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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
October 20, 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 Gary Hanson; Commission Advisor Darren Kearney; Commission Attorney Kristen Edwards; Staff Attorney Logan Schaefbauer; Staff Analysts Brittany Mehlhaff, Anuja Oke, and Joseph Rezac; Consumer Affairs Manager Deb Gregg; and Administrative Staff Joy Irving.
Joining the meeting by telephone were Commissioner Kristie Fiegen; Amanda Reiss, Staff Attorney; James Moore, Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith P.C. representing Valley Queen Cheese Factory, Inc.; Cary Stephenson and Amber Grenier, Otter Tail Power Company; Rebecca Eilers and Lisa Peterson, Xcel Energy; and Jeffrey Decker, NorthWestern Energy.
An audio recording of the meeting can be found on the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, October 20, 2026, recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc10202026.mp3.
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
The Commission received a total of 58 contacts since the last report was prepared for the October 6, 2026, Commission meeting.
One contact was related to telecommunications services, 36 contacts were related to electric services, three contacts were related to natural gas, one contact was related to wireless service, six contacts were related to the Do Not Call Registry and Unwanted Calls, one contact was referred to South Dakota One Call and 10 contacts were related to issues not regulated by the PUC.
1175 of the 1197 contacts received in 2026 have been resolved.
Electric
1. EL25-035 In the Matter of Otter Tail Power Company’s Petition for Approval of a Revised Real Time Pricing Rate Section 14.02 (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. James Moore, Woods, Fuller, Shultz & Smith P.C. representing Valley Queen Cheese Factory (Valley Queen) requested the commission grant the company’s motion to withdraw as an Intervenor. Mr. Cary Stephenson, Otter Tail Power Company and Mr. Logan Schaefbauer, staff attorney, supported the request. Mr. Stephenson and Mr. Moore responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Hanson moved to grant Valley Queen’s Motion for Leave to Withdraw. Motion carried 3-0.
2. EL26-015 In the Matter of Otter Tail Power Company’s Petition for Approval of its Energy Adjustment Rider Modification (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac; Staff Attorney: Amanda Reiss)
Ms. Amber Grenier, Otter Tail Power Company, requested the Commission approve the company's requested tariff revisions with an effective date of November 1, 2026. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s requests with an effective date of November 1, 2026. Mr. Rezac and Ms. Grenier responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Nelson moved to approve the company’s proposed tariff revisions with an effective date of November 1, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
3. EL26-029 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Updates to the Fuel Cost True-Up Factor Process (Staff Analyst: Joseph Rezac)
Ms. Rebecca Eilers, Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy (Xcel Energy), requested that the Commission approve the company’s request. Mr. Joseph Rezac, staff analyst, recommended that the Commission approve the request. Ms. Lisa Peterson, Xcel Energy, responded to Commissioners’ questions.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to suspend the current fuel cost true-up factor process effective with the fuel cost charge implemented on November 1, 2026, and approve the associated tariff revisions to implement an annual true-up process to true-up the fuel cost factor. Motion carried 3-0.
4. EL26-030 In the Matter of the Petition of Northern States Power Company dba Xcel Energy for Approval of Its 2027 Infrastructure Rider Project Eligibility and Factor Update (Staff Analyst: Brittany Mehlhaff; Staff Attorney: Jennie Fuerst)
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 up to $250,000. Ms. Rebecca Eilers, Xcel Energy did not object to the request.
Commissioner Hanson moved to assess a filing fee in the amount of up to $250,000 to account for actual expenses incurred in review of this filing commencing from the filing date. Motion carried 3-0.
5. EL26-031 In the Matter of NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation, dba NorthWestern Energy, for an Energy Conversion Facility Permit to Construct the Hub City Energy Park Natural Gas Generation Facility, Including a Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline, Near Aberdeen, South Dakota (Staff Analysts: Anuja Oke, Jon Thurber; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
A lengthy discussion took place for docket EL26-031. An audio recording of the discussion can be found under the PUC website under Commission Actions, Commission Meeting Archives, 2026, October 20, 2026, Recording located at: https://puc.sd.gov/commission/media/2026/puc10202026.mp3.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to authorize the Executive Director to enter into necessary consulting contracts and moved to reappoint the local review committee as designated in Docket No. EL25-038. Motion carried 3-0.
Natural Gas
1. NG26-007 In the Matter of the Filing by NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy for Approval of Its Gas Transportation Tariff Revisions regarding Fuel Retention Percentage (Staff Analyst: Anuja Oke; Staff Attorney: Logan Schaefbauer)
Mr. Jeffrey Decker, NorthWestern Energy Public Service Corporation dba NorthWestern Energy, requested the Commission approve the company’s requested tariff revisions with an effective date of November 1, 2026. Ms. Anuja Oke, staff analyst, recommended the Commission approve the company’s request.
Commissioner Fiegen moved to approve the company’s requested tariff revisions effective November 1, 2026. Motion carried 3-0.
There being no further business, at the hour of 10:12 a.m., the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission meeting adjourned.
/s/ Janeth A. Merriman .
Janeth Merriman
Administrative Specialist
puc@state.sd.us
October 20, 2026
