General News

The North Dakota Public Service Commission has granted interm rate increases for two investor-owned utillities -- something state law says they're entitled to, when they have rate cases pending.

Foe Xcel Energy, it on electric rates. For MDU, it's natual gas.

In November, Xcel filed for a general rate increase, that would increase an average customer’s bill by $8.37 per month in winter, and $8.53 per month in summer.  That’s based on 750 kilowatt hours of electricity.

A University of Mary senior student in electrical engineering is credited with helping improve and streamline the state’s COVID-19 data collection efforts.

Josh Reiner of Bismarck had applied for internships at MDU and Basin Electric – but because of COVID, the internships were cancelled. So he applied for a job with the Department of Health.

"I honestly didn't think I was worthy, or had what it took to meet their requirements," Reiner said.

"As flat as you can ever see."

That's how North Dakota Mineral Resources director Lynn Helms described October oil production numbers, compared with September.

In October production was at 1,222,871 barrels per day. The September number was 1,223,107 barrels per day. That's a difference of 236 barrels.

Helms said there are 15 drilling rigs working in the Williston Basin. He said permitting numbers have been up and down, depending on the price.

The federal Justice Department has reached a settlement agreement with the state of North Dakota under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The complaint alleged North Dakota unnecessarily puts people with disabilities in nursing homes, instead of providing services for them to live in the community.

Assistant Attorney General Eric Drieband said this means the state will transform its long-term care system, and will provide more than 2500 people with individualized services.

Gov. Doug Burgum’s budget calls for building a new State Hospital in Jamestown.

The new hospital would be built through a “public-private partnership.”

"The financing, the design, the build, and the maintenance of the building would occur through the management of a private entity," said hospital superintendent Dr. Rosalie Etherington. "Then we, as the state, would make annual payments for the full debt service, which would be approximately 40 years."