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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
November 19, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. CST
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. CST on Wednesday, November 18, 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 have to 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 November 4, 2026 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Telecommunications
1. In the Matter of the Failure of Certain Telecommunications Companies to Timely Pay their Gross Receipts Tax (Deputy Exec. Director/Finance Manager: Cindy Kemnitz)
The following companies have failed to timely pay their gross receipts tax as required by SDCL 49-1A:
Compax MVNO Venture
EarthGRid PBC Corporation
Fierce Data Solutions, LLC
Kajeet, Inc.
Lycamobile USA Inc.
Mobile X Global
NatWireless, LLC dba National Wireless
Nextiva
Peak Data Network Solutions, LLC
Roccstar Wireless LLC
Telco Communications LLC, Telco Cellular
Trek Cellular LLC
Troomi Wireless Inc.
Voicecom Telecommunications LLC dba Intelliverse
Worx Wireless, LLC dba Stack Mobile
Yonder Media Inc. dba Yo Mobile
TODAY, shall the Commission issue an Order to Show Cause as to why the Commission should not fine, and/or suspend or revoke the Certificates of Authority of each of these companies for failure to pay the requisite gross receipts tax?
Electric
1. EL26-026 In the Matter of the Application of Xcel Energy and Otter Tail Power Company for an Energy Facility Permit to Construct the PowerOn Midwest Project Consisting of a 765-kV Transmission Line, a 345-kV Transmission Line, and Associated Facilities (Staff Analysts: Jon Thurber, Anuja Oke; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On September 4, 2026, the Commission received a facility permit application (Application) from Northern States Power Company, doing business as Xcel Energy, and Otter Tail Power Company for the PowerOn: Big Stone South to Brookings County to South Dakota/Minnesota Border Project (Applicants). On September 30, 2026, the Commission received an Application for Party Status from Matthew Holden on behalf of Lake Cochrane Improvement Association (LCIA). On October 14, 2026, PowerOn filed a Response objecting to LCIA’s Application for Party Status. On October 16, 2026, Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc (MISO) filed a Petition to Intervene. On October 19, 2026, the Commission issued a Notice of Hearing to consider the Application for Party Status from LCIA and the Petition to Intervene by MISO at the November 4, 2026, Commission meeting. On October 26, 2026, LCIA filed a Response to Objections of Applicants. On November 4, 2026, the Commission deferred action on LCIA’s Application for Party Status and also granted Party Status to MISO. The Commission has received approximately 80 Applications for Party Status since October 20, 2026. On November 4, 2026, Applicants filed a Response to Applications for Party Status filed between October 20 and October 28, 2026. On November 10, 2026, the Commission issued a Notice of Hearing to consider the Applications of Party Status received on or before November 9, 2026.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant Party Status to those who have filed? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
2. EL26-031 In the Matter of NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation, dba NorthWestern Energy, for an Energy Conversion Facility Permit to Construct the Hub City Energy Park Natural Gas Generation Facility, Including a Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline, Near Aberdeen, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Anuja Oke, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
On October 2, 2026, the Commission received an Application from NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation, dba NorthWestern Energy (“NorthWestern” or “Applicant”) for an energy conversion facility permit to construct the Hub City Energy Park (Project) natural gas generation facility, including a natural gas transmission pipeline, near Aberdeen, South Dakota. The Project, formerly known as the Aberdeen III Generating Station, is a nominal 131 MW (gross) natural gas combustion turbine (CT) facility. The Project consists of three CTs in simple cycle configuration, including a back-end multipollutant catalyst system, and associated balance-of-plant systems and equipment. The Project also includes a new substation and overhead electric tie-in line to facilitate electrical grid interconnection to the existing Siebrecht substation on the Aberdeen Generating Station site, and a natural gas lateral transmission line to connect to the nearby Northern Border Pipeline Company mainline. Applicant expects construction activities to begin in late 2027 or early 2028, with the Project coming online in the first half of 2030. On October 21, 2026, the Commission issued an Order Authorizing Executive Director to Enter into Consulting Contracts; Order Reappointing Local Review Committee. On November 5, 2026, NorthWestern filed a Letter regarding Updated Estimate Construction Cost and Attachment that states that the estimated cost of construction for the Project is $470 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. Using the estimated construction cost of $470 million, the maximum fee chargeable, as calculated pursuant to statute, is $435,000.00.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee not to exceed $435,000.00?
3. EL26-034 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: Logan Schaefbauer)
On November 2, 2026, 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 2027 through February 2028. This update includes actual investment costs, expenses, and revenues associated with existing projects and approved recovery items through August 2026, updated forecast information for the remainder of the current recovery period that ends February 28, 2027, and forecasted information for the proposed recovery period ending February 29, 2028. One new project is 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 states that residential customers using 1,000 kWh per month will see a bill decrease of approximately $0.75. Otter Tail proposes a rate implementation date of March 1, 2027.
TODAY, shall the Commission assess a filing fee in the amount of up to $50,000.00 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date?
4. EL26-024 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval to Amend its Phase In Plan Rate (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On August 5, 2026, the Commission received an application by Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power) for approval to amend its Phase In Plan Rate (PIPR). Black Hills Power makes this filing pursuant to SDCL 49-34A-73 through 49-34A-78. In this filing, Black Hills Power requests approval to recover, through the PIPR, both actual and forecasted costs associated with the Lange II Project. This request would increase rates for electric service to customers in its South Dakota service territory by approximately $39.5 million annually. Black Hills Power states a typical residential electric customer using an average of approximately 650 kWh per month will see an increase of $19.70 per month. On September 10, 2026, the Commission issued an Order Granting Intervention to Dakota Panel, Fischer Furniture, Inc., Forest Products Distributors, Inc., GCC Dacotah, Inc., Monument Health Rapid City Hospital Inc., Pete Lien & Sons, Inc., the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority, Spearfish Forest Products Inc., and Wharf Resources (USA), Inc., collectively referred to as the South Dakota Large Customer Group. On October 30, 2026, Black Hills Power filed a Notice of Intent to Implement Interim Rates, effective December 1, 2026. This notice revises the revenue requirement increase to approximately $37.5 million annually, or an increase of $17.26 per month for the typical residential customer using approximately 600 kWh per month. On November 9, 2026, staff filed its Objection to Black Hills Energy’s Notice of Intent to Implement Interim Rates and Alternative Motion to Suspend Interim Rates.
TODAY, shall the Commission find that Black Hills does not have authority to implement interim rates pursuant to SDCL 49-34A-17? OR shall the Commission find that Black Hills can implement interim rates pursuant to SDCL 49-34A-17 but does not have the authority to implement the proposed interim rates without prior approval? OR shall the Commission grant Staff’s Alternative Motion to Suspend Interim Rates for 180 days after the initial filing? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
Natural Gas
1. NG23-015 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of a Contract with Deviations with Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
On August 18, 2023, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern) filed for approval of a contract with deviations with Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc. (Customer or Valley Queen). The Customer was receiving firm transportation service pursuant to an Amended and Restated Transportation Service Agreement and was expanding its operation and requested additional capacity. The Customer elected to receive that additional capacity via interruptible transportation service, and NorthWestern upgraded its distribution facilities to mitigate interruption to Customer. NorthWestern stated that based on the cost of the project, it required security for the capital investment cost and a surcharge rate in order to protect its legacy customers. The agreement is for 15 years with interruptible transportation service capacity of 131,250 MMBtu for years 1-3 and 175,000 MMBtu for years 4-15, and the Customer must transport its 415,094 MMBtu base use prior to receiving credit towards the interruptible transportation service. An annual review is conducted to determine if the volume requirement is met. On September 19, 2025, Valley Queen filed a Motion to Reopen the Docket. On October 8, 2025, the Commission issued an Order for and Notice of Hearing on Motion to Reopen Docket. On November 13, 2025, the Commission issued an Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part the Motion to Reopen the Docket. On October 22, 2026, Valley Queen, NorthWestern, and staff filed a Stipulation for Scheduling Order requesting this docket be closed, and a new complaint docket be filed with the approved procedural order.
TODAY, shall the Commission approve the Stipulation for Scheduling Order and approve the terms and conditions stipulated therein? OR how shall the Commission proceed?
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. A Public Input Meeting for docket EL26-031 - In the Matter of NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation, dba NorthWestern Energy, for an Energy Conversion Facility Permit to Construct the Hub City Energy Park Natural Gas Generation Facility, Including a Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline, Near Aberdeen, South Dakota will be held Monday, November 23, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., CST at the Dakota Event Center, Dakota Room, 720 Lamont St., Aberdeen, South Dakota.
2. The PUC office will be closed Thursday, November 26, and Friday, November 27, 2026, in observance of Thanksgiving.
3. The next regular commission meeting will be Friday, December 4, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. CST in Matthew Training Center, Foss Building, 523 E. Capitol Ave., Pierre, South Dakota.
4. Commission meetings are scheduled for Thursday, December 17, and Tuesday, December 29, 2026.
/s/ Sara Weiss .
Sara Weiss
Operations Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
November 12, 2026
