MDU electric customers will see their monthly bills increase by an average of $2.57 – to pay for the new natural gas fired peaking turbine at the Heskett power plant, north of Mandan.
The North Dakota Public Service Commission approved the charge – which will appear as a separate rider on the bill.
"You know, we want these things to be available, but they do cost money," said Commissioner Brian Kalk. "This is something MDU has needed to keep their reliability and voltage. And there's a cost to it."
Commission chairman Julie Fedorchak says if MDU makes more than what it’s allowed in its last full rate case, then it has to give some of the money back.
"So there is a cap, if you will -- a mechanism in place to protect the customers," said Fedorchak.
That natural gas turbine went into service in October.