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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
March 25, 2025, at 9:30 A.M. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commission Chairman Gary Hanson called the meeting to order. Present were Commissioner Chris Nelson and Commissioner Kristie Fiegen; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst, Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac and Patrick Steffensen; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Janeth Merriman.
Also present were David Smith, South Dakota Farmers Union; and Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Christopher Byrnes, Laura Dewey, Dean Lee, Eric Schiffer, Randy Synstelien, Andy Wang and Blanche Yougang, Otter Tail Power Company; Lori Brockhouse, Gretchen Kraemer and Derek Nelson, MidAmerican Energy Company; and Jeffrey Decker and Matt Stajcar, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, March 25, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc03252025.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meetings Held on February 28 and March 11, 2025 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on February 28 and March 11, 2025. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 30 contacts since the last report was prepared for the March 11, 2025, Commission meeting.
Two contacts were related to telecommunications services, seven contacts were related to electric services, one contact was related to gas and electric services, three contacts were related to natural gas services, four contacts were related to wireless services, four contacts were related to carbon pipelines, one contact was related to wind energy, and eight contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
399 of the 407 contacts received in 2025 have been resolved.
Telecommunications
1. TC13-026 In the Matter of Study Area Boundaries for Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, noted that there have been no changes to the study area boundaries since the last certification and recommended the Commission certify the current study area boundaries.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to certify the current study area boundaries, as described by staff. Motion carried 3-0.
Electric
1. EL25-002 In the Matter of the Filing by Otter Tail Power Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer and Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Eric Schiffer, Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) requested the Commission approve Otter Tail’s proposed filing. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve Otter Tail’s Small Power Production and Cogeneration for Qualifying Facilities, revised My Renewable Energy Credit rider, and revised tariff sheets with an effective date of April 1, 2025.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the proposed revisions to Otter Tail Power Company’s rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration for Qualifying Facilities, revised My Renewable Energy Credit rider, and revised tariff sheets with an effective date of April 1, 2025. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL25-004 In the Matter of MidAmerican Energy Company’s Application for Approval of Its 2024 Reconciliation and 2025 Transmission Cost Recovery Factors (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss, Jennie Fuerst)
Ms. Gretchen Kraemer, MidAmerican Energy Company, requested the Commission approve the revised Transmission Cost Recovery rate factors and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of April 1, 2025. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request. Mr. Derek Nelson, MidAmerican Energy Company, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the tariff revisions and TCR rate factors with an effective date of April 1, 2025. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL25-005 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Small Qualifying Facility Rider (Rates 73 and 74) (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorneys: Amanda Reiss and Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Jeffrey Decker, NorthWestern Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy, requested the Commission approve the company’s requested tariff revisions with an effective date of April 1, 2025. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve NorthWestern Energy’s tariff revisions with an effective date of April 1, 2025. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 9:48 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
March 25, 2025
