PUC Accepts Company’s Proposal to Offer Service to Farm Tap Customers

The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has accepted a proposal by MidAmerican Energy Co. to provide services to farm tap customers connected to an interstate pipeline owned by Northern Natural Gas Co.

The farm tap customers, located in eastern South Dakota, currently receive services from NorthWestern Energy as a result of a contractual arrangement between Northern Natural Gas and NorthWestern Energy that will expire on Dec. 31, 2017.

PUC staff recently reached out to MidAmerican Energy to discuss the farm taps matter and MidAmerican notified the commission in July of its intent to update their tariff to allow service to the affected farm tap customers.

Yesterday, the commission voted to accept the terms and rates for MidAmerican Energy to serve the farm tap customers. The company will begin a customer awareness campaign, to include open houses and ongoing information to farm tap customers, with implementation of the service to begin on Jan. 1, 2018.