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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
November 7, 2023, at 9:30 A.M. CST
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commission Chairperson Kristie Fiegen called the meeting to order. Present were Commissioner Gary Hanson; Commissioner Chris Nelson; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorneys Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac and Patrick Steffensen; and Administrative Staff Mikayla Frick.
Also present was David Smith, South Dakota Farmers Union.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Svetlana Fedje, Jason Grenier, Wendi Olson, Dave Prazak, Joleen Schmit, Cary Stephenson and Jesse Tomford, Otter Tail Power Company; Mary Morrison, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; Travis Jacobson and Darcy Neigum, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2023, November 7, 2023, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2023/puc11072023.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on October 24, 2023 (Deputy Executive Director: Leah Mohr)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on October 24, 2023. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The report was presented by Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney. The Commission received a total of 46 contacts since the last report was prepared for the October 24, 2023, Commission meeting.
Five contacts were related to telecommunications services, 18 contacts were related to electric services, four contacts were related to natural gas services, three contacts were related to wireless services, three contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was related to carbon pipelines, and 12 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
1,265 of the 1,283 contacts received in 2023 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL21-032 In the Matter of Otter Tail Power Company’s Petition for Approval of Real Time Pricing Rider Tariff (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Kristen Edwards)
Ms. Svetlana Fedje, Otter Tail Power Company, requested the Commission approve the company’s requested tariff revisions with an effective date of December 1, 2023. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request. Mr. Dave Prazak and Mr. Jesse Tomford, Otter Tail Power Company, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the company’s requested tariff changes effective December 1, 2023. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL23-017 In the Matter of the Filing by Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Mary Morrison, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy, requested the Commission approve the company’s requested tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2024. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the company’s requested tariff changes effective January 1, 2024. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL23-019 In the Matter of the filing by Otter Tail Power Company regarding its 2024-2026 Energy Efficiency Partnership Triennial Plan (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Mr. Jason Grenier, Otter Tail Power Company, requested the Commission approve the company’s 2024-2026 Energy Efficiency Partnership Triennial Plan. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request with the conditions that the fixed percentage incentive shall be calculated as 30% of actual expenses, with a cap set at 30% of the approved budget and actual spending shall not exceed 10% above the approved budget, unless approved by the Commission.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve Otter Tail Power Company’s 2024-2026 Energy Efficiency Partnership Triennial Plan, subject to the conditions recommended by staff. Motion carried 3-0.
4. EL23-021 In the Matter of Approval of Otter Tail Power Company’s Petition for Approval of a Bill Redesign and Modifications to General Rules and Regulations, Rate Schedule Section 1.05 (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Wendi Olson, Otter Tail Power Company, requested the Commission approve the company’s proposed standard and commercial electric service statements, proposed customer disconnection notice, and a manual bill exception for manually billed customers. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request. Ms. Joleen Schmit, Otter Tail Power Company, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve Otter Tail Power Company’s proposed standard and commercial electric service statements, proposed customer disconnection notice, and a manual bill exception for manually billed customers. Motion carried, 2-1. Commissioner Fiegen dissenting.
5. EL23-031 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., for Approval of a Waiver of Fuel and Purchase Power Adjustment Rate 58 (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Travis Jacobson, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., requested the Commission approve the company’s request for waiver of the filing requirements for the FPPA Rate 58 tariff until July 1, 2024. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommend the Commission approve the request. Mr. Darcy Neigum, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Hanson moved to grant Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.’s request for waiver of the filing requirements for the FPPA Rate 58 tariff until July 1, 2024. Motion carried, 2-1. Commissioner Nelson dissenting.
There being no further business, at the hour of 11:00 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Leah Mohr .
Leah Mohr
Deputy Executive Director
puc@state.sd.us
November 7, 2023
