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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at 1:30 P.M.
State Capitol Building, Room 468
Pierre, South Dakota
NOTE: If you wish to join this meeting by conference call, please contact the Commission at 605-773-3201 by 12:00 p.m. on January 23, 2007. Lines are limited and are given out on first come/first serve basis, subject to possible reassignment to accommodate persons who must appear in a proceeding. Ultimately, if you wish to participate in 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 Web site www.puc.sd.gov and click on the LIVE button on the home page. The Commission requests that persons who will only be listening to proceedings and not actively appearing in a case listen via the Web cast to free phone lines for those who have to appear. The Commission meetings are archived on the PUC's Web site under the Commission Actions tab and then click on the LISTEN button on the page.
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 December 6, 2006, and Ad Hoc Meetings Held on December 12 and December 28, 2006. (Staff: Demaris Axthelm)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries and Complaints Received by the Commission. (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Electric
On January 5, 2007, Basin Electric Power Cooperative filed for Commission approval of an application for an energy conversion facility permit. Basin Electric is proposing to construct a second peaking resource generator at the existing Groton Generation Station near Groton, South Dakota. The project is proposed to serve projected member load growth and is known as the Groton Generation Station Unit 2 Project. The proposed project will include a second 80 to 100 megawatt simple cycle natural gas combustion turbine generator.
TODAY, shall the Commission Assess a Filing Fee not to Exceed $202,500 with an Initial Deposit of $8,000?
Telecommunications
On January 24, 2005, PrairieWave Telecommunications, Inc. (PrairieWave) filed a petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) for the rural, contiguous wire centers of Centerville and Viborg. PrairieWave offers the services supported by the federal Universal Service Fund using entirely its own fiber optic, copper and coaxial cable facilities, and does and will continue to advertise these services and the prices for the services using media of general distribution. PrairieWave seeks to have the combined wire centers of Centerville and Viborg designated as a service area for ETC purposes. Redefinition of Fort Randall Telephone Company's service area requires the approval of both this Commission and the FCC. PrairieWave has also filed information supporting an annual certification letter to the FCC and to USAC that all high-cost support will be used only for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and services for which the support is intended. On February 8, 2005, South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) filed a Petition to Intervene and on February 11, 2005, Fort Randall Telephone Company (Fort Randall) filed a Petition for Intervention. Intervention was granted to SDTA and Fort Randall at the March 8, 2005, Commission Meeting. Oral arguments were heard at the December 19, 2006, Commission Meeting.
TODAY, what is the Commission's Decision?
On October 24, 2006, Venture Communications Cooperative (Venture) filed a Petition for Suspension or Modification of Local Dialing Parity and Reciprocal Compensation Obligations. In its Petition, Venture states that it seeks to modify the dialing parity and reciprocal compensation obligations in 47 U.S.C. § 251 (b) (3) and (5) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Venture is requesting "modification of the dialing parity requirement such that Venture is not required to provide local dialing and it is not required to transport traffic outside of its service territory or beyond the wireline local calling area. Venture also requests a modification of the reciprocal compensation requirements such that it is not required to pay reciprocal compensation on traffic terminating to a wireless carrier within the same MTA that is handed off to an IXC in accordance with Venture's wireline local calling areas. Venture also requests a modification of the symmetrical compensation requirement and requests that the Commission base compensation for wireless carrier's on the wireless carrier's forward looking cost study. Venture also requests immediate temporary suspension of the 251(b) (3) and (5) requirements as described above pending this Commission's consideration of this request." The South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) filed a Petition for Intervention on November 6, 2006. Rural Cellular Corporation (RCC) and Alltel Communications, Inc. (Alltel) filed Petitions for Intervention on November 13, 2006. The Commission granted intervention to SDTA at its November 14, 2006, meeting. The Commission granted intervention to RCC and Al tel at their Ad Hoc Meeting on November 20, 2006. On January 12, 2007, Alltel filed a Request to Use the Office of Hearing Examiners.
TODAY, shall the Commission Grant the Request to Use the Office of Hearing Examiners?
On December 18, 2006, 1-800-Reconex, Inc. filed a request seeking continuation of a limited waiver from computing its own switched access charges under ARSD 20:10:27 to 20:10:29 and seeking to mirror the rates of the Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC).
TODAY, shall the Commission Grant the Request for an Extension of an Exemption from Developing Company Specific Cost-Based Switched Access Rates?
On January 9, 2007, Hills Telephone Company, Inc. (Hills) filed revised pages to the Hills Intrastate Switched Access Tariff. Hills requests an effective date of February 1, 2007. Hills was granted an exemption from developing company specific cost-based switched access rates in TC04-205. The switched access rates filed by Hills are based on the recent LECA stipulation and settlement in TC04-119, TC05-096, and TC06-079 and the revenue requirements and switched access minutes of use of PrairieWave Community Telephone and Fort Randall Telephone Company.
TODAY, shall the Commission Approve the Revisions to the Intrastate Switched Access Tariff?
On January 9, 2007, Kadoka Telephone Company (Kadoka) filed revised pages to the Kadoka Intrastate Switched Access Tariff. Kadoka requests an effective date of February 1, 2007. Kadoka was granted an exemption from developing company specific cost-based switched access rates in TC04-203. The switched access rates filed by Kadoka are based on the recent LECA stipulation and settlement in TC04-119, TC05-096, and TC06-079 and the revenue requirements and switched access minutes of use of PrairieWave Community Telephone and Fort Randall Telephone Company.
TODAY, shall the Commission Approve the Revisions to the Intrastate Switched Access Tariff?
Announcements
1. The next regularly scheduled Commission meeting will be held February 13, 2007, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 468, State Capitol Building, Pierre, SD.
2. Commission meetings are scheduled for March 13 and March 27, 2007.
3. Commissioners and staff will be attending the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC) Winter Meeting in Washington, DC, February 18 – 21, 2007.
4. A hearing in Dockets TC06-175 and TC06-176 will be held in the Matthews Training Center February 27 – March 2, 2007. The hearing will begin at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 27, 2007.
____________________
Heather K. Forney
Deputy Executive Director
heather.forney@state.sd.us
January 17, 2007
