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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
July 5, 2016, at 1:30 P.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; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Adam de Hueck, and Amanda Reiss; Staff Analysts: Joseph Rezac, Eric Paulson, Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, and Lorena Reichert; Consumer Affairs Supervisor: Deb Gregg; and Staff: Katlyn Gustafson and Joy Lashley.
Joining the meeting by telephone were:
Darren Kearney, PUC Staff; Karen Collins, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.; Jeff Decker, Pam Bonrud, and Julie Becker, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy; Eric Pauli, Mara Ascheman, and Tommy Gallegos, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; and Mark Carda and Todd Brink, Black Hills Power, Inc.
Administration
1. Approval of the minutes of the Commission meetings held on June 21, 2016. (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the minutes of the Commission meeting held on June 21, 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 48 contacts since the last report was prepared for the June 21, 2016, Commission meeting.
Ten contacts involved telecommunication services, 15 contacts involved electrical services, four contacts were related to wireless service, one contact was related to natural gas service, eight contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, two contacts were related to the Dakota Access Pipeline, and eight 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: 677 of the 701 have been resolved.
Electric
Mr. Mark Carda, Black Hills Power, Inc. (BHP), asked that the Commission approve BHP's request of a material deviation. Mr. Darren Kearney, staff analyst, stated staff had no concerns of the deviation proposed.
Commissioner Hanson moved to grant BHP's request for approval of a material deviation. Motion carried 3-0.
Mr. Jeff Decker, NorthWestern Corporation, dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern), asked that the Commission approve NorthWestern's tariff revisions effective July 5, 2016. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve NorthWestern's request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve NorthWestern's tariff revisions with an effective date of July 5, 2016. Motion carried 3-0.
Mr. Eric Pauli, Northern States Power Company, dba Xcel Energy (Xcel Energy), asked that the Commission approve Xcel Energy's tariff revisions. Ms. Lorena Reichert, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve Xcel Energy's request.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve Xcel Energy's tariff revisions. Motion carried 3-0.
Natural Gas
Ms. Karen Collins, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU), asked that the Commission approve the proposed tariff sheets effective July 1, 2016. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve MDU's request.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the proposed tariff sheets with an effective date of July 1, 2016. Motion carried 3-0.
Mr. Jeff Decker, NorthWestern Corporation, dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern), asked that the Commission approve NorthWestern's tariff revisions effective July 5, 2016. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve NorthWestern's request.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve NorthWestern's tariff revisions with an effective date of July 5, 2016.Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 1:53 p.m. the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/Joy Lashley .
Joy Lashley
Administrative Assistant
PUC Email
July 5, 2016
