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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
January 19, 2021, at 1:30 P.M. CST
DOT Commission Room, Becker-Hansen Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF THE COMMISSION MEETING

Commissioner Chris Nelson called the meeting to order. Present were: Commissioner Gary Hanson; Commission Attorney: Adam de Hueck; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards and Amanda Reiss; Staff: Kaitlyn Baucom; and Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing Dakota Range III, LLC and Meridian Wind Project, LLC.

Joining the meeting by telephone were Commissioner Kristie Fiegen; Commission Attorney: Karen Cremer; Commission Advisor: Greg Rislov; Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber and Eric Paulson; Consumer Affairs Manager: Deb Gregg; Mollie Smith, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. representing Crocker Wind Farm, LLC and Sweetland Wind Farm, LLC; Hilary Morey, South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks;  and Mark Wengierski, Sweetland Wind Farm, LLC.

Administration

Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meetings held on January 4, 2021 (Staff: Macy Jo Murren)

Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the January 4, 2021, Commission Meeting Minutes. Motion carried 3-0.

Consumer Reports

          The Commission received a total of 82 contacts since the last report was prepared for the January 4, 2021, Commission meeting.

          Five contacts were related to telecommunications services, 35 contacts were related to electric services, seven contacts were related to natural gas services, one contact was related to gas and electric services, seven contacts were related to wireless services, eight contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, three contacts were related to wind energy, one contact was related to the Keystone XL Pipeline and 15 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.

          1,267 of the 1,268 contacts received in 2020 have been resolved and 66 of the 78 contacts received in 2021 have been resolved.

Electric

1.      EL17-055        In the Matter of the Application by Crocker Wind Farm, LLC for a Permit of a Wind Energy Facility and a 345 kV Transmission Line in Clark County, South Dakota, for Crocker Wind Farm (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorneys: Kristen Edwards, Amanda Reiss)

         Ms. Mollie Smith, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. representing Crocker Wind Farm, LLC, asked the Commission to defer this docket. Ms. Kristen Edwards, staff attorney, recommended the Commission defer the docket to a future commission meeting.

          Chairman Nelson deferred the docket to a future commission meeting.

2.      EL18-046        In the Matter of the Application of Dakota Range III, LLC for a Permit of a Wind Energy Facility and a 345-kV Transmission Line in Grant and Roberts Counties (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

          Mr. Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing Dakota Range III, LLC asked that the Commission approve the Escrow Agreement. Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, recommended that the Escrow Agreement filed by Dakota Range III, LLC on January 11, 2021, be approved. 

         Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Escrow Agreement filed on January 11, 2021. Motion carried 3-0.

3.      EL19-012        In the Matter of the Application by Sweetland Wind Farm, LLC for Facility Permits for a Wind Energy Facility and a 230-kV Transmission Facility in Hand County, South Dakota for the Sweetland Wind Farm Project (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)

         Ms. Mollie Smith, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. representing Sweetland Wind Farm, LLC  asked that the Commission grant an exemption from the Settlement Stipulation Condition No. 35, and committed to help fund a three-year prairie grouse telemetry study in lieu of conducting a second year of post-construction mortality monitoring Ms. Kristen Edwards, staff attorney, stated that staff had no objection.

         Commissioner Hanson moved to grant the Applicant’s Motion for Exemption from Settlement Stipulation Condition No. 35 conditioned on Applicant helping to fund a three-year prairie grouse telemetry study. Motion carried 3-0.

4.      EL20-013        In the Matter of the Application by Meridian Wind Project, LLC for a Permit of a Wind Energy Facility and a 345-kV Transmission Facility in Hyde County, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)

            Mr. Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing Meridian Wind Project, LLC asked that the Commission allow Meridian to withdraw the application and close the docket. Ms. Kristen Edwards, staff attorney, recommended the Commission approve Meridian Wind Project, LLC’s request. 

Commissioner Fiegen moved to grant the Applicant’s Motion to withdraw the application and close the docket. 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/Macy Jo Murren
Macy Jo Murren
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
January 19, 2021