For 13 North Dakota teens, the week of June 13-20 in Washington, D.C., became an experience they may never forget.
Representing electric cooperatives from across the state, the high school students joined a record-breaking 2,100 students and chaperones from 44 states, representing nearly 700 electric cooperatives, for the 2026 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. The annual leadership program introduces young people to the nation’s history, government and the cooperative business model.
For Alexis Schmidt, the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour didn’t end when she returned home from Washington, D.C.
Schmidt, the daughter of Kip and Lynn Schmidt, is a member of Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative. She attends Mandan High School and was selected to represent North Dakota on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Leadership Council (YLC), an honor awarded to one Youth Tour delegate from each participating state.
North Dakotans will head to the polls June 9 for the state’s primary election. Often overlooked, it’s important to the election cycle.
In 2024, about 63% of eligible voters participated in the general election. In contrast, only 19% turned out for the 2022 primary. It matters because primary voters determine which candidates appear on the November ballot. When the turnout is limited, fewer voters carry a lot of influence. Yet, primary elections are one of the most direct ways to shape North Dakota’s future policies.
The State Historical Society of North Dakota (SHSND) Foundation is hitting the road in April for a 48-stop tour to promote and share information about the Military Gallery being built on the state Capitol grounds in Bismarck. The gallery will honor North Dakotans who serve and have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
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.
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).
