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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
September 22, 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; Commission Advisor Darren Kearney; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorneys Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Brittany Mehlhaff and Joseph Rezac; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Joy Irving.
Also present was Brett Koenecke, May, Adam, Gerdes & Thompson LLP representing MidAmerican Energy Company.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Commissioner Gary Hanson; Ryan Taylor, Cutler Law Firm, LLP representing Fort Randall Telephone Company; Bruce Hanson, Fort Randall Telephone Company; Lisa Agrimonti, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A. representing PowerOn Midwest; Brock Brown and Jason Sutton, Boyce Law Firm, LLP representing Otter Tail Power Company; Craig Steingaard, Otter Tail Power Company; Sam Wagner and Emily Willits, MidAmerican Energy Company.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, September 22, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc09222026.mp3.
(Note): For the purpose of continuity, these minutes match the agenda and are not necessarily in chronological order.
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on September 8, 2026 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on September 8, 2026. Motion carried 2-0. Commissioner Hanson not present for the vote.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 81 contacts since the last report was prepared for the September 8, 2026, Commission meeting.
Four contacts were related to telecommunications services, 57 contacts were related to electric services, seven contacts were related to natural gas, four contacts were related to wireless service, one contact was related to the Do Not Call Registry and Unwanted Calls, one contact was related to Dakota Access Pipeline, one contact was referred to the Pipeline Safety Program and six contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
1046 of the 1066 contacts received in 2026 have been resolved.
Telecommunications
1. TC23-005 In the Matter of the Petition of GO MD USA LLC, dba GO MD USA Mobile for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier in the State of South Dakota for the Limited Purpose of Providing Lifeline Service to Qualifying Customers (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, asked that the Commission grant Staff’s Motion to dismiss the company’s petition without prejudice. Neither the GO MD USA LLC, dba GO MD USA Mobile, nor SDTA were in attendance.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to grant Staff’s Motion to Dismiss petition without prejudice. Motion carried 2-0. Commissioner Hanson not present for the vote.
2. TC26-018 In the Matter of the Request of Fort Randall Telephone Company for Certification Regarding Its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Study Area: 391660) (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac)
Mr. Ryan Taylor, Cutler Law Firm, LLP representing Fort Randall Telephone Company 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. Mr. Joseph Rezac, Staff analyst, recommended the Commission grant the company’s request. Mr. Bruce Hanson, Fort Randall Telephone Company 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 for Fort Randall Telephone Company. Motion carried 2-0. Commissioner Hanson not present for the vote.
Electric
1. EL26-026 In the Matter of the Application of Xcel Energy and Otter Tail Power Company for an Energy Facility Permit to Construct the PowerOn Midwest Project Consisting of a 765-kV Transmission Line, a 345-kV Transmission Line, and Associated Facilities (Staff Analysts: Jon Thurber, Anuja Oke; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, 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 $842,000, which represents the lesser of two filing fee alternatives, with the other including contingencies in the calculation and amounting to $1,033,000, and authorize the Executive Director to enter into necessary consulting contracts. Ms. Lisa Agrimonti, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., representing PowerOn Midwest did not object. Ms. Reiss responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to assess a filing fee in the amount of $1,033,000 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date and authorize the Executive Director to enter into necessary consulting contracts. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL26-028 In the Matter of the Application of Otter Tail Power Company for a Facility Permit for the Big Stone South to Hankinson to Bison 345 kV Transmission Line Project (Staff Analysts: Anuja Oke, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Logan Schaefbauer, staff attorney, 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 $295,300, which represents the lesser of two filing fee alternatives, with the other including contingencies in the calculation and amounting to $314,350, and authorize the Executive Director to enter into necessary consulting contracts. Mr. Jason Sutton, Boyce Law Firm, LLP representing Otter Tail Power Company did not object. Mr. Schaefbauer responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to assess a filing fee in the amount of $314,350 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date and authorize the Executive Director to enter into necessary consulting contracts. Motion carried 3-0.
Natural Gas
1. NG26-004 In the Matter of the Filing by MidAmerican Energy Company for Approval of Its 2025 Economic Development Activities and 2026 Proposed Budget (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff)
A lengthy discussion took place for docket NG26-004. An audio recording of the discussion can be found under the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, September 22, 2026, Recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc09222026.mp3.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve MidAmerican Energy Company’s 2025 Economic Development Activities and 2026 Proposed Budget. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 10:15 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
September 22, 2026
