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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
May 20, 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; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst, and Amanda Reiss, Staff Analyst Joseph Rezac; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; Administrative Staff Joy Lashley and Janeth Merriman.

          Also present were Staff Attorney Logan Schaefbauer; and David Smith, South Dakota Farmers Union.

           Joining the meeting by telephone were Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Andy Carlson, Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP, representing Assurance Wireless USA, L.P.; Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association; Stephanie Horst, Bon Homme Yankton Electric; and Chad Kinsley, Southeastern Electric Cooperative.

            An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, May 8, 2025, recording located at:https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc05202025.mp3.

Consumer Reports

1.         Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)

            The Commission received a total of 45 contacts since the last report was prepared for the May 8, 2025, Commission meeting.

            Six contacts were related to telecommunications services, 17 contacts were related to electric services, one contact was related to natural gas service, four contacts were related to wireless services, one contact was related to the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was related to carbon pipelines, one contact was referred to South Dakota One Call, and 14 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.

           584 of the 596 contacts received in 2025 have been resolved.

Telecommunications

1.      TC25-003        In the Matter of the Application of Assurance Wireless USA, L.P., to Expand its Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Designated Service Area to Include Tribal Lands (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

            Ms. Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA), asked the Commission to grant SDTA's petition to intervene. Neither Mr. Andy Carlson, Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP representing Assurance Wireless USA, L.P. nor Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, objected to the intervention.

           Commissioner Fiegen moved the Commission grant SDTA's petition to intervene. Motion carried 3-0.

Electric

1.      EL25-014        In the Matter of the Joint Request for Approval of an Electric Service Territory Exchange Agreement between Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)

           Ms. Stephanie Horst, Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. and Mr. Chad Kinsley, Southeastern Electric Cooperative, requested the Commission approve the agreement between Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the request. Mr. Chad Kinsley and Ms. Stephanie Horst, responded to Commissioners’ questions.

           Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the Service Rights Exception Agreement between Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. and Southeastern Electric Cooperative, Inc. Motion carried 3-0.

           There being no further business, at the hour of 9:42 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.

  /s/ Janeth A. Merriman                 .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
May 20, 2025