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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
July 1, 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 Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer, Staff Analysts Darren Kearney, Brittany Mehlhaff, Joseph Rezac, and Jon Thurber; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; Administrative Staff Joy Lashley.

          Also present were Pam Bonrud and Jeffrey Decker, NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy.

          Joining the meeting by telephone were Miles Schumacher, Lynn, Jackson, Shultz and Lebrun, PC, representing Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC; Greg Bailly, Joshua Follman, Luke Hansen, and Matthew Stajcar, NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy.

          An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, July 1, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc07012025.mp3.

Administration

1.      Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on June 17, 2025 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)

         Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on June 17, 2025. Motion carried 3-0.

Consumer Reports

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

         The Commission received a total of 41 contacts since the last report was prepared for the June 17, 2025, Commission meeting.

            Three contacts were related to telecommunications services, 14 contacts were related to electric services, two contacts were related to natural gas services, one contact was related to gas and electric service, two contacts were related to wireless services, five contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, four contacts were related to wind energy, one contact was related to carbon pipeline, one contact was referred to South Dakota One Call, and eight contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.   

            719 of the 735 contacts received in 2025 have been resolved.

Telecommunications

1.      TC23-041        In the Matter of the Petition of TERRACOM INC., dba Maxsip Tel 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: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

         Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, asked that the Commission allow the company to withdraw its petition. Neither the Petitioner, TERRACOM, nor SDTA were in attendance.

         Commissioner Fiegen moved to grant the Petitioner’s Request to withdraw its petition without prejudice and close the docket. Motion carried 3-0.

Electric

1.      EL18-019        In the Matter of the Application of Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC for a Facility Permit to Construct a 230-kV Transmission Line and Associated Facilities in Codington County (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

         Mr. Miles Schumacher, Lynn, Jackson, Shultz and Lebrun, PC, representing Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC, requested the Commission grant Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC’s Motion for Release of Indemnity Bond. Ms. Amanda Reiss, Staff Attorney, recommended the bond be released.

         Commissioner Hanson moved to grant Crowned Ridge Wind II, LLC’s Motion for Release of Indemnity Bond. Motion carried 3-0.

2.      EL25-013        In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy’s Request to Implement a Phase-In Rate Plan Rider (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Jennie Fuerst)

         Ms. Pam Bonrud, NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern), requested the Commission approve the phase-in rate plan rider (PIRP Rider) and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of July 1, 2025. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the PIRP Rider and associated tariff sheet as filed on June 25, 2025. Staff also recommended the commission clarify in this order that the regulatory asset is for a cap of $800,000, for nuclear study costs incurred beginning March 1, 2023. Any costs over and above the $800,000 would not be included in the regulatory asset and would require NorthWestern to come before the Commission to seek additional deferred accounting approval.

          A lengthy discussion took place for docket EL25-013. An audio recording can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, July 1, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc07012025.mp3.

         Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the PIRP Rider rates and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of July 1, 2025, and to authorize any additional expenditures for research of small modular reactors be authorized to be added to the regulatory asset. Motion carried 3-0.

         There being no further business, at the hour of 10:58 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.

 

  /s/ Janeth A. Merriman                 .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
July 1, 2025