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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
April 11, 2024, at 9:30 A.M. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commission Chairperson Kristie Fiegen called the meeting to order. Present were Vice Chairman Gary Hanson and Commissioner Chris Nelson; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorneys Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analyst Joseph Rezac; Grain Warehouse Manager Cody Chambliss, Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Mikayla Frick.
Also present was David Smith, South Dakota Farmers Union.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Mustafa Adam, Luke Anderson, Ryan Bruers, Steve Kolbeck, Eric Pauli, Jessica Peterson, Patrik Ronnings and Lauren Steinhaeuser, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; and Jason Keil and Lynn Kendall, Black Hills Power Inc. dba Black Hills Energy.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2024, April 11, 2024, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2024/puc04112024.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on March 26, 2024 (Deputy Executive Director: Leah Mohr)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on March 26, 2024. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 56 contacts since the last report was prepared for the March 26, 2024, Commission meeting.
Eleven contacts were related to telecommunications services, 15 contacts were related to electric services, four contacts were related to natural gas services, four contacts were related to wireless telecommunications services, two contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, three contacts were related to carbon pipelines, one contact was related to wind energy and 16 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
320 of the 328 contacts received in 2024 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL23-032 In the Matter of the Application of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Proposed Tariff Modifications to the Controlled Air Conditioning and Water Heater Rider (Residential & Commercial) (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Logan Schaefbauer)
Ms. Jessica Peterson, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy, requested the Commission approve the company’s requested tariff revisions. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s tariff revision request. Mr. Ryan Bruers, Xcel Energy, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the tariff revisions. Motion failed
1-2. Commissioner Fiegen and Commissioner Nelson dissenting.
Commissioner Nelson moved to deny the approval of the tariff revisions. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL24-006 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval of Its 2023 Economic Development Report and 2024 Economic Development Plan (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Jason Keil and Ms. Lynn Kendall, Black Hills Power Inc. dba Black Hills Energy, requested the Commission approve the company’s 2023 Economic Development Report and the 2024 Economic Development Plan. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the requests.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy’s 2023 Economic Development Report and its 2024 Economic Development Plan. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL24-009 In the Matter of the Filing of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2023 Economic Development Activities and 2024 Budget (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Eric Pauli, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy, requested the Commission approve the company’s 2023 Economic Development Report and its 2024 Economic Development Budget. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve Xcel Energy’s request.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve Xcel Energy’s 2023 Economic Development Report and its 2024 Economic Development Budget. Motion carried
3-0.
Grain Warehouse
1. GW24-001 In the Matter of PUC Staff’s Complaint Against Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. of Woburn, MA (Grain Warehouse Manager: Cody Chambliss; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Logan Schaefbauer, staff attorney, recommended the Commission grant staff’s request to withdraw the portion of the petition as it relates to the petition to suspend Yield10’s grain buyer license. The remaining portion of Staff’s petition as it relates to civil penalties for alleged violation of state law is not withdrawn. Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. did not appear.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve staff’s request to withdraw the portion of the petition as it relates to the petition to suspend Yield10’s grain buyer license. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 10:12 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Leah Mohr .
Leah Mohr
Deputy Executive Director
puc@state.sd.us
April 11, 2024
