Fiegen Runs for PUC Re-Election

Fiegen Runs for PUC Re-Election

Kristie Fiegen, Chairperson of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission, announced her candidacy for re-election on Wednesday evening at the Turner County Fair in her hometown of Parker, SD. The Public Utilities Commission is led by a three-member elected commission who has a regulatory role with public utilities, grain warehouses and grain buyers. In addition, the Public Utilities Commission serves in a judicial role, evaluating facts and evidence presented in permit applications for energy projects.

“South Dakotans want a PUC commissioner who is fair and honest,” Fiegen said in her announcement. “As your PUC commissioner, I will keep utility companies accountable to the people and advocate for reliable service at fair rates.”

Since joining the commission, Fiegen has focused on three main areas: First, Kristie is a consumer advocate for South Dakota utility consumers and keeping rates reasonable while providing reliable service. Keeping the lights on is essential to our state as President Biden’s radical anti-fossil fuel energy policy is causing the lights to go out. We must have “all above energy” to ensure reliability of our electricity.

Second, Commissioner Fiegen advocates for expanded utilities such as broadband, cell phone coverage, and electric transmission infrastructure which are all important to rural South Dakota. South Dakotas in every corner of our state should have high speed internet and be able to have access to worldwide commerce, online education, and new health care opportunities.

Third, Kristie does her day-to-day work with the utmost respect for the law and facts in every decision she makes. Kristie’s detailed evaluation of each case, impartial judgment, fair decisions, and hard work are what she is known for. Her reputation for protecting the process and citizens is important in how she looks out for you every day by placing honesty and integrity at the base of everything she does.

Fiegen is asking to be nominated at the State Republican Party Convention in June 2024, and re-elected in the general election in November 2024.

Fiegen was elected to the commission in November 2012 and re-elected in November 2018. Prior to serving on the commission, Kristie was the state-wide Executive Director for Junior Achievement of South Dakota for 17 years. She was elected to four terms in the South Dakota House of Representatives, serving the taxpayers of District 11 from 1993 to 2001. Kristie and her husband Tim, have two adult sons, Alex and his wife McKenna and Jackson and his fiancé Mara.