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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
September 24, 2024, 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 Monday, September 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 on September 10, 2024 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL24-015 In the Matter of the Application by Otter Tail Power Company and Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency for a Facility Permit for a 345-kV Transmission Facility and Associated Facilities in Grant County, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Amanda Reiss)
On April 15, 2024, the Commission received a facility permit application (Application) from Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) and Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (Western Minnesota), through its agent, Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) (collectively, Applicants). Applicants propose to construct a 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line and associated facilities including substation upgrades (Project) within South Dakota. The Project, known as the Big Stone South to Alexandria Transmission Line Project, originates at Otter Tail’s existing Big Stone South Substation, located approximately 2 miles west of Big Stone City, South Dakota, in Big Stone Township and connects to a substation near Alexandria, Minnesota. The South Dakota portion of the Project consists of approximately 3.5 miles of transmission line beginning in Section 24, Township 121N, Range 47W, Grant County, South Dakota, extending east and south to the Minnesota border. Applicant anticipates construction to commence in 2027 or 2028 and be completed in either 2030 or 2031. On September 16, 2024, staff filed a Motion for Procedural Schedule.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant staff’s Motion and adopt a Procedural Schedule? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL24-023 In the Matter of the Application by Deuel Harvest Wind Energy South LLC for Energy Facility Permits of a Wind Energy Facility and a 345-kV Transmission Facility in Deuel County, South Dakota, for the South Deuel Wind Project (Staff Analysts: Jon Thurber, Darren Kearney; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Logan Schaefbauer)
On June 28, 2024, the Commission received an Application for Energy Facility Permits (Application) from Deuel Harvest Wind Energy South LLC (Deuel Harvest or Applicant), an affiliate of Invenergy LLC. Deuel Harvest proposes to construct a wind energy facility and a 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line (Gen-Tie Line) to be located in Deuel County, South Dakota, known as the South Deuel Wind Project (Project). The Project would be situated within an approximately 34,339-acre project area, in the townships of Blom, Brandt, Clear Lake, Norden, and Scandinavia. The total installed capacity of the Project would not exceed 260 megawatts (MW) of nameplate capacity and deliver up to 250 MW to the point of interconnection. The proposed Project includes up to 68 wind turbines, electrical collection and supervisory control and data acquisition systems, a 34.5 kV to 345 kV collector substation, an approximately 6-mile long 345 kV generator transmission tie line, improvements to enable the interconnection of the Project into the existing 345 kV Astoria interconnection switchyard, an operations and maintenance facility, up to two aircraft detection lighting system towers, access roads, and up to three meteorological towers. The Project will also include temporary construction areas: crane paths, public road improvements, a general construction laydown yard, staging areas, and a concrete batch plant, as needed. The Gen-Tie Line will transmit electricity approximately 6 miles from the collector substation to the point of interconnection at the existing Astoria 345 kV interconnection switchyard owned by Otter Tail Power Company. The Project, which has an estimated construction cost of $621 million, is expected to be in commercial operation in December 2026. On July 9, 2024, the Commission issued a Notice of Application; Order for and Notice of Public Input Meeting; Notice of Opportunity to Apply for Party Status. On September 13, 2024, staff filed a Motion for Procedural Schedule.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant staff’s Motion and adopt a Procedural Schedule? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
3. EL24-028 In the Matter of the Request by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., for Approval of an Electric Service Agreement under Rate 45 between Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., and Leola Data Center LLC (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Jennie Fuerst, Amanda Reiss)
On August 5, 2024, Montana Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc. (MDU), filed a Letter requesting Commission Approval of an Electric Service Agreement under Rate 45 between MDU and Leola Data Center LLC. On August 21, 2024, FEM Electric Association, Inc. filed a Petition to Intervene. On August 22, 2024, Leola Data Center LLC filed a Petition to Intervene. On August 23, 2024, East River Electric Power Cooperative Inc. and Basin Electric Power Cooperative each filed Petitions to Intervene. On August 30, 2024, MDU filed a Response and Objection to Petitions of FEM Electric Association, Inc., East River Electric Power Cooperative, and Basin Electric Power Cooperative. On September 4, 2024, the Commission issued a Notice of Hearing regarding the Petitions to Intervene. On September 13, 2024, Basin Electric Power Cooperative filed a Response to MDU’s Objection to Petitions to Intervene. On September 16, 2024, East River Electric Power Cooperative filed a Joinder in Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Response to Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s Objection to Petitions to Intervene. On September 17, 2024, FEM Electric Association, Inc. filed a Joinder in Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Response to MDU’s Objection to Petitions to Intervene and staff filed a response to MDU’s Objection to Petitions to Intervene.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the Petitions to Intervene from 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 Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
2. The PUC office will be closed Monday, October 14, 2024, in observance of the Native American Day holiday.
3. Commission meetings are scheduled for October 22 and November 7, 2024.
/s/ Cindy Kemnitz .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
puc@state.sd.us
September 17, 2024
