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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
March 26, 2026, 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, March 26, 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
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on March 10, 2026 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
1. EL26-001 In the Matter of the Filing by Otter Tail Power Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration (Staff Analyst: Jon Thurber)
On January 30, 2026, the Commission received a filing from Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) for approval of tariff revisions to its Small Power Producer Riders, Sections 12.01, 12.02 and 12.03. Otter Tail proposes to update the energy payments, capacity payments, wind renewable energy credit, and My Renewable Energy Credit Rider, Section 14.14. These rates are for small qualifying facilities within the Otter Tail service area. Otter Tail requests an effective date of April 1, 2026.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the proposed revisions to Otter Tail’s rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration for Qualifying Facilities, and revised My Renewable Energy Credit Rider with an effective date of April 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 approve the revised Transmission Cost Recovery rate factors and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of April 2, 2026?
3. EL26-005 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., for Approval of the Annual Update to Its Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Rate (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson)
On February 27, 2026, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) filed for approval of its annual update to its Transmission Cost Recovery (TCR) Rider. MDU states the proposed tariff change is necessary to reflect the projected 2026 charges assessed to MDU for transmission-related services provided by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator and Southwest Power Pool, along with the projected revenues and/or credits received by MDU for transmission-related services, including transmission revenues from a large customer taking service under MDU’s Rate 45 tariff. MDU proposes a TCR Rider rate of $0.00114 per kWh to be effective May 1, 2026, which is an increase of $0.00241 per kWh from current rate authorized in the last TCR filing.
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?
4. EL26-006 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Revisions to Its Rates QF (Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On March 4, 2026, the Commission received a filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Revisions to its Rates QF. MidAmerican proposes revisions to the Rate QF tariff to reflect that MidAmerican is not required to enter into contracts with qualifying facilities with a net capacity of greater than five megawatts. The filing comes following a September 19, 2025, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission order approving MidAmerican’s application pursuant to section 210(m) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) and 18 C.F.R. § 292.310(a) (2025) to terminate the requirement under 18 C.F.R. § 292.303(a) to enter into new contracts to purchase energy and capacity from small power production QFs and cogeneration QFs with a net capacity greater than five megawatts in Midcontinent Independent System Operator on a service territory-wide basis.
TODAY,shall the Commission approve MidAmerican’s tariff revisions with an effective date of April 8, 2026?
Grain Warehouse
1. GW26-001 In the Matter of the Settlement Agreement with Scoular Company and Scoular Canada ULC. (Grain Warehouse Manager: Kyle Weinman; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
On March 6, 2026, staff filed a Settlement Agreement and Request for Approval between staff and Scoular Company and Scoular Canada ULC (Scoular). The Settlement Agreement addresses a violation of SDCL 49-45-25 and requests the Commission assess a civil penalty of $5,000 against Scoular.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the Settlement Agreement and assess a civil penalty of $5,000 against Scoular? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
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 Black Hills Home Builders Association Home Show, March 27-29, 2026, at The Monument, Rapid City, South Dakota.
2. The PUC office will be closed April 3 and 6, 2026, in observance of the Easter holiday.
3. The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, April 7, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota
4. Commissioners will attend the Center for Public Utilities’ Current Issues Forum, April 19-22, 2026, at the Eldorado Hotel, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
5. Commission meetings are scheduled for April 23 and May 8, 2026.
/s/ Travis Heasley
Travis Heasley
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
March 19, 2026
