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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
January 21, 2020, at 1:30 P.M. CST
Matthew Training Center, Foss Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION MEETING
Commissioner Gary Hanson called the meeting to order. Present were: Commissioners: Chris Nelson and Kristie Fiegen; Commission Attorney: Karen Cremer and Adam de Hueck; Commission Advisor: Greg Rislov; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss; Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Patrick Steffensen, Brittany Mehlhaff, Joseph Rezac and Eric Paulson; Consumer Affairs Manager: Deb Gregg; and Staff: Kaitlyn Baucom.
Present was: Brenda Moore, Buffalo Gap Energiekontor US Inc.
Joining the meeting by telephone were: Jason Keil and Todd Brink, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; Katelyn Lynch-Butcher, Tina Yoder, Amanda Hosch, and Renee White, MidAmerican Energy Company; Miles Schumacher, Lynn, Jackson, Shultz and Lebrun, PC, representing Crowned Ridge Wind, LLC.; and Brian Murphy, NextEra Energy Resources, LLC.
Administration
1. Approval of Minutes of the Commission meeting held on December 20, 2019, and the Ad Hoc meeting held on December 30, 2019. (Staff: Maggie Dell)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the minutes of the December 20, 2019, and the Ad Hoc Meeting held on December 30, 2019. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 32 contacts since the last report was prepared for the January 7, 2020 Commission meeting.
Five contacts were related to telecommunication services, eleven contacts were related to electrical services, one contact was related to natural gas services, four contacts were related to wireless service, three contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was related to Wind Energy, and seven contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
Contacts received in 2019: 1,259 of the 1,261 have been resolved.
Contacts received in 2020: 35 of the 47 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL18-059 In the Matter of Lookout Solar Park I, LLC for a Permit of a Solar Energy Facility in Oglala Lakota County (Staff Analysts: Jon Thurber, Darren Kearney; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Commissioner Hanson deferred the docket to the February 3, 2020, commission meeting.
2. EL19-028 In the Matter of the Petition of Black Hills Power Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval of Deferred Accounting Treatment for SD Sun Project Transaction and Development Costs (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
Mr. Jason Keil, Black Hills Power Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (BHE), asked that the Commission grant BHE’s request to withdraw without prejudice. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission grant BHE’s request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to grant BHE’s request to withdraw the petition without prejudice. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL20-002 In the Matter of Commission Staff’s Request for an Order to Show Cause regarding Crowned Ridge Wind, LLC (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)
Commissioner Hanson deferred the docket to the February 3, 2020, commission meeting.
Gas and Electric
1. GE19-002 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for the Approval of Its Reconciliation and Annual Report for 2018 and 2018 Reconciliation for the Energy Efficiency Cost Recovery Factor (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Katelyn Lynch-Butcher, MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican), asked that the commission approve the proposed tariff revisions. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve MidAmerican’s tariff revisions effective January 31, 2020.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the proposed tariff revisions effective January 31, 2020. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 1:48 p.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/Joy Lashley .
Joy Lashley
Administrative Specialist
PUC Email
January 21, 2020
