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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
June 30, 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 29, 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)
Telecommunications
1. TC26-001 In the Matter of the Application of Grasshopper Group, LLC for a Certificate of Authority for Interexchange Services in South Dakota (Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
On March 12, 2026, the Commission received a filing from Grasshopper Group, LLC (Grasshopper) requesting a Certificate of Authority to provide interexchange services in South Dakota. In its application, Grasshopper seeks a Certificate to provide interexchange telecommunications services throughout the State of South Dakota. On March 25, 2026, the Commission received Grasshopper’s filing fee. On March 26, May 5, and June 12, 2026, Grasshopper responded to staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Grasshopper’s request for a Certificate of Authority to provide interexchange telecommunication services in South Dakota? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
2. TC26-007 In the Matter of the Request of City of Brookings Municipal Telephone for Certification Regarding Its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Study Area: 391650) (Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
On June 3, 2026, the Commission received an application from Brookings Municipal Telephone (Company) requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On June 22, 2026, the Company responded to staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission provide a certification to the Federal Communications Commission and to the Universal Service Administration Company regarding the use of Federal Universal Service Support ? OR how shall the Commission Proceed?
Electric
1. EL24-027 In the Matter of the Petition by Leola Data Center LLC to have Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., Assigned as its Electric Provider in the Service Area of FEM Electric Association Inc.(Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Amanda Reiss, Jennie Fuerst)
On August 5, 2024, Leola Data Center, LLC (Leola) filed a Petition for Electric Service to have Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU), Assigned as its Electric Provider in the Service Area of FEM Electric Association Inc. (Petition). The Petition asks the Commission for an order pursuant to SDCL 49-34A-56 that allows Leola to take electric service from MDU for its proposed Data Center to be located adjacent to MDU’s Leola substation at 11641 358th Avenue, Leola, South Dakota. The location is currently within the assigned service area of FEM Electric Association Inc. (FEM). 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 August 29, 2024, the Commission granted intervention to MDU, FEM, Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Basin) and East River Electric Power Cooperative, Inc. (East River). On November 7, 2024, Leola filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. On January 9, 2025, FEM, Basin and East River filed a Joint Opposition to Leola’s Motion for Summary Judgment, and staff filed its Brief in Response to Summary Judgment. On January 17, 2025, Leola filed its Reply in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment. On January 30, 2025, the Commission issued an Order Continuing Motion for Summary Judgement. On March 26, 2026, Leola filed a Letter regarding the Motion for Summary Judgment Hearing, requesting a new hearing date, and on April 14, 2026, the Commission issued a Notice of Hearing on Renewed Motion for Summary Judgment. On June 5, 2026, staff filed a Supplemental Responsive Pleading and FEM, Basin and East River filed a Supplemental Joint Opposition to Leola’s Motion for Summary Judgment. On June 18, 2026, Leola filed a Supplemental Reply Brief.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the Motion for Summary Judgment? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL25-039 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., Update to Infrastructure Rider (IR) Rate 56 and Request for Waiver of Fuel and Purchase Power Adjustment Rate 58 (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On October 31, 2025, the Commission received a petition from Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU or Company) for approval of an out-of-period update to its Infrastructure Rider (IR) Rate, pursuant to the terms of MDU’s IR Rate 56 tariff. MDU requests this out-of-period update to more closely match the purchase and impending in service date of the Badger Wind facility. MDU is also requesting a waiver of the Fuel and Purchase Power Adjustment (FPPA) Rate 58 tariff to allow the Company to include the Production Tax Credits (PTC) resulting from the purchase of the Badger Wind Project in the IR Rate 56. MDU proposes an IR rate of $0.01093 per kWh for the rate period covered by this filing, which is an increase of $0.00832 per kWh from the rate authorized in the last IR filing. The IR Rate 56 tariff requires MDU to update the IR annually with updates effective May 1 of each year. However, in this filing, MDU requests approval effective with service rendered on and after March 1, 2026. MDU proposes these costs to be recovered over a 14-month period from March 1, 2026, through April 30, 2027. A typical residential customer using 900 kWh would see an increase of approximately $7.50 per month. On November 20, 2025, the Commission issued an order granting MDU’s request for waiver.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the proposed Infrastructure Rider rate and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of July 1, 2026? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
3. EL26-003 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Authority to Increase Rates For its Utility Service in South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On February 19, 2026, the Commission received an application by Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHP) for approval to increase rates for electric service to customers in its South Dakota service territory by approximately $50.6 million annually or approximately 25.1% based on BHP’s test year ending September 30, 2025. The Company states a typical residential electric customer using 650 kWh per month would see an increase of $25.13 per month. The proposed changes may potentially affect approximately 75,000 customers in BHP’s South Dakota service territory. On May 21, 2026, the Commission issued an Order Granting Motion for Approval of Procedural Schedule. On June 8, 2026, Intervenor John D. McKee Sr. filed a Motion to Adopt Protective Order. On June 16, 2026, BHP filed a Letter regarding Response to McKee’s Motion to Adopt Protective Order and on June 17, 2026, Mr. McKee filed a Reply. On June 22, 2026, Staff filed a Motion to Amend Procedural Schedule.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Mr. McKee’s Motion to Adopt Protective Order? AND shall the Commission grant Staff’s Motion for Approval of Procedural Schedule? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
4. EL26-004 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval of Its 2025 Economic Development Report and 2026 Economic Development Plan (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff)
On February 27, 2026, the Commission received an application from Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHE) requesting approval of its 2025 Economic Development Report and 2026 Economic Development Plan. BHE makes this filing in compliance with the settlement stipulation approved in Docket EL14-026. BHE provides actual economic development expenses for 2025 and information regarding the memberships, community sponsorships, and other activities the program supports as well as the 2026 budget and planned economic development activities for the year. On May 20, and June 9, 2026, BHE filed responses to staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy’s 2025 Economic Development Report and its 2026 Economic Development Plan?
5. EL26-011 In the Matter of Otter Tail Power Company’s 2025 South Dakota Energy Efficiency Plan Status Report and 2026 Annual Filing to Update the Energy Efficiency Adjustment Rider (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On May 1, 2026, Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) filed its 2025 Energy Efficiency Plan Status Report and 2026 Annual Filing to update the Energy Efficiency Adjustment Rider. Specifically, Otter Tail requests that the Commission approve its 2025 Status Report, the 2025 financial incentive of $151,972, and its proposal that the Energy Efficiency Adjustment Factor be increased to $0.00101/kWh for July 2026 through June 2027. On May 28, 2026, Otter Tail responded to staff’s data request.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve Otter Tail Power Company’s 2025 Energy Efficiency Plan Status Report? AND shall the Commission approve the 2025 Financial Incentive of $151,972? AND shall the Commission approve the proposal that the Energy Efficiency Adjustment Factor be increased to $0.00101/kWh for July 2026 through June 2027?
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. An Ad Hoc commission meeting for docket 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 will be held beginning at 1:30 p.m. CDT, on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
2. A Public Input Meeting for docket EL26-014 - In the Matter of the Application of Crowned Ridge Energy Storage I, LLC for a Permit for an Energy Conversion Facility will be held Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. CDT at the Waverly/South Shore School Gymnasium, 319 Mary Pl. Waverly, South Dakota.
3. The PUC office will be closed Friday, July 3, 2026, in observance of Independence Day.
4. The next regular commission meeting will be Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, South Dakota.
5. Commissioners will attend the National Association of Regulatory Commissioners’ Summer Policy Summit, July 19-22, 2026, at the Hilton Minneapolis, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
6. Commission meetings are scheduled for July 28 and August 11, 2026.
/s/ Travis Heasley
Travis Heasley
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
June 23, 2026
