Commission Minutes | previous page
South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
June 30, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. CDT
Room 413, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
MINUTES OF COMMISSION MEETING
Commission Chairman Chris Nelson called the meeting to order. Present were Commissioner Kristie Fiegen and Commissioner Gary Hanson; Commission Advisor Greg Rislov; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst, Amanda Reiss, and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Darren Kearney; Brittany Mehlhaff, Eric Paulson, and Joseph Rezac; Public Utilities Manager Patrick Steffensen; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; Deputy Executive Director & Finance Manager Cindy Kemnitz and Administrative Staff Janeth Merriman.
Also present were Jarred Hammer and Jason Keil, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. and Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; and Kara Semmler, South Dakota Telecommunications Association; Melissa, Evelyn and Mae Gibson; and Bill and Dee Stevens.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Michael Donahue, Scale LLP representing Grasshopper Group, LLC; Lisa Peters, Kutak Rock LLP representing Grasshopper Group, LLC; MP Kang and Jay Markey, Grasshopper Group, LLC; Ryan Taylor, Cutler Law Firm, LLP representing City of Brookings Municipal Telephone; Laura Julius, Steve Meyer, City of Brookings Municipal Telephone; Meredith Moore, Cutler Law Firm, LLP representing Basin Electric Power Cooperative; Travis Jacobson, Montana-Dakota Utilities Co.; James Moore, Woods Fuller, Schultz & Smith P.C. representing South Dakota Large Customer Group; Adam Buhrman, Lynn Kendall, Douglas Law and Eric Wolff, Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy; Cristina Zuniga, Otter Tail Power Company; John McKee Sr.; and Colton Kennedy.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, June 30, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc06302026.mp3.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 30 contacts since the last report was prepared for the June 18, 2026, Commission meeting.
One contact was related to telecommunications services, 13 contacts were related to electric services, three contacts were related to wireless service, one contact was related to natural gas, two contacts were related to gas and electric service, one contact was related to unwanted calls and the Do Not Call Registry, one contact was related to wind energy, and eight contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
745 of the 764 contacts received in 2026 have been resolved.
Telecommunications
1. TC26-001 In the Matter of the Application of Grasshopper Group, LLC for a Certificate of Authority for Interexchange Services in South Dakota (Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
Ms. Lisa Peters, Kutak Rock LLP representing Grasshopper Group, LLC requested the Commission grant the request for a Certificate of Authority to provide interexchange services in South Dakota. Ms. Jennie Fuerst, staff attorney, recommended the Commission grant the company’s requests, with the condition that Grasshopper provide a $25,000 bond. The company did not object to the request that Grasshopper provide a bond. Ms. Peters and Mr. Jay Markey, Grasshopper Group, LLC responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to grant Grasshopper’s request for a Certificate of Authority to provide interexchange telecommunication services in South Dakota, with the condition that Grasshopper provide a $25,000 bond. Motion carried 3-0.
2. TC26-007 In the Matter of the Request of City of Brookings Municipal Telephone for Certification Regarding Its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Study Area: 391650) (Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Ryan Taylor, Cutler Law Firm, LLP, representing City of Brookings Municipal Telephone (Brookings), requested the Commission provide certification to the Federal Communications Commission and the Universal Service Administration Company regarding the proper use of Federal Universal Service Support. Ms. Jennie Fuerst, staff attorney, recommended the Commission grant the company’s request. Mr. Taylor and Mr. Ryan Meyer, Brookings responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to provide a certification to the Federal Communications Commission and to the Universal Service Administration Company regarding the use of Federal Universal Service Support. Motion carried 3-0.
Electric
1. EL24-027 In the Matter of the Petition by Leola Data Center LLC to have Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., Assigned as its Electric Provider in the Service Area of FEM Electric Association Inc. (Staff Analyst: Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Amanda Reiss, Jennie Fuerst)
Commissioner Nelson deferred the docket to a later commission meeting.
2. EL25-039 In the Matter of the Filing by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., a Subsidiary of MDU Resources Group Inc., Update to Infrastructure Rider (IR) Rate 56 and Request for Waiver of Fuel and Purchase Power Adjustment Rate 58 (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
A lengthy discussion took place for docket EL25-039. An audio recording can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, June 30, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc06302026.mp3.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the proposed Infrastructure Rider rate and revised tariff sheet with an effective date of July 1, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
3. 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, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
All parties were present. No party objected to Staff’s request to amend the current procedural schedule. A lengthy discussion took place for docket EL26-003. An audio recording can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, June 30, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc06302026.mp3.
Commission Hanson moved to grant Staff’s Motion for Approval of Amended Procedural Schedule. Motion carried 3-0.
Commission Hanson moved to defer Mr. McKee’s Motion to Adopt Protective Order. Motion carried 3-0.
4. EL26-004 In the Matter of the Application of Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy for Approval of Its 2025 Economic Development Report and 2026 Economic Development Plan (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff)
Mr. Jason Keil and Ms. Lynn Kendall, Black Hills Power Inc. dba Black Hills Energy, requested the Commission approve the company’s 2025 Economic Development Report and the 2026 Economic Development Plan. Ms. Brittany Mehlhaff, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the requests.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy’s 2025 Economic Development Report and its 2026 Economic Development Plan. Motion carried 3-0.
5. EL26-011 In the Matter of Otter Tail Power Company’s 2025 South Dakota Energy Efficiency Plan Status Report and 2026 Annual Filing to Update the Energy Efficiency Adjustment Rider (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Cristina Zuniga, Otter Tail Power Company, requested the Commission approve Otter Tail’s 2025 Energy Efficiency Plan Status Report, the 2025 Financial Incentive of $151,972, and approve the proposal that the Energy Efficiency Adjustment Factor be decreased to $0.00101/kWh for July 2026 through June 2027. Mr. Eric Paulson, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve Otter Tail Power Company’s 2025 Energy Efficiency Plan Status Report, approve the 2025 Financial Incentive of $151,972, and the proposal that the Energy Efficiency Adjustment Factor be decreased to $0.00101/kWh for July 2026 through June 2027. Motion carried 3-0.
ADDENDUM TO THE AGENDA OF THE COMMISSION MEETING
Pipeline Safety
1. PS25-003 In the Matter of the PUC Staff’s Complaint Against
Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy (Pipeline Safety Staff: Mary Zanter, Boice Hillmer; Staff Analyst: Darren Kearney; Staff Attorneys: Logan Schaefbauer, Jennie Fuerst)
Mr. Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing Black Hills Power, Inc. dba Black Hills Energy requested the Commission approve the Amended Settlement Stipulation and Agreement. Ms. Jennie Fuerst, staff attorney, recommended the Amended Settlement Stipulation and Agreement.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the Amended Settlement Stipulation and Agreement. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 11:25 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth A. Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
June 30, 2026
