North Dakota Rates, Rights and Service Rules

In North Dakota, our operating utility Northern States Power Company-Minnesota is primarily engaged in the purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity and the purchase, transportation, distribution and sale of natural gas to retail customers. The company also transports customer-owned natural gas. The North Dakota Public Service Commission regulates the company for state issues, and federal regulatory agencies oversee other aspects of its operations.

The Fuel Clause Adjustment recovers the costs of fuel used to produce electricity and energy purchased on the wholesale electricity market. This adjustment changes monthly as the cost of fuel and purchased energy fluctuates throughout the year.

The table below shows the Fuel Clause Adjustment for the current and previous month.

Fuel Cost Charge is Prorated

The electric charges usage period on your bill typically spans parts of two calendar months according to the billing cycle. The Fuel Cost Charge line item reflects a prorated or blended charge to match this usage period. The amount is based on the number of billed days and the corresponding effective fuel cost charges for each calendar month. For example, a metered customer's bill with usage period from June 15 to July 15, this customer is billed 15 days for June fuel cost charge and 15 days for July fuel cost charge.

Cost of Gas (COG)

The “Cost of Gas” on your bill reflects the expected cost of natural gas in a given month. If your billing period spans two calendar months, the COG will be pro-rated to match the period.

The COG is a mechanism designed to recover the current cost of gas supply. Because of the volatility in the cost of gas supply, a monthly adjustment is needed to raise or lower rates to reflect current market prices.

The COG also includes a true-up factor. Every September, Xcel Energy determines how much gas expense was incurred for the previous July - June compared to the amount Xcel Energy collected from customers. Any over- or under-recovery is divided by customers’ forecasted sales to develop the true-up factor. The true-up ensures that Xcel Energy collects the actual cost of gas supply, no more and no less.

By law, we must publish rate changes and formal cases made to agencies to inform customers. These pricing changes must be approved by your state’s energy agency (North Dakota Public Utilities Commission) before they take effect.

You'll find rate case filings in Regulatory Filings, resource plans in Resource Plans and transmission filings in Transmission.