From Chris
Dakota News Now Interview
November 1, 2022 – There are many enjoyable aspects of a campaign one of which is doing interviews to convey who I am and why I’m running to a broad […]
A Television Ad – Because Experience Matters
October 19, 2022 – As a candidate for re-election to the PUC, I make hundreds of decisions on how to best communicate my message to voters across this big state. […]
Broadband Expansion in South Dakota
September 29, 2022 – The expansion of broadband internet availability in rural South Dakota has been a key focus of mine. The good news is that South Dakota is in […]
Priorities
- Keeping Rates Down
- Expanding Broadband Access
- Decisions Made on Law and Fact
- Utility System Reliability
A driving force during my time on the PUC has been my desire to keep utility rates as low as possible for my fellow South Dakotans. I have been tenacious about analyzing each rate request that comes to the PUC. That involves digging into the smallest details of each case, analyzing the facts, and determining how the law applies to those facts. As a commissioner, I can’t “just say no” to a rate request. What I can do and am committed to doing is the thorough examination needed to reduce rate requests to only the amounts absolutely required by law. That dogged determination, along with my experience and knowledge, protects consumers and allows for our utility systems to remain reliable. The PUC has been successful! From my reelection day in 2016 through April of 2021, the composite electricity rate for the utilities regulated by the PUC increased 1.5% compared to general inflation which was 10.5%. Costs from the February 2021 Winter Storm Uri and heightened inflation gripping the entire economy in 2021 continue to put upward pressure on rates. I am committed to being your advocate in the arena as we work together to keep utility rates as low as possible.
Hear from Chris