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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
February 28, 2025, 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 Thursday, February 27, 2025, 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 Meetings Held on January 28 and February 11, 2025 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL25-004 In the Matter of MidAmerican Energy Company’s Application for Approval of Its 2024 Reconciliation and 2025 Transmission Cost Recovery Factors (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Jennie Fuerst)
On February 14, 2025, the Commission received MidAmerican Energy Company’s (MidAmerican) filing for approval of tariff revisions regarding its Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) 2024 Reconciliation and 2025 New Factor Calculation. MidAmerican’s TCR mechanism was established in the company’s most recent rate case, EL14-072. With this filing, MidAmerican is establishing new TCR rates based on true ups to the actual over/under recovery from 2024, 2025 forecasted Midcontinent Independent System Operator transmission expense, and the forecasted over/under recovery for January through March of 2025. MidAmerican requests the new TCR factors have an effective date of April 1, 2025.
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?
Hydrocarbon and Carbon Dioxide Pipelines
1. HP24-001 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 Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Logan Schaefbauer)
On November 19, 2024, the Commission received an Application for a Permit to Construct a Carbon Dioxide Transmission Pipeline (Application) from SCS Carbon Transport LLC (Summit or Applicant), a limited liability company owned by Summit Carbon Solutions, LLC. Applicant proposes to construct and operate a carbon dioxide (CO2) transmission pipeline (Project). The Project, which has been named the Midwest Carbon Express pipeline, is approximately 2,500 miles of pipelines for the transportation of CO2 from ethanol plants across five states to underground injection wells in North Dakota. The South Dakota portion of the Project, is approximately 698 miles, crossing 23 counties. The Commission held public input meetings on the Application at six locations in proximity to the route on January 15-17, 2025. The deadline to file Applications for Party Status was January 24, 2025. Applications for Party Status that have been filed in this docket can be viewed at https://puc.sd.gov/Dockets/HydrocarbonPipeline/2024/HP24-001PartyStatus.aspx. The Commission has granted party status to numerous persons and entities. On February 10, 2025, the Commission received Intervenor Harlan Young’s Request to Withdraw from Party Status. By Order dated February 13, 2025, the Commission deferred action on the Party Status Applications of Alicyn R. Wager, Bruce Burkhart, Charles D. Dubbe, Charles Kludt, Francies Buttemeier, Jacquline Leibel, Joyce Grenz, Judy Nelson, Julie Burkhart, Lee Ann Pierce, Lorena Dubbe, Mark Lebrun, Nathan Wager, Ronald Shelburg, and Stacy Sinner (Deferred Applicants).
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Intervenor Harlan Young’s request to withdraw from party status? AND shall the Commission grant party status to those Deferred Applicants? AND shall the Commission grant party status to those who filed after the January 24, 2025, deadline and have applications outstanding? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
Natural Gas
1. NG24-013 In the Matter of MidAmerican Energy Company’s Petition for Approval of Deferred Accounting Treatment of Costs Incurred Related to McCook Lake Flooding (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Jennie Fuerst)
On December 31, 2024, the Commission received a filing from MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) for approval of deferred accounting treatment and the creation of a regulatory asset related to costs incurred due to the June 2024 flooding at and around McCook Lake. MidAmerican included with its petition, Attachment A, which outlines the established costs and cost categories in which they are seeking deferred accounting treatment. If approved by the Commission, MidAmerican will defer recognition of these costs, track costs in a regulatory asset, and may present the costs for recovery in a future gas rate case. On January 22, MidAmerican responded to staff’s data request.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant MidAmerican Energy’s request for deferred accounting treatment of costs associated with the June 2024 flooding at and around McCook Lake?
2. NG25-001 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., for Approval of Its Revised Conservation Tracking Adjustment (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Jennie Fuerst)
On January 29, 2025, the Commission received an application by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) for approval of a revised Conservation Tracking Adjustment (CTA), pursuant to the terms of the MDU’s Conservation Program Tracking Mechanism Rate 90 tariff. MDU proposed a CTA rate, applicable to service under Rates 60, 70 and 72, of $0.016 per dk. The proposed CTA rate is an increase of $0.002 per dk from the currently authorized CTA rate. The increase is attributed to a reduction of the over collected balance in the prior period.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s request for approval of the revised Conservation Tracking Adjustment of $0.016 per dk and the associated Conservation Program Tracking Mechanism Rate 90 tariff sheet, with an effective date of March 1, 2025?
Electric – Continued
1. 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 total installed capacity of the Project, which includes up to 68 wind turbines and an approximately 6-mile long 345 kV generator transmission tie line, would not exceed 260 megawatts (MW) of nameplate capacity and deliver up to 250 MW to the point of interconnection. An evidentiary hearing was held on January 21, 2025. By order dated January 29, 2025, the Commission established a post-hearing briefing schedule and set the decision date in this matter for February 28, 2025.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant, deny, or grant with conditions, a permit for the construction of a wind energy facility and a 345-kV transmission facility to Deuel Harvest Wind Energy South LLC pursuant to SDCL 49-41B-24 and 49-41B-25? 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 PUC will host the 2025 South Dakota/North Dakota Pipeline Safety Operator Training Conference March 11-12, 2025, at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
2. The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. CDT in the Floyd Matthew Training Center in the Foss Building, 523 E. Capitol Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota.
3. Commission meetings are scheduled for March 25 and April 10, 2025.
/s/ Cindy Kemnitz .
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
puc@state.sd.us
February 21, 2025
