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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
October 6, 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 Commissioners Kristie Fiegen and Gary Hanson; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorneys Jennie Fuerst, Amanda Reiss and Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Brittany Mehlhaff, Anuja Oke, Eric Paulson and Joseph Rezac; Public Utilities Manager Patrick Steffensen; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Joy Irving.

           Also present was Sara Weiss, Operations Specialist.

           Joining the meeting by telephone were Mary Zanter, Pipeline Safety Program Manager; Jessica Fyhrie, Amber Grenier, Jennifer Ibarra and Craig Steingaard, Otter Tail Power Company; Brian Bultje and Ryan Mueller, Central Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Chad Felderman and Matt Zomer, Dakota Energy Cooperative, Inc.; Brock Brown and Jason Sutton, Boyce Law Firm, LLP representing Otter Tail Power Company; Jeremy Duff, Taylor Law Firm representing Chevron New Energies; Sebastian De La Rosa and Michael Green, Chevron New Energies; and Adam Buhrman, Black Hills Energy.

           An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, October 6, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc10062026.mp3.

Administration

1.      Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meeting Held on September 22, 2026 (Staff: Janeth Merriman)

        Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the Minutes of the Commission Meeting held on September 22, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.

Consumer Reports

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

            The Commission received a total of 73 contacts since the last report was prepared for the September 22, 2026, Commission meeting.

           Six contacts were related to telecommunications services, 51 contacts were related to electric services, two contacts were related to natural gas, three contacts were related to wireless service, one contact was related to the Do Not Call Registry and Unwanted Calls, one contact was related to wind energy and nine contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.

           1121 of the 1139 contacts received in 2026 have been resolved.

Electric

1.      EL25-022        In the Matter of the Application of Otter Tail Power Company for Authority to Increase Its Electric Rates in South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Brittany Mehlhaff, Patrick Steffensen, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)

           Ms. Jessica Fyhrie, Otter Tail Power Company, requested the Commission approve the company’s amended settlement including the amended tariff section 13.09 on less than 30 days’ notice. Ms. Jennie Fuerst, staff attorney, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request on less than 30 days’ notice. Ms. Fyhrie, responded to Commissioners’ questions.

           Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the corrected tariff pages on less than thirty days’ notice and amend the March 12, 2026 Commission Order to incorporate those changes effective October 7, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.

2.      EL26-027        In the Matter of the Joint Request for Approval of an Electric Service Territory Exception Agreement between Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Dakota Energy Cooperative, Inc. (Staff Analyst: Anuja Oke; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)

           Mr. Brian Bultje, Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Mr. Chad Felderman, Dakota Energy Cooperative, Inc. asked the Commission to approve the Electric Service Territory Exception Agreement. Ms. Anuja Oke, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve the requested service rights exception between Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Dakota Energy Cooperative, Inc.

           Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the requested Electric Service Territory Exception Agreement between Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Dakota Energy Cooperative, Inc. Motion carried 3-0.

3.      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)

           A lengthy discussion took place for docket EL26-028. An audio recording of the discussion can be found under the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, October 6, 2026, Recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc10062026.mp3.

           Commissioner Nelson moved to grant the Applicant’s Motion to Extend Deadline, and to defer a decision on establishing a final decision date until a future commission meeting when a procedural schedule is brought forth. Motion carried 3-0.

Pipeline Safety

1.      PS26-002        In the Matter of the Filing by Commission Pipeline Safety Staff for Approval of an Agreed Upon Penalty for Pipeline Safety Violations by Chevron Full Circle RNG LLC (Pipeline Safety Program Manager: Mary Zanter; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

            Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, asked that the Commission impose the penalty agreed upon between staff and Chevron Full Circle RNG LLC (Chevron). Ms. Mary Zanter, pipeline safety program manager, agreed with the imposition of the penalty for Chevron. Mr. Jeremy Duff, representing Chevron, did not oppose the penalty. Ms. Zanter, responded to Commissioners’ questions.

           Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the imposition of the proposed civil penalty of $27,912.50 against Chevron Full Circle RNG LLC. Motion carried 3-0.

ADDENDUM TO THE AGENDA OF THE COMMISSION MEETING

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, Eric Paulson, Joseph Rezac, Patrick Steffensen; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)

            Ms. Amanda Reiss, staff attorney, requested that the Commission grant the Joint Motion. Mr. Adam Burhman, Black Hills Power, also requested that the Commission grant the Joint Motion. 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, October 6, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc10062026.mp3.

            Commissioner Hanson moved to grant the Joint Motion to Amend Procedural Schedule. Motion carried 3-0.

           There being no further business, at the hour of 10:34 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.

                                                                                                                                      
  /s/ Janeth A. Merriman                 .
Janeth Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
October 6, 2026