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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
February 23, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. CST
Matthew Training Center, Foss 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. CST on Monday, February 23, 2026, 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)
Electric
1. EL25-040 In the Matter of the Petition of Otter Tail Power Company for
Approval of the Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Rate (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On November 3, 2025, the Commission received Otter Tail Power Company’s (Otter Tail) petition for approval of its annual update to its Transmission Cost Recovery Rider (TCR) rate. Otter Tail’s petition updates its TCR rates to collect revenue requirements over the 12-month recovery period of March 2026 through February 2027. This update includes actual investment costs, expenses, and revenues associated with existing projects and approved recovery items that were moved into base rates as of December 1, 2025, updated forecast information for the remainder of the current recovery period which ends February 28, 2026, and forecasted information for the proposed recovery period ending February 28, 2027. No new projects are included in this annual update. Otter Tail updates the D2 allocation factor to include all load changes in compliance with the docket EL21-031 order. Otter Tail’s initial filing states that residential customers using 1,000 kWh per month will see a bill decrease of approximately $3.84. Otter Tail proposes a rate implementation date of March 1, 2026. In docket EL24-022, most projects currently in the TCR were rolled into base rates effective at the time of interim rates on December 1, 2025. On February 2, 2026, Otter Tail filed a supplemental filing updating the proposed rates to be effective. Otter Tail supplemental filing states that residential customers using 1,000 kWh per month will see a further bill decrease of approximately $0.94. Otter Tail proposes a rate implementation date of March 1, 2026.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve Otter Tail Power Company’s TCR rate factors and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of March 1, 2026?
2. EL26-002 In the Matter of MidAmerican Energy Company’s Application for Approval of Its 2025 Reconciliation and 2026 Transmission Cost Recovery Factors (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
On February 13, 2026, the Commission received MidAmerican Energy Company’s (MidAmerican) filing for approval of tariff revisions regarding its Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) 2025 Reconciliation and 2026 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 2025, 2026 forecasted Midcontinent Independent System Operator transmission expense, and the forecasted over/under recovery for January through March of 2026. MidAmerican requests the new TCR factors have an effective date of April 2, 2026.
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?
Gas & Electric
1. GE25-001 In the Matter of the Joint Application of NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation, Black Hills Corporation and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc., for Approval of Merger (Staff Analysts: Patrick Steffensen, Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorneys: Jennie Fuerst, Logan Schaefbauer)
On October 27, 2025, Black Hills Corporation (Black Hills) and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (NorthWestern Group and collectively, the Merger Parties) and NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern) (together with Merger Parties, the Joint Applicants) filed a Joint Application for Approval of Merger. On December 3, 2025, the Commission granted South Dakota Laborers Local 620, the Great Plains Laborer’s District Council, and the Laborers International Union of North America’s (together, “Laborers”) Petition to Intervene. On January 15, 2026, the Commission issued an Order Granting a Motion for a Procedural Schedule. On February 17, 2026, the Commission issued an Order Granting Motion and Stipulation to Extend Statutory Deadline to July 27, 2026. On February 18, 2026, Commission staff (Staff), the Laborers, and the Joint Applicants (together, “Joint Movants”) filed an Unopposed Joint Motion for Approval of Procedural Schedule (Motion).
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the Motion by the Joint Movants for Approval of Procedural Schedule? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
Natural Gas
1. NG26-001 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: Darren Kearney)
On January 29, 2026, 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 proposes a CTA rate, applicable to service under Rates 60, 70 and 72, of $0.012 per dk. The proposed CTA rate is a decrease of $0.004 per dk from the currently authorized CTA rate. The decrease is due to an over recovery in the CTA tracking account balance and lower expenses in 2025.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s request for approval of the revised Conservation Tracking Adjustment of $0.012 per dk and the associated Conservation Program Tracking Mechanism Rate 90 tariff sheet, with an effective date of March 1, 2026?
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. PUC commissioners and staff will meet with consumers at the Sioux Empire Home Show, February 27 – March 1, 2026, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center & Arena, Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
2. The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. CST in Matthew Training Center, Foss Building, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, South Dakota.
3. Commission meetings are scheduled for March 26 and April 7, 2026.
/s/ Travis Heasley
Travis Heasley
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
February 17, 2026
