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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
January 23, 2024, at 1:30 P.M. CST
Matthew Training Center, Foss 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 10:00 a.m. CST on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 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 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 January 9, 2024 (Deputy Executive Director: Leah Mohr)

Consumer Reports

1.      Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)

Electric

1.      EL19-012        In the Matter of the Application by Sweetland Wind Farm, LLC for Facility Permits for a Wind Energy Facility and a 230-kV Transmission Facility in Hand County, South Dakota for the Sweetland Wind Farm Project (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)

         On March 6, 2019, Sweetland Wind Farm, LLC (Applicant or Sweetland) filed an application for facility permits to construct Sweetland Wind Farm, a wind energy facility located on approximately 20,979 acres of land in Hand County, South Dakota and a 230-kV transmission line (Project). The total installed capacity of the Project would be approximately 200 MW nameplate capacity. The proposed Project includes up to 71 wind turbine generators, access roads to turbines and associated facilities, underground electrical power collector lines connecting the turbines to the Project substation, an operations and maintenance facility, and temporary construction areas, including crane paths, pull sites, access roads, a laydown yard, and a concrete batch plant(s) (as needed), and four permanent meteorological towers. The Commission issued an Order Granting Joint Motion for Approval of Settlement Stipulation; Order Granting Permit to Construct Facility; Notice of Entry (Permit) on July 31, 2019. Sweetland filed a South Dakota Energy Facility Permit Act Bond, Bond No. SU 1188761 on February 21, 2023, in accordance with Condition 9(h) of the Permit. The Project began commercial operations on November 1, 2023. On December 19, 2023, Sweetland filed a Motion for Release of Road and Public Infrastructure Bond that requests an order from the Commission releasing Bond No. SU 1188761.

         TODAY, shall the Commission grant Sweetland’s Motion for Release of Road and Public Infrastructure Bond?

Gas & Electric

1.      GE23-003       In the Matter of the filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of a Revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Logan Schaefbauer)

         On December 20, 2023, the Commission received a filing from MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) for approval of a revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet. Pursuant to ARSD 20:10:16:02, the Customer Information Welcome Booklet shall be submitted to the Commission for approval. MidAmerican is revising its bill terms to include all terms included on a South Dakota customer bill, updating its description of service to match the description of rates on customers’ bills, and various other revisions. MidAmerican requests an approval date of January 31, 2024.

         TODAY, shall the Commission approve the proposed revisions to MidAmerican Energy Company’s Customer Information Welcome Booklet?

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 PUC will host a Briefing for Legislators on Monday, January 22, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. CST in Room 414 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota. The agenda is to discuss current issues related to telecommunications, energy regulation and grain warehouses.

2.   The PUC will host an Open House for Legislators on Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 7:30-11:00 a.m. CST in the PUC office, first floor of the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.

3.   The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 1:30 p.m. CST in the Floyd Matthew Training Center in the Foss Building, 523 E. Capitol Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota.

4.   A hearing for docket RM23-001 - In the Matter of the Adoption of Administrative Rules, will be held Wednesday, February 7, 2024, beginning at 1:30 p.m. CST, in the Library Commons, Mackay Building, 800 Governors Drive, Pierre, South Dakota.

5.   The PUC office will be closed Monday, February 19, 2024, in observance of Presidents Day.

6.   Commission meetings are scheduled for February 20 and March 1, 2024.

  /s/ Cindy Kemnitz                 .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
puc@state.sd.us
January 16, 2024