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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
June 2, 2026, 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, June 1, 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)
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on May 8, 2026 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
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 (LTE Wireless) 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 December 17, 2025, the Commission issued an Order Granting Intervention to the South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA). On May 13, 2026, LTE Wireless filed a Request to Withdraw its application without prejudice.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant LTE Wireless Request to Withdraw its Application without prejudice? 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 implementing 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 to allow staff additional time to review the project alongside the resource planning analysis in the currently pending rate case in docket EL25-024. On December 17, 2025, the Commission issued an Order Approving 2026 Transmission Cost Recovery Eligibility and Rate Adjustment. On May 21, 2026, Xcel filed a Supplemental Filing.
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 July 1, 2026? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL25-033 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2026 Infrastructure Project Eligibility and Factor Update (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
On October 1, 2025, the Commission received a Petition by Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) for approval of its 2026 Infrastructure Rider Project Eligibility and Factor Update. Xcel requests approval of the Infrastructure Rider Tracker Report and true-up for the 2025 revenue requirements, including Production Tax Credits (PTC) and the PTC tracker mechanism; 2026 Infrastructure Rider revenue requirements of negative $19,060,133; an updated Infrastructure Rider Factor of negative $0.008032 per kWh; an updated Infrastructure Rider tariff sheet; and proposed customer notice. The revenue requirement and rate are subject to a rate adjustment made in the company’s forthcoming supplemental filing to account for known 2025 nuclear PTCs in early 2026. Xcel proposes a March 1, 2026, effective date. Xcel proposes the rate of negative $0.008032 per kWh applied to all energy billed to each customer class during calendar year 2026. Xcel estimates a bill impact of a credit of $6.02 per month for a residential electric customer using 750 kWh per month, a decrease of $1.75 per month compared to the current rate. On November 7, 2025, the Commission issued an Order Assessing Filing Fee; Order Authorizing Executive Director to Enter Into Consulting Contracts. On April 7, 2026, Xcel filed a Supplemental Filing. On April 29, 2026, Xcel filed a Second Supplemental Filing.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the revised 2026 Infrastructure Rider revenue requirements, revised 2026 Infrastructure Rider Adjustment factor and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of July 1, 2026, as filed on April 29, 2026? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
3. EL26-014 In the Matter of the Application of Crowned Ridge Energy Storage I, LLC for a Permit for an Energy Conversion Facility (Staff Analyst: Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
On May 14, 2026, the Commission received an Application for an Energy Conversion Facility Permit from Crowned Ridge Energy Storage I, LLC (Applicant). Applicant proposes to construct an energy conversion facility in Codington County, South Dakota, known as the battery energy storage system (Project). The Project as proposed consists of 120-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system (BESS) to store excess energy available on the grid. The Project includes a 120-MW, 4-hour duration BESS facility with associated inverters; transformers; medium voltage (mV) collection cables; and other ancillary facilities, such as fencing, roads, and a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. The Project will connect to the existing CRW Collector Substation via approximately 2,215-foot-long mV collection cables. The Project is expected to be in commercial operation in May 2028. Applicants estimate the total construction cost to be $174 million. SDCL 49-41B-12 provides for a filing fee to be assessed to cover the Commission’s actual cost of investigating, reviewing, processing, and serving notice of the Application. The maximum fee chargeable, as calculated pursuant to Statue, is $287,000.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee not to exceed $287,000? AND shall the Commission authorize the Executive Director to enter into necessary consulting contracts?
4. EL26-016 In the Matter of Otter Tail Power Company’s Petition for Approval of Rate Schedule, Section 13.09, Phase-In Rider (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On May 21, 2026, the Commission received a petition by Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) for approval of its annual update to its Phase-in Rate Plan Rider. Otter Tail makes this filing pursuant to SDCL 49-34A-73 through 49-34A-78. In this filing, Otter Tail proposes to adjust the Phase-in Rate Plan Rider Rate to reflect the applicable rider revenue requirements for the next recovery period (September 1, 2026 – August 31, 2027), to recover actual and forecasted costs associated with Production Tax Credits related to the Merricourt Wind Facility and the Repowers at Langdon, Ashtabula I, Luverne and Ashtabula III; Solway Solar; Abercrombie Solar; and Demand Response system replacement. The filing also includes a request for approval to recover costs for four new projects, Hoot Lake Battery Energy Storage System, Big Stone Area Substation, Milbank Customer Service Center Remodel Project, and Airplane Engine Overhaul. The filing also discusses adjustments to the Big Stone Area Load Growth Credit and the Insurance Net Credit Calculation. Otter Tail states a typical residential electric customer using an average of 1,000 kWh per month will see an increase of $19.16 per month. A Large General Service customer using 486 kW and 222,350 kWh per month will see an increase of $12,514.26 per month. The Phase-In Per Meter rates will increase from $0.07 to $0.08 per meter for residential customers and decrease by $0.23 per meter for Large General Service Customers. Otter Tail proposes an effective date of September 1, 2026.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee in the amount of up to $250,000 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date? AND shall the Commission grant the Executive Director authority to enter into necessary consulting contracts?
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 Mid-America Regulatory Conference Annual Meeting, June 8-10, 2025, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center, in Madison Wisconsin.
2. The next regular commission meeting will be Thursday, June 18, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
3. The PUC office will be closed Friday, June 19, 2026, in observance of Juneteenth.
4. Commission meetings are scheduled for June 30 and July 14, 2026.
/s/ Travis Heasley
Travis Heasley
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
May 26, 2026
