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South Dakota Public Utilities Commission Meeting
August 20, 2015, at 9:30 A.M. CDT
Governor’s Large Conference Room, Capitol Building
Pierre, South Dakota
NOTE: If you wish to join this meeting by conference call, please contact the Commission at 605-773-3201 by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, August 19, 2015. Lines are limited and are given out on a first come, first served basis, subject to possible reassignment to accommodate persons who must appear in a proceeding. Ultimately, if you wish to participate in the Commission Meeting and a line is not available, you may have to appear in person.
NOTE: To listen to the Commission Meeting live please go to the PUC's website www.puc.sd.gov and click on the LIVE link on the home page. The Commission requests persons who will only be listening to proceedings and not actively appearing in a case listen via the web cast to free phone lines for those who have to appear. The Commission meetings are archived on the PUC's website under the Commission Actions tab, Click on "Commission Meeting Archives," to access the recordings.
NOTE: Notice is further given to persons with disabilities that this Commission meeting is being held in a physically accessible place. If you have special needs, please notify the Commission and we will make all necessary arrangements.
AGENDA OF COMMISSION MEETING
Administration
1. Approval of the Minutes of the Commission Meetings Held on July 21, and August 5, 2015, and the Ad Hoc Meetings Held on July 17, and July 23, 2015 (Staff: Joy Lashley)
Consumer Reports
1. Status Report on Consumer Utility Inquiries and Complaints Received by the Commission (Consumer Affairs: Deb Gregg)
Natural Gas
On June 30, 2015, the Commission received an application by Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) for approval to increase rates for natural gas service to customers in its South Dakota service territory by approximately $1.5 million annually or approximately 3.1% based on MDU’s test year ending December 31, 2014. The Company states a typical residential natural gas customer using 72 dk on an annual basis would see an increase of $2.21 per month or 4.64%. The proposed changes may potentially affect approximately 57,600 natural gas customers in MDU’s South Dakota service territory. On July 29, 2015, the Federal Executive Agencies filed a Petition to Intervene.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant intervention to any parties that may have filed?
Telecommunications
On June 22, 2015, the Commission received an application from Citizens Telecommunications Company of Minnesota, LLC (Citizens) requesting the Commission grant a waiver of the Commission’s ETC filing requirements pursuant to ARSD 20:10:32:56, on grounds that the reporting requirements in support of ETC certification are unduly burdensome and unnecessary. Citizens also requests that the Commission issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to Company. On June 30, 2015, and July 13, 2015, Citizens responded to Staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission grant the waiver and certify Citizens Telecommunications Company of Minnesota?
2. In the Matter of Request for Certification Regarding the Use of Federal Universal Service Support in Dockets TC15-021, TC15-022, TC15-023, TC15-025, TC15-026, TC15-028, TC15-029, TC15-037, and TC15-050.
On June 29, 2015, the Commission received an application from James Valley Cooperative Telephone Company requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 5, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data request.
On June 29, 2015, the Commission received an application from Northern Valley Communications, L.L.C. requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 5, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data request.
On June 29, 2015, the Commission received an application from James Valley Wireless LLC requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On August 5, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data request.
On June 29, 2015, the Commission received an application from Valley Telecommunications Cooperative Association, Inc. requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On July 14, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data request.
On June 26, 2015, the Commission received an application from TrioTel Communications Inc. requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On July 14, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data request.
TC15-028 In the Matter of the Request of Knology of the Black Hills, LLC for Certification Regarding Its Use of Federal Universal Service Support (Staff Analyst: Eric Paulson; Staff Attorney: Adam de Hueck)
On June 26, 2015, the Commission received an application from Knology of the Black Hills LLC requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On July 16, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data requests.
On June 26, 2015, the Commission received an application from Knology Community Telephone, Inc. requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On July 16 and July 23, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data requests.
On June 26, 2015, the Commission received an application from Kennebec Telephone Co. requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On July 24, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data request.
On June 30, 2015, the Commission received an application from Clarity Telecom, LLC dba Vast Broadband requesting the Commission to issue a certification to the FCC and USAC indicating it is in compliance with 47 U.S.C. Section 254(e) and should receive all federal universal service support determined for distribution to the Company. On July 23, 2015, the Company responded to Staff’s data requests.
TODAY, shall the Commission provide a certification to the Federal Communications Commission and to the Universal Service Administration Company regarding the use of Federal Universal Service Support in each of the above dockets?
Items for Commission Discussion
Announcements
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Commissioners and staff will attend the South Dakota Telecommunications Association Annual Meeting and Conference, August 16-18, 2015, at The Lodge, Deadwood, S.D.
- The next regularly scheduled commission meeting will be Tuesday, September 1, 2015, at 9:30 a.m. CDT in Room 413 at the State Capitol Building, Pierre, S.D.
- Commissioners and staff will meet with consumers at the South Dakota State Fair, September 3-7, 2015, in Huron, S.D.
- Commission meetings are scheduled for September 15 and 29, 2015.
/s/Cindy Kemnitz
Cindy Kemnitz
Finance Manager
PUC Email
August 13, 2015
