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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
June 21, 2016, at 9:30 A.M. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION MEETING
Chairman Chris Nelson called the meeting to order. Present were: Commissioners: Kristie Fiegen and Gary Hanson; Commission Counsel: Karen Cremer; Commission Advisor: Greg Rislov; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards and Adam de Hueck; Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Joseph Rezac, Eric Paulson, Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, and Lorena Reichert; Consumer Affairs Supervisor: Deb Gregg; and Staff: Katlyn Gustafson.
Joining the meeting by telephone were:
Jason Topp, Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC; Jeff Decker, Pam Bonrud, and Danie Williams, NorthWestern Corporation, dba NorthWestern Energy; and Jason Grenier, Otter Tail Power Company.
Administration
1. Approval of the minutes of the Commission meeting held on June 7, 2016. (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the minutes of the Commission meeting held on June 7, 2016. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries and Complaints Received by the Commission (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 62 contacts since the last report was prepared for the June 7, 2016, Commission meeting.
Eighteen contacts involved telecommunication services, nine contacts involved electrical services, six contacts were related to wireless service, three contacts were related to natural gas service, eight contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, five contacts were related to the Dakota Access Pipeline, and 13 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
Complaints received in 2014: 1,914 of the 1,916 have been resolved.
Complaints received in 2016: 635 of the 653 have been resolved.
Electric
A lengthy discussion took place regarding Docket EL16-019. An audio of the discussion can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2016, June 21, 2016, recording located at: http://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2016/puc06212016.mp3.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve Otter Tail's 2015 Energy Efficiency Plan Status Report, the 2015 Financial Incentive of $105,900, and the proposed Energy Efficiency Adjustment Factor of $0.00114/kWh with an effective date of July 1, 2016. Motion carried 3-0.
Gas and Electric
A lengthy discussion took place regarding Docket GE16-002. An audio of the discussion can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2016, June 21, 2016, recording located at: http://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2016/puc06212016.mp3.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the extension of NorthWestern's current Demand Side Management Plan through December 31, 2016, and to extend the currently effective EEA rates of $0.0005/kWh for electric service and a credit $0.0007/therm for gas service through December 31, 2016. Motion carried 2-1. Commissioner Nelson dissenting.
Telecommunications
The Commission deferred the docket until a later Commission meeting.
Mr. Jason Topp, Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC (CenturyLink), asked that the Commission grant approval of the revisions to CenturyLink's tariff sheets. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve CenturyLink's request effective July 1, 2016.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the proposed tariff revisions effective July 1, 2016. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 10:23 a.m. the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/Joy Lashley .
Joy Lashley
Administrative Assistant
PUC Email
June 21, 2016
