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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
October 23, 2025, at 1:30 P.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 10:00 a.m. CDT on Thursday, October 23, 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 Meetings Held on September 23 and October 7, 2025 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL25-022 In the Matter of the Application of Otter Tail Power Company for Authority to Increase Its Electric Rates in South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
On June 4, 2025, the Commission received an application by Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) for approval to increase rates for electric service to customers in its South Dakota service territory. Otter Tail requests a net revenue increase of $5,719,671 annually or approximately 12.5% based on Otter Tail’s 2024 historic test year. Otter Tail states a typical residential electric customer using 932 kWh would see a bill increase of $14.39 per month. The proposed changes may affect approximately 11,500 electric customers in Otter Tail’s South Dakota service territory. On October 10, 2025, Otter Tail and Staff filed a Joint Motion for Approval of Procedural Schedule.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the parties’ Joint Motion for Approval of Procedural Schedule? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL25-024 In the Matter of the Application of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Authority to Increase its Electric Rates (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
On June 30, 2025, the Commission received an application by Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) for authority to increase rates for electric service in South Dakota. With its Application, Xcel requests a net annual incremental increase in revenues of $43.6 million, or approximately 15%. Additionally, the costs of certain projects that are currently recovered through the Infrastructure Rider and the Transmission Cost Recovery Rider will be rolled into base rates, resulting in a gross overall base rate increase of $63.4 million. Xcel states a typical residential electric customer using 756 kWh per month would see an average monthly bill increase of about $20.56 or 18.66%. The proposed changes may affect approximately 107,000 electric customers in South Dakota. Xcel proposes an effective date of January 1, 2026, consistent with the moratorium currently in effect pursuant to the settlement stipulation approved by the Commission in docket EL22-017. On October 1, 2025, Staff and Xcel filed a Joint Motion for Approval of Procedural Schedule. On October 9, 2025, Steven Wegman was granted late intervention.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Xcel and Staff’s Joint Motion for Approval of Procedural Schedule? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
3. EL25-025 In the Matter of the Filing by Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On June 30, 2025, the Commission received a filing from Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) for approval of tariff revisions for small power production and cogeneration rates. Xcel requests approval of revised rate sheets for the Occasional Delivery Energy Service tariff and the Time of Delivery Energy Service tariff. Xcel’s proposed revisions reflect energy and capacity payments based on Xcel’s 2025 avoided costs projection, with no change in the monthly metering charge for the Occasional Delivery Energy Service rate sheet and the Time of Delivery Energy Service rate sheet. On August 6, 2025, Xcel responded to staff’s data request.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve Xcel Energy’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026?
4. EL25-032 In the Matter of the Petition of Sweetman Const. Co. dba Knife River, to have Xcel Energy Assigned as its Electric Provider in the Service Area of Sioux Valley Electric (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
On September 12, 2025, Sweetman Const. Co. dba Knife River (Knife River) filed a Petition to have Xcel Energy (Xcel), Assigned as its Electric Provider in the Service Area of Sioux Valley Electric (Sioux Valley). The Petition asks the Commission for an order pursuant to SDCL 49-34A-56 that allows Knife River to take electric service from Xcel, for its proposed rock crushing plant to be located at 25944 482nd Ave., Brandon, South Dakota. The location is currently within the assigned service area of Sioux Valley. Under SDCL 49-34A-56, new customers at new locations that develop after March 21, 1975, and who require electric service with a contracted minimum demand of two thousand kilowatts or more, are not obligated to take electric service from the electric utility having the assigned service area where the customer is located if the Commission so determines, after consideration of certain factors set forth in statute. On October 1, 2025, Sioux Valley-Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc., and East River Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. petitioned to intervene. On October 2, 2025, Basin Electric Power Cooperative petitioned to intervene. On October 3, 2025, Xcel Energy petitioned to intervene and submitted an Amended Petition to Intervene on October 7, 2025.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the Petitions to Intervene for Sioux Valley-Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc.; East River Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.; Basin Electric Power Cooperative; and Xcel Energy?
5. EL25-026 In the Matter of the Complaint of Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc. Against Otter Tail Power Company (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On July 9, 2025, Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc (Valley Queen) filed a Complaint against Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail). The Complaint claimed that Otter Tail’s application of Phase-In Rider (PIR) factor to the Real-Time Pricing (RTP) rate, pursuant to tariff, is unjust and unreasonable. Valley Queen requested the Commission enter an order determining the PIR should not apply to the RTP tariff and amend the Mandatory Riders-Applicable Matrix, require Otter Tail credit Valley Queen for past charges, award Valley Queen its costs and disbursements in this matter, and grant any other relief the Commission deems just and reasonable. On August 5, 2025, Otter Tail filed an Answer to Consumer Complaint. On August 15, 2025, Otter Tail filed a Motion to Dismiss and Motion for Hearing. On August 26, 2025, the Commission issued an Order for and Notice of Hearing on Motion to Dismiss, scheduling a hearing on the Motion to Dismiss. On September 30, 2025, Staff and Valley Queen filed responsive pleadings to the Motion to Dismiss. On October 14, 2025, Otter Tail filed a Reply Brief in Support of the Motion to Dismiss.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Otter Tail Power Company’s Motion to Dismiss? 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 and staff will attend the 2025 OMS Annual Meeting October 20-22, 2025, at the Canopy by Hilton in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
2. The next regular commission meeting will be Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. CST in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
3. The Public Utilities Commission office will be closed November 11, 2025, in observance of Veterans Day.
4. Commission meetings are scheduled for November 18 and December 2, 2025.
/s/ Travis Heasley .
Travis Heasley
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
October 16, 2025
