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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
March 26, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commissioner Kristie Fiegen called the meeting to order. Present were Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorneys Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Eric Paulson and Jon Thurber; Public Utilities Manager Patrick Steffensen; Grain Warehouse Manager Kyle Weinman; and Administrative Staff Janeth Merriman.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Commission Chairman Chris Nelson; Commissioner Gary Hanson; Chris Byrnes, Otter Tail Power Company; Lori Brockhouse, Gretchen Kraemer and Diane Votino, MidAmerican Energy Company; Bradley Davison, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.; Marlys Auleciems, Ryan Hesse and Nick Ketcham, Scoular Company; Allan Williams, Husch Blackwell representing Scoular Company.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, March 26, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc03262026.mp3.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on March 10, 2026 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Minutes of the Meeting Held on March 10, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The report was presented by Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney. The Commission received a total of 68 contacts since the last report was prepared for the March 10, 2026, Commission meeting.
Seven contacts were related to telecommunications services, 44 contacts were related to electric services, two contacts were related to natural gas service, three contacts were related to wireless service, one contact was related to wind energy, three contacts were related to unwanted calls and the Do Not Call Registry, and eight contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
353 of the 363 contacts received in 2026 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL26-001 In the Matter of the Filing by Otter Tail Power Company for Approval of Tariff Revisions to Its Rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration (Staff Analyst: Jon Thurber)
Mr. Chris Byrnes, Otter Tail Power Company (Otter Tail) requested the Commission approve Otter Tail’s proposed filing. Mr. Jon Thurber, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve Otter Tail’s Small Power Production and Cogeneration for Qualifying Facilities, revised My Renewable Energy Credit rider, and revised tariff sheets with an effective date of April 1, 2026.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the proposed revisions to Otter Tail Power Company’s rates for Small Power Production and Cogeneration for Qualifying Facilities, revised My Renewable Energy Credit rider, and revised tariff sheets with an effective date of April 1, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL26-002 In the Matter of MidAmerican Energy Company’s Application for Approval of Its 2025 Reconciliation and 2026 Transmission Cost Recovery Factors (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen)
Ms. Gretchen Kraemer, MidAmerican Energy Company, requested the Commission approve the revised Transmission Cost Recovery rate factors and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of April 2, 2026. Mr. Patrick Steffensen, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request. Ms. Kraemer responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the tariff revisions and TCR rate factors with an effective date of April 2, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL26-005 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., for Approval of the Annual Update to Its Transmission Cost Recovery Rider Rate (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson)
Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, requested the Commission assess a filing fee for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date in the amount of up to $50,000. Mr. Bradley Davison, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., did not object to the request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to assess a filing fee in the amount of up to $50,000 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date. Motion carried 3-0.
4. EL26-006 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Revisions to Its Rates QF (Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Gretchen Kramer, MidAmerican Energy Company, requested the Commission approve the company's requested tariff revisions with an effective date of April 8, 2026. Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, recommended the Commission approve the company’s requests with an effective date of April 8, 2026.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s tariff revisions with an effective date of April 8, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
Grain Warehouse
1. GW26-001 In the Matter of the Settlement Agreement with Scoular Company and Scoular Canada ULC. (Grain Warehouse Manager: Kyle Weinman; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Logan Schaefbauer, staff attorney, requested the Commission approve the Settlement Agreement and assess a penalty in the amount of $5,000 for a violation of SDCL 49-45-25 against Scoular Company and Scoular Canada ULC. (Scoular). Mr. Allan Williams, Husch Blackwell representing Scoular agreed with the request of staff. Mr. Logan Schaefbauer, staff attorney, Kyle Weinman, Grain Warehouse Manager, Mr. Nick Ketcham and Mr. Ryan Hesse, Scoular, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Hanson moved to approve the Settlement Agreement and assess a civil penalty in the amount of $5,000 against Scoular. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 2:02 p.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
March 26, 2026
