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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
October 22, 2024, at 1:30 P.M. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commission Vice Chairman Gary Hanson called the meeting to order. Present were Commissioner Chris Nelson; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst, Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Joseph Rezac and Patrick Steffensen; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Mikayla Frick.
Joining the meeting by telephone was Chairperson Kristie Fiegen; Chad Kinsley, Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Jay Spaans, Douglas Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Jerrad Hammer, Jason Keil, Tom Stevens and Jana White, 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, October 22, 2024, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2024/puc10222024.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on October 8, 2024 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on October 8, 2024. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 36 contacts since the last report was prepared for the October 8, 2024, Commission meeting.
Five contacts were related to telecommunications services, seven contacts were related to electric services, three contacts were related to natural gas services, five contacts were related to wireless services, three contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, three contacts were related to carbon pipelines and 10 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
1,048 of the 1,066 contacts received in 2024 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL24-031 In the Matter of the Joint Request for Service Rights Exception between Douglas Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Jennie Fuerst)
Ms. Chad Kinsley, Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc., and Mr. Jay Spaans, Douglas Electric Cooperative, Inc. requested the Commission approve the agreement between Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Douglas Electric Cooperative, Inc. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the request.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the Service Rights Exception Agreement between Douglas Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL24-032 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Authorization to Enter into up to $450 Million of Intercompany Notes with Black Hills Corporation (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Jason Keil, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (Black Hills Power), requested the Commission authorize Black Hills Corporation to issue up to $450 million in unsecured Intercompany Promissory Notes. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended the Commission grant the company’s request with the conditions that Commission authorization does not constitute the Commission’s determination of any utility ratemaking issues and that the issuance of securities does not prohibit the Commission in any way from finding Black Hills Power’s capital structure in need of adjustment in the future.
Commissioner Nelson moved the Commission authorize Black Hills Power to issue up to $450 million in unsecured Intercompany Promissory Notes, with the conditions that Commission authorization does not constitute the Commission’s determination of any utility ratemaking issues and that the issuance of securities does not prohibit the Commission in any way from finding Black Hills Power’s capital structure in need of adjustment in the future. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 1:49 p.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
October 22, 2024
