News Connections

Five cooperative leaders, two electric cooperatives and a state legislator were recognized for contributions to their cooperatives and communities Feb. 10 during the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDAREC) annual meeting in Mandan. Honorees included:
• David Sigloh – Cooperative Leadership Award, Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative
• David Hagert – Cooperative Leadership Award, Nodak Electric Cooperative
• Dean Volk – Cooperative Leadership Award, Slope Electric Cooperative

Constance “Connie” Bitz, an electric cooperative leader from LaMoure and champion of rural co-ops, was named the 2026 Gaylord Olson Cooperator by the Quentin Burdick Center for Cooperatives (QBCC). She is the first woman to win the award, which is the highest honor in the North Dakota cooperative community. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to ensure the continued success of cooperatives for generations to come.
 

Forecasted rising electricity demand and a continued shift in the resource mix will affect the bulk power system (BPS) this winter, electric reliability watchdog the North American Reliability Corporation (NERC) states in its 2025-26 Winter Reliability Assessment.

While all areas have adequate resources for winter peak electric demand, extreme winter conditions extending over a wide area could result in electricity supply shortfalls, NERC says.

Seventeen North Dakotans recently completed yearslong apprenticeships – requiring thousands of hours of on-the-job training – in the electric trades.

As an energy exporter blessed with abundant supply, North Dakota consistently ranks among the cheapest states in the country when it comes to residential, commercial and industrial electricity rates.

Exploding costs of transmission, the buildout and replacement of transmission infrastructure, and the increase in energy load have helped push residential electricity prices modestly higher in recent years, however.

Average residential rates increased nearly 30% in the state between 2020 and 2024.

Abby Finke, North Dakota’s Youth Leadership Council delegate, smashed her goal of collecting 50 pairs of shoes to benefit the Matthew 25 Project in Minot, which provides clothing and household donations to local community members. In August and September, Finke collected nearly 160 pairs of shoes.

Finke represented Verendrye Electric Cooperative (VEC) on the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., this summer and was chosen to represent North Dakota on the Youth Leadership Council (YLC).

The largest single-site electric generation project built in North Dakota in over 40 years is making electricity. Construction was completed this fall on Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s Pioneer Generation Station Phase IV (PGSIV) located northwest of Williston.

The 580-megawatt (MW) natural gas-fueled facility combines combustion turbines and reciprocating engine units, providing reliable, flexible power and helping to ensure long-term grid stability.

The $805 million project was completed on time and under budget, the cooperative said.

During U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin’s visit to North Dakota in November, the agency announced its approval of North Dakota’s coal combustion residuals (CCR) permit program. The approval allows the state, instead of the federal government, to regulate the disposal of CCR in surface impoundments and landfills, making North Dakota the fourth state to have this oversight authority.

Zeldin says the move signals EPA’s commitment to permitting reform, which has become a policy priority for electric cooperatives.

North Dakota’s presidential disaster declaration request from June’s severe storms and tornados has been approved.
The N.D. Department of Emergency Services learned Sept. 11 President Donald Trump approved Gov. Kelly Armstrong’s request, unlocking critical federal assistance to help cover the costs of repairs to public infrastructure and recovery assistance.

“This much-needed disaster aid will help our state’s communities and utilities recover from one of the most powerful summer storms in recent history,” Armstrong said.

• Do not shoot at or near power lines or insulators.

• Familiarize yourself with the location of power lines and equipment on land where you shoot.

• Take notice of warning signs and keep clear of electrical equipment.

• Do not place deer stands on utility poles or climb poles. Energized lines and equipment on the poles can conduct electricity to anyone who comes in contact with them, causing shock or electrocution.