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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
April 28, 2022, at 9:30 A.M. CDT
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. CDT on Wednesday, April 27, 2022, 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
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Telecommunications
1. TC22-009 In the Matter of the Petition of AirVoice Wireless, LLC dba AirTalk Wireless for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of South Dakota (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On March 28, 2022, the Commission received a Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) from AirVoice Wireless, LLC dba AirTalk Wireless (AirVoice). AirVoice is seeking designation as an ETC solely to provide Lifeline service to qualifying South Dakota consumers in non-rural and rural service areas. On April 7, 2022, the South Dakota Telecommunications Association filed a Petition to Intervene.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to any parties that may have filed?
Electric
1. 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 (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
On January 24, 2018, the Commission received an Application for a Facility Permit for a wind energy facility from Dakota Range I, LLC, and Dakota Range II, LLC. An evidentiary hearing was held June 12-14, 2018. On July 23, 2018, the Commission issued its Final Decision and Order Granting Permit to Construct Wind Energy Facility (Permit). On January 6, 2020, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) filed a Motion for Approval of Transfer of Permit, which the Commission granted on March 9, 2020. Permit Condition 30 requires Xcel file specific information with the Commission within 90 days of the Project’s commercial operation date. On April 1, 2022, Xcel filed a summary report indicating commercial operation of the Project commenced January 3, 2022, and included information required in Permit Condition 30. On April 19, 2022, Xcel filed a letter indicating the April 1, 2022, report did not contain the final as-built drawings required by Permit Condition 30, and requested the Commission grant an extension to the 90-day filing timeline required in Permit Condition 30 until April 29, 2022.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Northern States Power Company’s request for an extension to the 90-day timeline required in Permit Condition 30?
2. EL22-006 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., for Approval of the Annual Update to Its Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Rate (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On March 1, 2022, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) filed for approval of its annual update to its Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) Rider. MDU states the proposed tariff change is necessary to reflect the projected 2022 charges assessed to MDU for transmission-related services provided by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Southwest Power Pool along with the projected revenues and/or credits received by MDU for transmission-related services. In addition, MDU is including the projected 2022 revenue requirements for three previous approved transmission projects and two new transmission projects in its projected 2022 TCR update. MDU proposes a TCR Rider rate of $0.01734 per kWh to be effective May 1, 2022, which is an increase of $0.01040 per kWh from that currently authorized.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the revised Transmission Cost Recovery Rider rate and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of May 1, 2022?
3. EL22-007 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., for Approval of the Annual Update to Its Infrastructure Rider Rate (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On March 1, 2022, 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 proposes an Infrastructure Rider Rate of $0.00646 per kWh for the rate period covered by this filing, which is a decrease of $0.00041 per kWh from that currently authorized. Under the Infrastructure Rider Rate 56 tariff, MDU shall update the Infrastructure Rider annually to be effective each May 1.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the revised Infrastructure Rider Rate and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of May 1, 2022?
Hydrocarbon and Carbon Dioxide Pipeline
1. HP22-001 In the Matter of the Application by SCS Carbon Transport LLC for a Permit to Construct a Carbon Dioxide Transmission Pipeline (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
On February 7, 2022, the Commission received an Application for a Permit to Construct a Carbon Dioxide Transmission Pipeline (Application) from SCS Carbon Transport LLC (Applicant). Applicant proposes to construct and operate a carbon dioxide (CO2) transmission pipeline (Project). The Project is approximately 2,000 miles of pipelines for the transportation of CO2 from more than 30 ethanol plants across five states, including seven ethanol plants in South Dakota, to underground injection control facilities in North Dakota. The proposed route of the main line enters South Dakota in Lincoln County at the Iowa/South Dakota border and extends in a northwesterly direction, exiting the state at the South Dakota/North Dakota border in McPherson County. In addition to the main line, the proposed Project includes lateral and trunk lines connecting ethanol plants to the main line. The proposed length of pipelines through South Dakota would be approximately 469 miles and would cross the counties of Beadle, Brown, Clark, Codington, Edmunds, Hamlin, Hand, Hyde, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, McCook, McPherson, Minnehaha, Miner, Spink, Sully, and Turner. Five public input meetings were held between March 22 and March 25, 2022. Pursuant to ARSD 20:10:22:40, the deadline for persons to file an application for party status was April 8, 2022. There is no deadline to submit public comments to the Commission. The Applications for Party Status received by the Commission can be viewed at: https://puc.sd.gov/Dockets/HydrocarbonPipeline/2022/HP22-001partystatus.aspx.
On April 14, 2022, the Commission granted party status to approximately 330 persons, governmental entities, and organizations. The Commission deferred action until April 28, 2022, on the remaining applications for party status in order to allow those applicants to submit additional information.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Party Status to those who have filed? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
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 Wednesday, May 10, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
2. Commissioners will attend the Missouri River Energy Services Annual Meeting, May 11-12, 2022, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
3. Commission meetings are scheduled for May 24 and June 8, 2022.
/s/ Cindy Kemnitz .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
puc@state.sd.us
April 21, 2022
