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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting 
April 7, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota

MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING

           Commission Chairman Chris Nelson called the meeting to order. Present were Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorney Amanda Reiss; Staff Analysts Eric Paulson and Joseph Rezac; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Joy Irving.

           Also present was David Smith, South Dakota Farmers Union.

           Joining the meeting by telephone were Commissioner Kristie Fiegen; Commissioner Gary Hanson; Jason Keil and Wade Nyberg, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; and John Mckee Sr..

           An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, April 7, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc04072026.mp3.

Administration

1.        Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on March 26, 2026 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)

            Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the Minutes of the Meeting Held on March 26, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.

Consumer Reports

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

           The Commission received a total of 49 contacts since the last report was prepared for the March 26, 2026, Commission meeting.

One contact was related to telecommunications services, 37 contacts were related to electric services, one contact was related to wireless service, one contact was related to unwanted calls and the Do Not Call Registry, and 9 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.    

            403 of the 412 contacts received in 2026 have been resolved.

Electric

1.        EL26-003       In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Authority to Increase Rates For its Utility Service in South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

            Mr. John D. McKee Sr. asked the Commission to grant his petition to intervene. Mr. Jason Keil, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy, and Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, did not object to the request.

         Commissioner Nelson moved the Commission grant John D. McKee Sr.'s petition to intervene. Motion carried 3-0.

           There being no further business, at the hour of 1:35 p.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.

  /s/ Janeth A. Merriman                 .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
April 7, 2026