From Chris

The Public Input Meeting
March 28, 2022 – Before certain large projects may be built in South Dakota, the project owner must obtain a siting permit from the Public Utilities Commission. Those projects are electricity production facilities 100 MW or larger such as wind farms, AC/DC conversion facilities, electric transmission lines larger than 115 kilovolts, and certain pipelines. One […]

Renewable Natural Gas – A New Opportunity for South Dakota
March 1, 2022 – Some South Dakota dairy farms are availing themselves of a new opportunity to add income for their operations while improving their environmental footprint through the production of renewable natural gas. These dairies are installing manure digesters that help turn manure into methane which is captured and sold into the natural gas […]

I’m Running … For Re-election!
Chris Nelson announced today that he will be a candidate for re-election to the Public Utilities Commission in 2022. Chris made the announcement to a crowd gathered for the Hughes County Lincoln Day Dinner in Pierre. Nelson said, “The complexities of the utility business demand commissioners who are dedicated to advocating for consumers, are able […]
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.
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