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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
June 3, 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 Advisor Greg Rislov; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst and Amanda Reiss, Staff Analysts Brittany Mehlhaff and Patrick Steffensen; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; Administrative Staff Joy Lashley and Janeth Merriman.
Also present was Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Sola Lee and Adrian Johnson, Dish Wireless LLC; Jason Topp and Christina Chushuk, CenturyLink QC.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, June 3, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc06032025.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meetings Held on May 8 and May 20, 2025 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meetings held on May and 20, 2025. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 42 contacts since the last report was prepared for the May 20, 2025, Commission meeting.
Three contacts were related to telecommunications services, 15 contacts were related to electric services, two contacts were related to natural gas services, five contacts were related to wireless services, one contact was related to the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was referred to the Grain Warehouse Program, and 15 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
628 of the 638 contacts received in 2025 have been resolved.
Telecommunications
1. TC23-006 In the Matter of the Petition of Dish Wireless LLC dba Gen Mobile for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of South Dakota for the Limited Purpose of Providing Lifeline Service to Qualifying Customers (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Sola Lee, Dish Wireless LLC dba Gen Mobile (Gen Mobile) requested the Commission approve the joint motion for Approval of Settlement Stipulation and grant Gen Mobile’s Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC). Ms. Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA) supported the Approval of Settlement Stipulation and granting ETC designation subject to the terms included in the May 14, 2024, Stipulation and Agreement between SDTA and Gen Mobile. Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, recommended the Commission approve the Applicants’ and Ms. Semmler’s requests. Ms. Sola Lee, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the Joint Stipulation and grant the Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunication Carrier for the purposes of receiving federal Lifeline universal service support in non-rural areas subject to any representations or commitments made in writing in this docket and orally on the record at the June 3, 2025 Commission meeting. Motion carried 3-0.
2. TC25-004 In the Matter of the Filing of Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC for Approval of Revisions to Its Access Service Tariff (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Jason Topp, Qwest Corporation dba CenturyLink QC, requested the Commission approve the tariff revisions. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the request.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the requested tariff changes. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 9:50 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
June 3, 2025
