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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
December 16, 2025, at 9:30 A.M. CST
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commission Chairman Chris Nelson called the meeting to order. Present was Commissioner Kristie Fiegen; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson, and Patrick Steffensen; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; Pipeline Safety Program Manager Mary Zanter; and Administrative Staff Janeth Merriman.
Also present were Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association; Steven Kolbeck, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; and Melissa Baruth, Pamela Bonrud, and Brad Wenande, NorthWestern Energy.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Commissioner Gary Hanson; Chris Buboltz, Cody Holmes, and Laurie Wold, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy; and Gretchen Kraemer, Diane Votino, Lori Brockhouse, Nora Varela-Binion, and Derek Nelson, MidAmerican Energy Company.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, December 16, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc12162025.mp3.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 29 contacts since the last report was prepared for the December 2, 2025, Commission meeting.
Two contacts were related to telecommunications services, 11 contacts were related to electric services, two contacts were related to natural gas services, one contact was related to gas and electric services, three contacts were related to wireless services, three contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was related to wind energy, and six contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
1,167 of the 1,181 contacts received in 2025 have been resolved.
Telecommunications
1. TC25-038 In the Matter of the Application of LTE Wireless, Inc. for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of South Dakota (Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Ms. Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association (SDTA), asked the Commission to grant SDTA's petition to intervene. LTE Wireless, Inc. was not present at the meeting. Mr. Logan Schaefbauer, staff attorney, did not object to the request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved the Commission grant SDTA's petition to intervene. Motion carried 3-0.
Electric
1. EL25-031 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2026 Transmission Cost Recovery Eligibility and Rate Adjustment (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Steve Kolbeck, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel), requested the Commission approve the company’s request. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the updated 2026 revenue requirements, which excludes the Minnesota Energy connection project, and revised TCR rate with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Mr. Kolbeck and Ms. Laurie Wold, Xcel, and Mr. Paulson, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the revised 2026 TCR Rider revenue requirements, revised 2026 TCR Rider Adjustment factor and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL25-041 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company
for Approval of Tariff Revisions (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
A lengthy discussion took place for docket EL25-041, considered together with NG25-006. An audio recording can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, December 16, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc12162025.mp3.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve MidAmerican’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026, with the exclusion of keeping the current language of bullet point three that says “automated phone system or company representative”.
Commissioner Nelson moved a substitute motion to approve MidAmerican’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Motion carried 2-1. Commissioner Fiegen dissenting.
Gas and Electric
1. GE25-002 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of a Revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
Ms. Gretchen Kraemer, MidAmerican Energy Company, asked that the Commission approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve the revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet with an approval date of December 31, 2025. Ms. Nora Varela-Binion and Mr. Derek Nelson, MidAmerican Energy responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved that the Commission approve the revised Customer Information Welcome Booklet with an approval date of December 31, 2025 with the reinstatement of the email option. Motion carried 3-0.
Natural Gas
1. NG25-006 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company
for Approval of Tariff Revisions (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
A lengthy discussion took place for docket NG25-006, considered together with EL25-041. An audio recording can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, December 16, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc12162025.mp3.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve MidAmerican’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026 with the exclusion of keeping the current language of bullet point three that says “automated phone system or company representative”.
Commissioner Nelson moved a substitute motion to approve MidAmerican’s tariff revisions with an effective date of January 1, 2026. Motion carried 2-1. Commissioner Fiegen dissenting.
Pipeline Safety
1. PS25-002 In the Matter of the Petition of the PUC Pipeline Safety Program Manager and Staff for a Declaratory Ruling regarding the Proper Classification of Certain NorthWestern Energy Pipelines (Pipeline Safety Program Manager: Mary Zanter; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
A lenghty discussion took place for docket PS25-002. An audio recording can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2025, December 16, 2025, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2025/puc12162025.mp3. Commission staff and representatives from NorthWestern Energy appeared and responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved that the Commission rule that the lines in question be classified as distribution lines. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 10:43 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
December 16, 2025
