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South Dakota PUC Approves Rate Hikes For Black Hills Power

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The state Public Utilities Commission has granted a request from Black Hills Power to raise rates for its customers in western South Dakota.

The commission voted 3-0 on Monday to approve an overall rate hike of 4.35 percent. The utility company had initially requested an approximately 9 percent hike.

The hike means a residential customer using an average of 650 kilowatt-hours of power per month will see an increase of about $58 per year.

Because the commission granted the utility its requested 9 percent rate on a temporary basis starting last October, Black Hills Power will refund customers with the difference, with 7 percent interest.

The new rates will bring in close to $6.9 million more for the public utility. They’re scheduled to take effect starting in April.