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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
December 20, 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, Darren Kearney, Joseph Rezac, Brittany Mehlhaff, Jon Thurber, and Lorena Reichert; Consumer Affairs Supervisor: Deb Gregg; and Staff: Katlyn Gustafson and Joy Lashley.
Also present were:
Danie Williams and Jeff Decker, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy; Jason Keil, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; Eric Pauli, Steve Kolbeck, Rebecca Eilers, and Tom Kramer, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; Jennifer Moore, Cade Simmons, Chuck Rea, and Tina Yoder, MidAmerican Energy Company.
Joining the meeting by telephone were:
Danie Williams and Jeff Decker, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy; Jason Keil, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; Eric Pauli, Steve Kolbeck, Rebecca Eilers, and Tom Kramer, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; Jennifer Moore, Cade Simmons, Chuck Rea, and Tina Yoder, MidAmerican Energy Company.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on December 6, 2016. (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the minutes of the Commission meeting held on December 6, 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 103 contacts since the last report was prepared for the December 6, 2016 Commission meeting.
Seventeen contacts involved telecommunication services, 23 contacts involved electrical services, 33 contacts were related to natural gas services, six contacts were related to wireless service, six contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was related to One Call, and 17 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: 1,471 of the 1,498 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL16-032 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of its 2017 Infrastructure Rider Project Eligibility and Factor Update (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Mr. Eric Pauli, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel), asked that the Commission approve the proposed projects as eligible for recovery and approve the Infrastructure Rider Adjustment Factor of $0.005332 per kWh and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of January 1, 2017. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve Xcel’s request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the proposed projects as eligible for recovery and approve the Infrastructure Rider Adjustment Factor of $0.005332 per kWh and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of January 1, 2017. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL16-039 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval to Extend the Filing Date of its Vegetation Management Annual Report (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
Mr. Jason Keil, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHP), asked that the Commission approve BHP’s request for an extension to file its annual report until April 30, 2017. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve BHP’s request.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy’s request for an extension to file its annual report until April 30, 2017. Motion carried 3-0.
Gas and Electric
1. GE16-004 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for the Approval of Its Proposed Energy Efficiency Plan for 2017 (Staff Analyst: Darren Kearney; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Jennifer Moore, MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican), asked that the Commission approve the requested modifications to MidAmerican’s 2017 Energy Efficiency Plan. Mr. Darren Kearney, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve MidAmerican’s request.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the requested modifications to MidAmerican Energy Company’s 2017 Energy Efficiency Plan. Motion carried 3-0.
2. GE16-005 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of 2017 South Dakota Demand Side Management Plan (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Mr. Darren Kearney, staff analyst, asked that the Commission suspend NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy’s proposed 2017 DSM Plan effective date until March 1, 2017, and authorize the current gas and electric Energy Efficiency Adjustment rates to remain in effect until otherwise ordered by the Commission. Ms. Danie Williams, NorthWestern Energy, did not object to staff’s request.
Commissioner Nelson moved to suspend NorthWestern Energy’s proposed 2017 DSM Plan effective date until March 1, 2017, and authorize the current gas and electric Energy Efficiency Adjustment rates to remain in effect until otherwise ordered by the Commission. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 10:00 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/Joy Lashley .
Joy Lashley
Administrative Assistant
PUC Email
December 6, 2016
