PIERRE - The South Dakota Supreme Court says a utility
company cannot seek the right to provide electrical services to an
unwilling customer outside its service area.
The high court says state law gives only a customer the right
to request electrical power from an outside utility. The justices
say the law does not allow utility companies to file such petitions
to serve customers outside their service areas.
The unanimous ruling means Montana-Dakota Utilities has lost
its bid to provide electricity service to a new grain elevator in
north-central South Dakota. The elevator near Bowdle is in another
utility's service area.
