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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
December 9, 2020, at 9:30 A.M. CST
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota

MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION MEETING

Commissioner Chris Nelson called the meeting to order. Present were: Commissioner: Kristie Fiegen; Commission Attorney: Karen Cremer; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards; Staff: Kaitlyn Baucom; and Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing Triple H Wind Project, LLC.

Joining the meeting by telephone were Commissioner: Gary Hanson; Commission Advisor: Greg Rislov; Commission Attorney: Adam de Hueck; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss; Staff Analysts: Joseph Rezac, Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Brittany Mehlhaff; Consumer Affairs Manager: Deb Gregg; Jason Topp, Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC; Jessica Peterson, Jon Packer and Steve Kolbeck, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; Darcy Neigum, Stephanie Bosch and Travis Jacobson, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.; Jason Keil, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; Jesse Sorenson, Black Hills Electric Cooperative Inc.; and Amanda Hosch, Diane Votino and Katelyn Lynch-Butcher, MidAmerican Energy Company.

Consumer Reports

1.      Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Staff Attorney: Deb Gregg)

         The Commission received a total of 47 contacts since the last report was prepared for the November 24, 2020, Commission meeting.

         Five contacts were related to telecommunications services, 22 contacts were related to electric services, two contacts were related to natural gas services, two contacts were related to wireless services,  six contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, 10 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.

         1,168 of the 1,188 contacts received in 2020 have been resolved.

Telecommunications

   TC20-052        In the Matter of the Approval of a Third-Party Transit Provider Amendment to the Interconnection Agreement between Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC and Airus, Inc. fka IntelePeer, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)

           Mr. Jason Topp, Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC (CenturyLink), asked that the Commission approve the Amendment to the Interconnection Agreement. Ms. Kristen Edwards, staff attorney, recommended that the Commission approve CenturyLink’s request.

         Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the Amendment to the Interconnection Agreement. Motion carried 3-0.

Electric

1.      EL19-007        In the Matter of the Application by Triple H Wind Project, LLC for a Permit of a Wind Energy Facility in Hyde County, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)

           Mr. Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing Triple H Wind Project, LLC asked that the Commission approve the  Deposit Agreement as filed on November 2, 2020, subject to the First Amendment to Deposit Agreement filed on December 9, 2020. Ms. Kristen Edwards, staff attorney, recommended that the Commission approve Triple H Wind Project, LLC’s request.   

           Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the  Deposit Agreement as filed on November 2, 2020, subject to the First Amendment to Deposit Agreement filed on December 9, 2020. Motion carried 3-0.

2.      EL20-015        In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2019 Demand Side Management Report and 2021 Proposed Demand Side Management Plan (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
 
        Mr. Steve Kolbeck, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel), asked that the Commission approve Xcel’s 2019 Demand Side Management Status Report and tracker account, the performance incentive earned for 2019, the proposed 2021 Demand Side Management Plan, and the proposed 2021 Demand Side Management Cost Adjustment Factor of $0.000528 per kWh with a January 1, 2021, effective date. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve Xcel’s request.
 
         Commissioner Hanson moved to approve Xcel’s 2019 Demand Side Management Status Report and tracker account, the performance incentive earned for 2019, the proposed 2021 Demand Side Management Plan, and the proposed 2021 Demand Side Management Cost Adjustment Factor of $0.000528 per kWh with a January 1, 2021, effective date. Motion carried 3-0.

3.      EL20-028        In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Rate 95 and Rate 96 (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

         Ms. Stephanie Bosch, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU), asked that the Commission approvetariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2021. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve MDU’s request.

         Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2021. Motion carried 3-0.

4.      EL20-031        In the Matter of the Joint Request for Approval of an Amended Electric Service Territory Boundary Agreement between Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)

         Mr. Jesse Sorenson, Black Hills Electric Cooperative, Inc. (BHEC), asked that the Commission approve the Amended Service Territory Boundary Agreement. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve the request subject to exhibit D being refiled.

         Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Amended Service Territory Boundary Agreement subject to amendment of the legal description in Exhibit D. Motion carried 3-0.

5.      EL20-033        In the Matter of the Filing by West Plains Engineering Inc. regarding Separate Metering Requirement in 20:10:26:03(1) (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

         Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, recommended that the Commission allow for the withdrawal of West Plains Engineering Inc.’s filing and close the docket.

         Commissioner Hanson moved to grant West Plains Engineering Inc.’s request to withdraw the filing and close the docket. Motion carried 3-0.

Gas and Electric

1.      GE17-003       In the Matter of Staff’s Request to Investigate the Effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on South Dakota Utilities (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Kristen Edwards)

         Ms. Katelyn Lynch-Butcher, MidAmerican Energy Company (MidAmerican), asked that the Commission approve the final gas TERM reconciliation. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve MidAmerican’s request.

         Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s final gas TERM reconciliation. Motion carried 3-0.

There being no further business, at the hour of 10:17 a.m. the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.    

/s/Macy Jo Murren
Macy Jo Murren
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
December 9, 2020