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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
December 6, 2016, at 9:30 A.M. CST
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 Attorneys: Karen Cremer and Adam de Hueck; Commission Advisor: Greg Rislov; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss and Kristen Edwards; Staff Analysts: Eric Paulson, Patrick Steffensen, Joseph Rezac, Brittany Mehlhaff, Jon Thurber, Darren Kearney, and Lorena Reichert; Consumer Affairs Supervisor: Deb Gregg; and Staff: Katlyn Gustafson.
Also present were:
Jim Wilcox, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; Pam Bonrud, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy; and Kevin Kouba, Otter Tail Power Company.
Joining the meeting by telephone were:
Brian Rybarik, Cheryl Andrews-Trowbridge, and Brian Wiese, MidAmerican Energy Company; Carl Maas, John Thurmond, and Jeff Decker, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy; Eric Pauli, Jessie Peterson, Howard Hoffman, Rebecca Eilers, Nate Schrann, and Bryan Davis, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission meeting held on November 22, 2016. (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the minutes of the Commission meeting held on November 22, 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 82 contacts since the last report was prepared for the November 22, 2016, Commission meeting.
Twelve contacts involved telecommunication services, 11 contacts involved electrical services, 24 contacts were related to natural gas services, eight contacts were related to wireless service, three contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, 17 contacts were related to the Dakota Access Pipeline, and seven 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: 1,372 of the 1,395 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL16-018 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2015 Demand Side Management Report and 2017 Proposed Demand Side Management Plan (Staff Analyst: Darren Kearney; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Mr. Jim Wilcox, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel), respectfully requested that the Commission approve Xcel’s Demand Side Management Plan filing as revised in accordance with the Commission’s direction received at the November 22, 2016, Commission meeting. Mr. Darren Kearney, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission grant approval to Xcel’s revised Demand Side Management Plan filing.
The Commission voted on Commissioner Nelson’s motion, deferred from the November 22, 2016, meeting, to approve the Company’s 2015 DSM Status Report and tracker account, the performance incentive earned for 2015, the proposed 2017 DSM Plan with the exclusion of Ground Source Heat Pumps, and the proposed 2017 DSM Cost Adjustment Factor (as adjusted for the removal of Ground Source Heat Pumps) with a January 1, 2017, effective date. Motion carried 2-1. Commissioner Hanson dissenting.
2. EL16-031 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of its 2017 Transmission Cost Recovery Eligibility and Rate Adjustment (Staff Analysts: Patrick Steffensen, Lorena Reichert; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
Mr. Jim Wilcox, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel), asked that the Commission approve the TCR rate factor and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of January 1, 2017. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve Xcel’s requests.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the TCR rate factor and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of January 1, 2017. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL16-033 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions regarding its Customer Data Privacy Policy (Staff Analyst: Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Pam Bonrud, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern), asked that the Commission approve the tariff revisions with a January 1, 2017, effective date. Mr. Jon Thurber, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve NorthWestern’s request.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the tariff revisions with a January 1, 2017, effective date. Motion carried 3-0.
4. EL16-036 In the Matter of the Joint Request for Service Rights Exception between Lake Region Electric Association, Inc. and Otter Tail Power Company (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve the requested service rights exception between Lake Region Electric Association, Inc. and Otter Tail Power Company.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the requested service rights exception between Lake Region Electric Association, Inc. and Otter Tail Power Company. Motion carried 3-0.
Natural Gas
1. NG16-012 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions regarding its Customer Data Privacy Policy (Staff Analyst: Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Pam Bonrud, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern), asked that the Commission approve the tariff revisions with a January 1, 2017, effective date. Mr. Jon Thurber, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission grant NorthWestern’s request.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the tariff revisions with a January 1, 2017, effective date. Motion carried 3-0.
2. NG16-013 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Continuation of the Incentive Gas Supply Procurement Plan (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
Mr. Brian Rybarik, MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican), asked that the Commission approve the continuation of MidAmerican’s Incentive Gas Supply Procurement Plan without modification effective November 1, 2016 through October 31, 2019. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve MidAmerican’s request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the continuation of MidAmerican’s Incentive Gas Supply Procurement Plan without modification effective November 1, 2016 through October 31, 2019.Motion carried 3-0.
ADDENDUM TO THE
AGENDA OF COMMISSION MEETING
1. EL16-037 In the Matter of Commission Staff’s Request to Investigate Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy’s Proposed Fuel Clause Rider (Staff Analysts: Jon Thurber, Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
Ms. Kristen Edwards, staff attorney, asked that the Commission suspend Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy’s (Xcel), fuel clause rider for 180 days beyond November 30, 2016. Mr. Jim Wilcox, Xcel, did not object to staff’s request.
Commissioner Hanson moved to suspend Xcel’s fuel clause rider for 180 days beyond November 30, 2016, with the November fuel clause rider remaining effective through the 180 day suspension. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 10:01 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/Joy Lashley .
Joy Lashley
Administrative Assistant
PUC Email
December 6, 2016
