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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
December 16, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. CST
Room 413, Capitol Bulding
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 Monday, December 15, 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
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Telecommunications
1. TC25-038 In the Matter of the Application of LTE Wireless, Inc. for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of South Dakota (Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
On November 18, 2025, the Commission received LTE Wireless, Inc.’s Application for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of South Dakota (Application). The Application requests ETC designation throughout the entire state of South Dakota. On November 24, 2025, the South Dakota Telecommunications Association filed a Petition to Intervene.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the South Dakota Telecommunications Association’s Petition to Intervene? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
Electric
1. 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; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
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. On September 10, 2025, the Commission issued an Order Assessing Filing Fee. On November 19, 2025, the Commission issued an Order Authorizing Executive Director to Enter into Consulting Contracts. On December 5, 2025, Xcel filed an update to remove all costs associated with the Minnesota Energy Connection (Sherco to Lyons County) project from the 2026 TCR Rider calculations at this time in order to allow staff additional time to review the project alongside the resource planning analysis in the currently pending rate case in docket EL25-024.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the revised 2026 TCR Rider revenue requirements, revised 2026 TCR Rider Adjustment factor and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of January 1, 2026? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL25-041 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Company
for Approval of Tariff Revisions (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
On December 1, 2025, the Commission received MidAmerican Energy Company’s (MidAmerican) filing for approval of tariff revisions regarding bill payment options. MidAmerican requests the tariff revisions have an effective date of January 1, 2026. Beginning on this date, customers who wish to pay by phone will do so exclusively through MidAmerican’s secure automated phone system.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026?
Gas and Electric
1. GE25-002 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of a Revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
On December 1, 2025, MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican) filed a revised customer information welcome booklet for Commission approval. The customer information welcome booklet is furnished to each new South Dakota customer per ARSD 20:10:16:02. MidAmerican believes that the updated customer information welcome booklet will provide customers information in an easily understood format and requests an approval date of December 31, 2025.
TODAY,shall the Commission approve the revised customer information welcome booklet with an approval date of December 31, 2025?
Natural Gas
1. NG25-006 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company
for Approval of Tariff Revisions (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
On December 1, 2025, the Commission received MidAmerican Energy Company’s (MidAmerican) filing for approval of tariff revisions regarding bill payment options. MidAmerican requests the tariff revisions have an effective date of January 1, 2026. Beginning on this date, customers who wish to pay by phone will do so exclusively through MidAmerican’s secure automated phone system.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026?
Pipeline Safety
1. PS25-002 In the Matter of the Petition of the PUC Pipeline Safety Program Manager and Staff for a Declaratory Ruling regarding the Proper Classification of Certain NorthWestern Energy Pipelines (Pipeline Safety Program Manager: Mary Zanter; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
On September 23, 2025, the PUC Pipeline Safety Program Manager and Staff (Staff) filed a Petition for a Declaratory Ruling regarding the Proper Classification of Certain NorthWestern Energy Pipelines (Petition). The Petition requests the Commission declare whether four specific NorthWestern Energy pipelines are properly classified as distribution lines or transmission lines. On October 31, 2025, NorthWestern Energy filed Comments. On December 9, 2025, staff filed a Memorandum.
TODAY, how shall the Commission rule on the Petition for a Declaratory Ruling?
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 meet with representatives of the South Dakota Electric Utility Companies on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 11:30 a.m., CST at the Capitol Lake Visitors Center, 650 E. Capitol Avenue, Pierre, South Dakota. The agenda is to discuss company activities.
2. The Public Utilities Commission office will be closed December 24-26, 2025, in observance of the Christmas holiday.
3. The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. CST in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
4. The Public Utilities Commission office will be closed Thursday, January 1, 2026, in observance of New Year’s Day.
5. Commission meetings are scheduled for January 13 and January 27, 2026.
/s/ Travis Heasley
Travis Heasley
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
December 9, 2025
