Intervene.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to any parties that may have filed?
Items for Commission Discussion
On September 4, 2020, Clarity Telecom, LLC dba Vast Broadband filed a response to commissioners’ questions pertaining to Clarity’s future deployment plans, an updated 5-year plan, and additional information on outages.
Public Comment
Individuals who wish to make public comments to the commission may do so during this time. All who offer public comments are requested to sign in at the commission meeting or let the commission know of their wish to speak when they call in to reserve a phone line. Time limits for comments may be determined at the discretion of the commission.
Announcements
1. The PUC office will be closed Wednesday, November 11, 2020, in observance of the Veterans Day holiday.
2. Commissioners and staff will virtually attend the South Dakota Telecommunications Association annual conference, Thursday, November 12, 2020.
3. The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, November 24, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. CST in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
4. The PUC office will be closed November 26-27, 2020, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.
5. Commission meetings are scheduled for December 9 and 22, 2020.
/s/Cindy Kemnitz .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
puc@state.sd.us
November 5, 2020
