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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
October 23, 2025, at 1:30 P.M. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commissioner Chairman Gary Hanson called the meeting to order. Present were Commissioner Chris Nelson; Commission Executive Director Leah Mohr; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst, Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Darren Kearney, Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson and Joseph Rezac; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Janeth Merriman.
Also present was Bob Mercer, Keloland News.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Commissioner Kristie Fiegen; Cary Stephenson and Jessica Fyhrie, Otter Tail Power Company; Steven Kolbeck and Lisa Peterson, Norther States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; Meredith Moore, Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Danny Brown, East River Electric Power Cooperative, Inc.; Ted Smith, Sioux Valley-Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Bill Van Camp, Olinger, Lovald, McCahren & Van Camp, P.C. representing Sweetman Const. Co. dba Knife River; Mike Nadolski, Sioux Valley-Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc.; James Moore, Woods, Fuller, Schultz & Smith P.C. representing Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc.; and Jason Sutton, Boyce Law Firm, LLP representing Otter Tail Power Company.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, October 23, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc10232025.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meetings Held on September 23 and October 7, 2025 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meetings held on September 23 and October 7, 2025. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 43 contacts since the last report was prepared for the October 7, 2025, Commission meeting.
Three contacts were related to telecommunications services, 15 contacts were related to electric services, three contacts were related to natural gas services, seven contacts were related to wireless services, three contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, five contacts were related to wind energy, one contact was referred to South Dakota One Call and six contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
1,052 of the 1,065 contacts received in 2025 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL25-022 In the Matter of the Application of Otter Tail Power Company for Authority to Increase Its Electric Rates in South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
Ms. Jennie Fuerst, staff attorney, recommended the Commission approve the joint motion for procedural schedule. Ms. Fuerst, responded to Commissioners’ question.
Commissioner Hanson moved to grant the joint motion and adopt the procedural schedule, with the exception of the proposed February 16 filing deadline, which shall be moved to February 17, 2026 and that the Commission requires the submission of prefiled testimony as a prerequisite to offering testimony at the evidentiary hearing, and that the Commission establish a 10 calendar day deadline for responses to discovery request. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL25-024 In the Matter of the Application of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Authority to Increase its Electric Rates (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Steven Kolbeck, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) supported the joint motion for procedural schedule. Mr. Logan Schaefbauer, staff attorney, recommended the Commission approve the joint motion for procedural schedule.
Commissioner Nelson moved to grant Xcel and Staff’s joint motion for approval of the procedural schedule. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL25-025 In the Matter of the Filing by Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Lisa Peterson, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel) requested the Commission approve Xcel’s proposed filing. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve Xcels’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Ms. Peterson responded to Commissioners’ question.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
4. EL25-032 In the Matter of the Petition of Sweetman Const. Co. dba Knife River, to have Xcel Energy Assigned as its Electric Provider in the Service Area of Sioux Valley Electric (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Steven Kolbeck, Xcel Energy; Mr. Mike Nadolski, Sioux Valley-Southwestern Electric Cooperative, Inc., Mr. Danny Brown, East River Electric Power Cooperative Inc.; and Ms. Meredith Moore, Basin Electric Power Cooperative asked the Commission to grant their respective petitions to intervene. Mr. Bill Van Camp, Olinger, Lovald, McCahren & Van Camp, P.C., representing Sweetman Const. Co. dba Knife River and Ms. Jennie Fuerst, staff attorney, did not object to the requests.
Commissioner Hanson moved the Commission grant the petitions to Intervene for Sioux Valley-Southwestern, Inc., Est River Electric Power Cooperative, Inc., Basin Electric Power Cooperative, and Xcel Energy. Motion carried 3-0.
5. EL25-026 In the Matter of the Complaint of Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc. Against Otter Tail Power Company (Staff Analysts: Darren Kearney, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Mr. James Moore, Woods, Fuller, Schultz & Smith P.C., representing Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc. and Mr. Jason Sutton, Boyce Law Firm, LLP, representing Otter Tail Power Company asked the Commission to grant the Stipulation to Dismiss filed jointly by the Parties. Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, recommended the Commission approve the stipulation.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Stipulation to Dismiss and dismiss the docket without prejudice. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 1:53 p.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
October 23, 2025
