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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
September 9, 2025 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 8, 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 must 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 August 14, 2025 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL25-018 In the Matter of Big Stone Energy Storage Project, LLC’s Petition for a Declaratory Ruling Regarding Otter Tail Power Company’s Energy Efficiency Program’s Cost Recovery Fee (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney; Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On April 23, 2025, the Commission received a Petition from Big Stone Energy Storage Project, LLC (BSESP), requesting the Commission issue a Declaratory Ruling regarding Otter Tail Power Company’s Energy Efficiency Program’s Cost Recovery Fee. Specifically, BSESP requested the Commission declare the fee inapplicable to the BSESP’s non-firm, charging load. On May 16, 2025, BSESP filed a letter requesting the Commission consider the Petition in parallel with Docket EL25-015, and voluntarily agreeing the Commission may take more than the 60-days to issue a declaratory ruling as required in ARSD 20:10:01:35. On August 22, 2025, BSESP filed a letter requesting to withdraw the Petition for a Declaratory Ruling and requesting to close the docket.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Big Stone Energy Storage Project, LLC’s request to Withdraw the Petition for Declaratory Ruling and Close the Docket?
2. EL25-031 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2026 Transmission Cost Recovery Eligibility and Rate Adjustment (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson)
On August 29, 2025, the Commission received a petition from Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) for approval of its 2026 Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) Rider, TCR rate factor, and tracker account report. For 2026, Xcel proposes to move projects that are currently in the rider that were placed in service as of December 31, 2024, into base rates, consistent with its proposal in docket EL25-024. Additionally, Xcel’s petition includes four other projects that have in-service portions, 30 projects that have in-service dates beyond December 31, 2024, Midcontinent Independent System Operator Regional Expansion Criteria and Benefits (MISO RECB) revenues and expenses, and two new projects. Xcel proposes to recover a 2025 TCR revenue requirement of $3,299,886 which will result in an average bill impact of $1.07 per month for a typical residential electric customer using 750 kWh per month. This is an increase of $0.74 per month from the current TCR Rider recovery. Xcel proposes to implement a rate of $0.001422 per kWh applied to all energy billed to each customer class beginning January 1 through December 31, 2026. This represents an increase of $0.000981 from the existing rate of $0.000441 per kWh.
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?
Pipeline Safety
1. PS25-001 In the Matter of the PUC Staff’s Complaint Against Garretson Natural Gas Utilities (Pipeline Safety Manager: Mary Zanter; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Amanda Reiss)
On March 4, 2025, staff of the Public Utilities Commission filed a Complaint against Garretson Natural Gas Utilities (Garretson). The Complaint alleged Garretson failed to maintain required pipeline safety records. On March 25, 2025, Garetson filed its Answer to the Complaint. On August 13, 2025, Garretson and staff filed a Settlement Stipulation and Agreement as a negotiated resolution in the Docket. Staff and Garretson agreed to $5,000 penalty, with $2,500 suspended so long as Garretson implements the agreed Plan of Action and maintains the specified records for the next two inspection periods. On August 29, 2025, Garretson filed the Plan of Action.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the Settlement and Stipulation Agreement and Plan of Action and impose the agreed upon $5,000 penalty, with $2,500 suspended, in accordance with the terms in the Settlement and Stipulation Agreement? 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. Commissioners will attend the Legislature’s Interim Rules Review Committee Meeting on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, in Room 414 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
2. Commissioners will attend the Partner in Progress Energy Forum on September 11, 2025, at the Heritage Training Room in the Sioux Valley Energy Brandon Service Center, 108 N. Heritage Road, Brandon, South Dakota.
3. The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in, Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
4. The Commission will host a Regional Transmission Operator Informational Session on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, beginning at 1:00 p.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota. Representatives from Southwest Power Pool, Midwest Independent System Operator, California ISO and the Midwest Reliability Organization will give updates about their organizations.
5. A Public Input Meeting for docket EL25-028 - In the Matter of the Application by Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency and Missouri River Energy Services for a Facility Permit for an Energy Conversion Facility and Associated Facilities Including an Electric Transmission Line in Deuel County, South Dakota, will be held on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. CDT at the Deubrook Area Elementary School, 695 Palisades Ave., Toronto, South Dakota.
6. Commission meetings are scheduled for October 7 and 23, 2025.
/s/ Travis Heasley
Travis Heasley
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
September 3, 2025
