Commission Agendas | previous page
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
December 9, 2020, at 9:30 A.M. CST
Room 412, 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, December 8, 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 November 12, 2020 (Staff: Macy Jo Murren)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Telecommunications
1. TC20-052 In the Matter of the Approval of a Third-Party Transit Provider Amendment to the Interconnection Agreement between Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC and Airus, Inc. fka IntelePeer, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On October 7, 2020, the Commission received a filing pursuant to 47 U.S.C. § 252 for approval of a Third-Party Transit Provider Amendment to the Interconnection Agreement between Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC (CenturyLink) and Airus, Inc. fka IntelePeer, Inc. (Airus). The purpose of the amendment is to provide the conditions under which CenturyLink and Airus may use a Third-Party Transit Provider to indirectly exchange traffic between their networks. On November 19, 2020, a revised Exhibit A was filed.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the Amendment to the Interconnection Agreement?
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. This matter was deferred at previous Commission meetings.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the Escrow Agreement? OR, how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL20-015 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2019 Demand Side Management Report and 2021 Proposed Demand Side Management Plan (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On May 1, 2020, the Commission received a Petition from Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) requesting approval of the 2019 Demand Side Management (DSM) Status Report and 2021 DSM Plan. Specifically, Xcel requests approval of its 2019 DSM Tracker account, the incentive earned for 2019 program performance, the proposed 2021 DSM Cost Adjustment Factor of $0.000527 per kWh, and the proposed DSM Plan for 2021. On September 28 and November 2, 2020, Xcel filed updated Petitions and revisions to the proposed 2021 DSM Plan and revised the proposed 2021 DSM Cost Adjustment Factor from $0.000527 per kWh to $0.000528 per kWh. Xcel requests an effective date of January 1, 2021, for the DSM Cost Adjustment Factor.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve Xcel’s 2019 Demand Side Management Status Report and tracker account, the performance incentive earned for 2019, the proposed 2021 Demand Side Management Plan, and the proposed 2021 Demand Side Management Cost Adjustment Factor of $0.000528 per kWh with a January 1, 2021, effective date?
3. EL20-028 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Rate 95 and Rate 96 (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On October 16, 2020, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) filed for approval of revisions to its Rate 95 (occasional power purchase non-time differentiated) and Rate 96 (short-term power purchase) tariff sheets. This filing updates the energy and capacity payments based on current data. MDU states it currently has only one customer taking service under Rate 95 and the annual change in revenue due to this filing will be minimal. MDU requests a January 1, 2021, effective date. On November 13 and 23, 2020, MDU filed its responses to staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2021?
4. EL20-031 In the Matter of the Joint Request for Approval of an Amended Electric Service Territory Boundary Agreement between Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On October 29, 2020, the Commission received a joint request from Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy requesting to modify territory lines in several spots across both systems in order to benefit future customers due to the placement of current facilities. On November 16, 2020, updated maps and legal descriptions were filed. This matter was deferred at the November 24, 2020, meeting so that the parties could file updated information.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the Amended Service Territory Boundary Agreement?
5. EL20-033 In the Matter of the Filing by West Plains Engineering Inc. regarding Separate Metering Requirement in 20:10:26:03(1) (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On November 3, 2020, the Commission received a Petition from West Plains Engineering Inc. (West Plains) regarding separate metering requirements. West Plains requested approval in writing that it is acceptable for their request to sub meter tenants. On November 19, 2020, West Plains requested the docket be withdrawn since the requests falls under the AA14-002 docket order.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant West Plains Engineering Inc.’s request to withdraw the docket?
Gas and Electric
1. GE17-003 In the Matter of Staff’s Request to Investigate the Effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on South Dakota Utilities (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Kristen Edwards)
On December 21, 2017, the Commission received a filing from Commission staff (staff) requesting a docket be opened to investigate the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on South Dakota utilities. On December 29, 2017, the Commission issued an Order Requiring Comments; Order Requiring Rates in Effect January 1, 2018, are Subject to Refund; Order Granting Intervention. On May 15, 2019, the Commission issued an Order Granting Joint Motion for Approval of Settlement Stipulation Between staff and MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican). On April 17, 2020, the Commission issued an Order Approving MidAmerican’s TERM Reconciliations, effective May 1, 2020. On August 6, 2020, the Commission issued an Order Approving MidAmerican’s TERM Reconciliations, for the second effective period, effective August 28, 2020. On November 19, 2020, MidAmerican filed a letter regarding its final gas TERM reconciliation. MidAmerican proposes that all classes now be considered within an acceptable tolerance and therefore does not recommend calculating new factors for any class as they should all be considered complete and require no additional refund.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s final gas TERM reconciliation?
Items for Commission Discussion
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 next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. CST in Room 414 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
2. The PUC office will be closed December 24-25, 2020, in observance of the Christmas holiday.
3. The PUC office will be closed Friday, January 1, 2021, in observance of the New Year’s Day holiday.
4. Commission meetings are scheduled for January 4 and 19, 2021.
/s/ Cindy Kemnitz______
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
puc@state.sd.us
December 2, 2020
