In short: Watford City has about 6,200 people and sits in McKenzie County. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, McKenzie Electric Coop Inc and Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc serves different parts of McKenzie County, so your utility depends on your address; their 2024 home averages range from 7.86¢ to 11.72¢ per kWh (EIA). FEMA rates McKenzie County winter weather “relatively high”. Rooftop solar here makes roughly 1,160 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, which is about average for the U.S..
This page covers what is local to Watford City: its utility, outage records, sunshine, weather risks and charging. Statewide rules such as net metering, incentives and electrician licensing are in our North Dakota energy guide.
Watford City at a glance
- Place: Watford City, McKenzie County, North Dakota; about 6,207 residents (Census Bureau estimate, July 2024).
- Utility: Montana-Dakota Utilities Co (investor-owned). Homes paid an average 11.72¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 79 minutes of power on normal days, with 0.9 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Watford City).
- Utility: McKenzie Electric Coop Inc (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 7.86¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 210 minutes of power on normal days and 257 counting major storms, with 1.6 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Watford City).
- Utility: Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc (member-owned cooperative). Homes paid an average 8.95¢ per kWh in 2024 (EIA-861); the average customer lost 33 minutes of power on normal days, with 0.3 interruptions a year (utility-wide, not just Watford City).
- Sun: 3.96 kWh per square meter per day on average, from 1.17 in December to 6.88 in July (NASA POWER). Our rough estimate: about 1,160 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Climate: about 580 cooling degree-days and 8,310 heating degree-days a year (base 65°F, NASA POWER), so heating is the big load.
- Top hazards in McKenzie County: winter weather “relatively high”, cold waves “relatively moderate” and hail “relatively moderate” (FEMA National Risk Index; overall county risk rated “very low”).
- Public charging: 2 ports at 1 locations in Watford City, none of them DC fast (AFDC, October 20, 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co is an investor-owned utility and served about 79,354 home customers in 2024; its 11.72¢ average was below the 13.41¢ statewide average for July 2026. McKenzie Electric Coop Inc is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 5,382 home customers in 2024; its 7.86¢ average was below the 13.41¢ statewide average for July 2026. Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc is a member-owned cooperative utility and served about 799 home customers in 2024; its 8.95¢ average was below the 13.41¢ statewide average for July 2026. Those are utility-wide averages, not a quote for your address; your own bill is the real number.
For reliability, McKenzie Electric Coop Inc reported 210 minutes per customer without major storms in 2024, more than the statewide figure of 84 (EIA-861). Utility-wide numbers hide a lot: a home at the end of a long rural line usually has more outages than the average.
Net metering, export rates and incentives are set at state level and by each utility. Start with the North Dakota guide and then ask your utility for its current interconnection steps before you sign anything.
Backup power in Watford City
- Winter weather (relatively high): Winter storms and cold snaps combine outages with heating demand. Plan for the furnace blower or heat pump, not just lights, and keep a fuel supply you can reach in snow.
- Cold waves (relatively moderate): Cold waves raise demand and can cause both outages and frozen pipes. Keep at least one room warm with a battery-run heater circuit or a generator.
- Heating load: a winter outage can stop a furnace blower, boiler pump or heat pump. List what your heat needs to run before choosing a generator or battery.
- Short outages: a portable power station covers phones, Wi-Fi, a CPAP and lights; a home battery switches over automatically.
Size your setup with the generator sizing tool and the battery backup calculator, and compare options in backup power. Generator safety (CPSC): outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house, exhaust away from doors and windows, never in a garage, and battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms inside. A licensed electrician should install any transfer switch, with a permit; see generator installation.
Solar in Watford City
By our rough estimate each kW of panels makes about 1,160 kWh a year in Watford City (NASA sunshine data times 365 days times 0.80 for system losses). Valued at Montana-Dakota Utilities Co’s 2024 average of 11.72¢, that is about $136 a year per kW if all of it offsets your own use (an estimate, not a promise). Production swings with the seasons: July is the sunniest month at 6.88 and December the dimmest at 1.17, a 5.9-to-1 gap, so a battery or a bigger system helps in winter.
Check your own roof with the solar potential tool, see solar costs and net metering vs net billing, and read the steps in solar installation.
Batteries and EV charging
A home battery earns its place when outages are frequent, when your utility pays little for exported solar, or when evening prices are high; compare in home batteries and battery costs. Watford City has 2 public charging ports in the federal station list (none of them DC fast), but home charging is cheaper and easier: see the EV charging cost calculator and EV charger installation.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Watford City: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
Solar, generator transfer switches and EV chargers normally need an electrical permit from the Watford City building or permitting department, or from McKenzie County if you live outside city limits, and often a utility interconnection approval. We have not verified a local permit page for Watford City, so check the city and county websites or ask your electrician, who will know the process. Hire only a licensed electrician or installer; the North Dakota guide lists the state licensing rules.
Nearby guides
More local guides: Williston, or the whole North Dakota energy guide.
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Watford City energy FAQ
Who is my electric company in Watford City?
Montana-Dakota Utilities Co, McKenzie Electric Coop Inc and Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc all serve parts of McKenzie County. Which one serves you depends on your street, so check the top of your bill. Their 2024 home price averages differ (Montana-Dakota Utilities Co 11.72¢, McKenzie Electric Coop Inc 7.86¢, Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc 8.95¢) so it matters for solar math.
How much power will solar make in Watford City?
About 1,160 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate, so a 6 kW system would make roughly 6,960 kWh. Shade, roof direction and tilt change this; run your address through the solar potential tool for a better number.
Is a generator or a battery better for winter weather in McKenzie County?
It depends how long the outage lasts. A battery is quiet, automatic and good for short outages and for pairing with solar; a standby generator keeps going as long as it has fuel, which suits multi-day events. Many homes use a battery for everyday outages and add a generator for the rare long one.
Will a home battery keep my heat on in an outage?
It can keep a furnace blower, boiler pump or a heat pump running for a while, but long cold outages drain a battery fast without solar to recharge it. Pair it with a generator or wood or propane heat if outages here run for days.
Do I need a permit for solar or a generator in Watford City?
Almost always an electrical permit for a transfer switch, solar or an EV charger, issued by the city or county where you live. Your licensed electrician or installer normally pulls it. Never connect a generator to your house wiring without a transfer switch.
Sources: EIA Form 861 (2024) for utility prices and outages; NASA POWER climatology (2001 to 2025) for sun and degree-days; FEMA National Risk Index for county hazards; AFDC station locator for public charging; Census Bureau for population. Estimates are ours and are not promises; see our editorial policy. Prices and programs change, so check each program page.