Northern Plains Electric Coop electricity rates
Northern Plains Electric Coop charges an average of 10.65 cents per kilowatt-hour to residential customers, and the average household on its system paid $195 a month using 1,826 kilowatt-hours, according to its 2024 filing with the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Member-owned cooperative MISO North Dakota
Where Northern Plains Electric Coop sits
It is a smaller system, serving 10,393 residential customers, which means its fixed costs are spread across a narrow base. At 10.65¢ per kilowatt-hour it is one of the cheaper places to buy electricity in North Dakota, 21.7% under the statewide average of 13.61¢.
Consumption here is high, 1,826 kilowatt-hours a month against a national average of 871. Long cooling seasons, large detached homes and electric resistance heating are the usual causes, and together they matter more to the bill than the rate does.
Owned by the customers it serves, with directors elected by members. Co-ops are frequently outside state rate regulation. That matters because a bill is not only the cost of generating electricity: it also carries the cost of the network, and who owns that network changes how it is paid for.
| Rate | Monthly bill | Monthly kWh | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Plains Electric Coop | 10.65¢ | $195 | 1,826 |
| North Dakota average | 13.61¢ | $130 | 1,062 |
| United States average | 18.44¢ | $155 | 871 |
Utility figures: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024. State and national figures: Electric Power Monthly, May 2026. Methodology
Where Northern Plains Electric Coop delivers
Its service territory covers 12 North Dakota counties, either wholly or in part. Utility boundaries follow historic franchise agreements rather than county lines, so a county appearing here does not mean every address in it is served by Northern Plains Electric Coop.
- Barnes
- Benson
- Eddy
- Foster
- Griggs
- Kidder
- Pierce
- Ramsey
- Rolette
- Stutsman
- Towner
- Wells
How often the power goes out
In 2024 the average Northern Plains Electric Coop customer went 262 minutes without electricity across 1.9 interruptions. The median across the 941 utilities that report this is 185 minutes.
That is worse than typical. Overhead lines through wooded or storm-exposed terrain are the usual explanation, and the fix is vegetation management and circuit automation, both of which are recovered through rates.
Other North Dakota utilities
| Utility | Rate | Bill | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | 12.11¢ | $89 | 82,987 |
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | 11.72¢ | $94 | 79,354 |
| Verendrye Electric Coop Inc | 10.70¢ | $137 | 14,336 |
| Mountrail-Williams Elec Coop | 7.24¢ | $103 | 11,405 |
| Roughrider Electric Cooperativ | 10.24¢ | $125 | 11,183 |
Northern Plains Electric Coop rates: common questions
How much does Northern Plains Electric Coop charge per kilowatt-hour?
An average of 10.65 cents per kilowatt-hour across its residential customers in 2024. That is -21.7% against the North Dakota average of 13.61¢ and -42.2% against the national average of 18.44¢. It is an all-in average across every residential rate schedule the utility offers, not a specific tariff.
What is the average Northern Plains Electric Coop bill?
$195 a month, based on total residential revenue divided by residential customers over the 2024 survey year, at an average of 1,826 kWh a month. The national average bill is $155 at 871 kWh.
Who owns Northern Plains Electric Coop?
It is classified by the EIA as a member-owned cooperative. Owned by the customers it serves, with directors elected by members. Co-ops are frequently outside state rate regulation.
Is Northern Plains Electric Coop expensive compared with other North Dakota utilities?
It ranks #12 of the 16 North Dakota utilities covered here, counting from the most expensive. Nationally it ranks #1229 of 1369.