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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
January 23, 2024, at 1:30 P.M. CST
Matthew Training Center, Foss Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commission Chairperson Kristie Fiegen called the meeting to order. Present were Commissioner Gary Hanson and Commissioner Chris Nelson; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Staff Attorneys Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Darren Kearney, Brittany Mehlhaff and Jon Thurber; and Administrative Staff Mikayla Frick.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Logan Bell, Zach Lasek and Mark Wengierski, Scout Clean Energy/Sweetland Wind Farm LLC; Mollie Smith, Fredrikson & Byron PA representing Sweetland Wind Farm LLC; and Emily Clement, Gretta Knight, Gretchen Kraemer and Renee White, MidAmerican Energy Company.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2024, January 23, 2024, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2024/puc01232024.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on January 9, 2024 (Deputy Executive Director: Leah Mohr)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on January 9, 2024. 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 37 contacts since the last report was prepared for the January 9, 2024, Commission meeting.
Five contacts were related to telecommunications services, 12 contacts were related to electric services, one contact was related to natural gas services, two contacts were related to wireless telecommunications services, three contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was related to carbon pipelines, and 13 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
1,426 of the 1,431 contacts received in 2023 have been resolved.
49 of the 54 contacts received in 2024 have been resolved.
Electric
1. 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 PA representing Sweetland Wind Farm LLC requested the Commission grant the company’s Motion for Release of Road and Public Infrastructure Bond. Mr. Jon Thurber, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission grant Sweetland’s motion. Upon commission request, the company agreed to provide additional information regarding consent from affected townships for release of the bond.
Commissioner Nelson moved that the Commission grant Sweetland’s Motion for Release of Road and Public Infrastructure Bond. Motion carried 3-0.
Gas & Electric
1. GE23-003 In the Matter of the filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of a Revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Logan Schaefbauer)
Ms. Gretchen Kraemer, MidAmerican Energy Company, asked that the Commission approve the proposed revisions to MidAmerican Energy Company’s Customer Information Welcome Booklet. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s request.
Commissioner Hanson moved that the Commission approve the proposed revisions to MidAmerican Energy Company’s Customer Information Welcome Booklet. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 1:40 p.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Leah Mohr .
Leah Mohr
Deputy Executive Director
puc@state.sd.us
January 23, 2024
