Wahpeton Customer Conversion to Montana-Dakota Utilities
For several years, Great Plains Natural Gas has been evaluating possible cost-effective solutions to increase the natural gas capacity available to the community of Wahpeton, which lead to the construction of a high-pressure transmission line to Wahpeton. Our natural gas supplier wrapped up the project in late November and as a result, starting on December 1, 2024, natural gas will be supplied to our Wahpeton customers from Montana-Dakota’s integrated natural gas system, rather than from Great Plains via a Minnesota pipeline. This will provide several benefits to Wahpeton customers.
- Montana-Dakota’s natural gas system provides additional access to storage and production supplies.
- Wahpeton customers will benefit from increased supply reliability as the connection with the existing transmission line will be maintained for emergency purposes.
- Wahpeton customers will benefit from the potential for additional customer load growth in the area.
Coinciding with the expansion, Montana-Dakota received North Dakota Public Service Commission approval to integrate Wahpeton customers into Montana-Dakota’s natural gas integrated system under the Montana-Dakota tariff. That means Great Plains customers in Wahpeton will transition to Montana-Dakota customers. Great Plains is a division of Montana-Dakota Utilities, so the change is primarily in name only for Wahpeton customers. The transition will take place in two phases. Great Plains will continue to serve customers only in Minnesota.
May 2025 Update
Following your May 2025 bill, Montana-Dakota will transition your Great Plains account to a Montana-Dakota account and transfer any amount owed on your Great Plains account to your Montana-Dakota account.
- If your May 2025 payment is posted to your Great Plains account prior to the May transition causing your account to be paid in full, your Montana-Dakota account will show a balance forward of $0.00 when you receive your first bill as a Montana-Dakota customer.
- If no payment has been posted to your Great Plains account prior to the May 2025 transition and there is a balance due on your account, the amount owed on your Great Plains account will show as a “Balance Transfer” in the Account Summary section of your first Montana-Dakota bill.
- If a payment is received following this May transition, your payment will be posted to your Montana-Dakota account and be reflected as a payment in the Account Summary section of your first Montana-Dakota bill.
- If no payment is received following this transition, the amount that is owed on your Great Plains’ account that was transferred to your Montana-Dakota account will show in the Total Amount Due on the account, along with your first bill under your Montana-Dakota account.
The table below has been updated to reflect the new rate class and rate schedule on your new Montana-Dakota bill as of 6/1/25.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wahpeton customers will continue to receive the same safe and reliable natural gas service they have been receiving for over 50 years. However, that natural gas service will now be provided under the Montana-Dakota tariff and rate schedules instead of under a Great Plains tariff and rate schedule.
No. During this initial phase, you will continue to receive a Great Plains bill and your payment will continue to be made to Great Plains.
May 2025 will mark the last bill you will receive from Great Plains. Beginning in June 2025, you will receive a Montana-Dakota bill and your payment will be made to Montana-Dakota.
If you have requested your service be stopped after already receiving your May 2025 bill from Great Plains, a Montana-Dakota account will have been established for you. A meter read will be obtained on your requested stop date and a final bill will be produced for service from the last meter read included on your May 2025 bill under your Great Plains account through your requested stop date as a Montana-Dakota customer, i.e. for any service rendered in May 2025. The first bill you receive under your Montana-Dakota will be both your first and final bill as a Montana-Dakota customer.
No, your natural gas service rates will not change when you start receiving a Montana-Dakota bill. They will be the same Basic Service Charge and Distribution Delivery Charge rates you started paying for your natural gas service on December 1, 2024. The Cost of Gas component of your bill is subject to change from month to month and is strictly a pass-through cost to customers. This cost will continue to be a pass-through cost under Montana-Dakota’s tariff.
During this initial phase, you will be able to continue to access your online account with Great Plains as well as receive your E-bill and payment accomplished through Pay By Bank, no different than they have been. Future communication will outline any changes that may be required of you for continuation with those programs.
Online Account:
- On or after June 1, 2025, you will be able to access your new Montana-Dakota Online Account using the same username (but adding MDU to the end of your username) and password that is used to access your Great Plains Online Account. Usernames are not case sensitive.
- Example:
- Great Plains Online Account: CUSTOMER
- Montana-Dakota Online Account: CUSTOMERMDU
- Please contact Montana-Dakota at 1-800-638-3278 if you encounter any issues accessing your Montana-Dakota account.
- Your Montana-Dakota account number will be different than your former Great Plains account number.
- Example:
E-bill:
- You will now receive an email from Montana-Dakota Utilities that your bill is ready. Previously the email came from Great Plains Natural Gas.
Pay by Bank:
- Your payment will be pulled from your checking account on the due date indicated on your Montana-Dakota bill which is the same process as that followed when a payment was pulled from your Great Plains account.
Please check this website over the next few months as well as watch for bill inserts and the company’s social media for additional information on this transition. Company personnel will also have open office hours in the Wahpeton area as the May/June 2025 time frame approaches. Company personnel will be available to answer any questions you may have regarding the transition. You can also always reach out to customer service at 1-800-638-3278 with any questions you may have.
Phase 1
On December 1, 2024, as a Wahpeton customer you will no longer be served under the Great Plains North Dakota Gas Rate Schedules, although you will continue to receive a Great Plains bill throughout this phase of the transition. The rate schedules and tariffs under which you are billed and provided service under will be the Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. North Dakota Natural Gas Rate Schedules. The table below provides the rate class and rate schedules before and after December 1 (phase 1). Your new Montana-Dakota rate schedule will be indicated on your monthly bill.
| Rate Class | Great Plains Account Prior to 12/01/24 | Great Plains Account Effective 12/01/24 | Montana-Dakota Account Effective 6/1/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firm Service | |||
| Residential | Great Plains Rate 65 | MDU Rate 62 | MDU Rate 63 |
| Firm General | Great Plains Rate 65 | MDU Rate 62 | MDU Rate 73 |
| Firm General Contracted Demand | MDU Rate 74 | MDU Rate 74 | |
| Interruptible Sales Service | Great Plains Rate 71 | MDU Rate 71 | MDU Rate 71 |
| Interruptible Transportation Service | Great Plains Rate 80 | MDU Rate 81/82 | MDU Rate 81/82 |
Phase 2
In Phase 2 of the transition Great Plains Wahpeton customers will move to a Montana-Dakota bill versus receiving their bill from Great Plains. This transition will occur during the month of May 2025 so a Wahpeton customer’s first bill from Montana-Dakota will be in June 2025. Phase 2 will not result in any change in natural gas rates for Wahpeton customers.