In short: Grand Forks is served by Xcel Energy in town (about 12.1¢ per kWh in 2024, with about 55 outage minutes per customer) and by Nodak Electric Cooperative in parts of the county (about 12.1¢ and 108 minutes). FEMA rates the county very high for winter weather, and it gets the least sun of North Dakota’s big cities.
Below: what Xcel and Nodak mean for solar and backup, what the northern Red River Valley’s sun is worth, and how permits work with the city’s Department of Building Safety. Statewide rules (net metering for investor-owned utilities, the property tax exemption, electrician licensing) are on our North Dakota energy guide.
Grand Forks at a glance
- Utilities: Xcel Energy (Northern States Power) serves the city. In Grand Forks County, EIA also lists Nodak Electric Cooperative, Otter Tail Power and the small city utility of Northwood. Check your bill.
- Price, 2024 average: Xcel about 12.1¢ per kWh; Nodak about 12.1¢; Otter Tail about 11.4¢ (EIA-861, revenue divided by sales).
- Outages, 2024: Xcel (North Dakota) 55 minutes per customer; Nodak 108 minutes and about one interruption a year, with or without major events (EIA-861).
- Sun: about 3.84 kWh per square meter per day, from 1.2 in December to 6.4 in July (NASA POWER, 2001–2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,120 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Grand Forks County “very high” for winter weather and “relatively high” for ice storms; cold waves, hail and strong wind are “relatively moderate”.
- Public charging: 29 public ports at 9 locations in Grand Forks (AFDC, October 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Xcel Energy customers in the city fall under the Public Service Commission’s net metering rule for investor-owned utilities: monthly netting, with any surplus bought at avoided cost, well below retail (see the state page). So solar here should be sized to what the house uses while the sun is up. Xcel has offered a time-of-day option in North Dakota with cheaper night and weekend power; check current rates on Xcel’s North Dakota rates page before choosing it.
Nodak Electric Cooperative members are not covered by the state rule. Nodak does connect member systems: EIA counted 14 net-metered home solar systems and 6 small wind turbines on its lines at the end of 2024, more than any utility in North Dakota except Cass County Electric. We could not load Nodak’s website to confirm its terms, so ask Nodak how it credits surplus power before you size a system.
Backup power in Grand Forks
Outages were short and rare in 2024, especially in town. What makes backup worth planning is the winter: FEMA rates the county “very high” for winter weather and “relatively high” for ice storms. A gas furnace still needs power for its blower and controls, and a sump pump matters in spring melt. Homes on Nodak lines, with longer average outages and often a well, have the stronger case.
- Generator: natural gas or propane standby, or a portable unit on a transfer switch, for long winter outages. See generator installation and the generator sizing tool.
- Home battery: silent and automatic for the furnace blower, fridge, sump pump and lights; keep it in a heated space. See battery installation.
- Portable power station: phones, internet and a CPAP. See portable power stations.
Plan with our backup power guide and the battery backup calculator. Generators run outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away, never in a garage, and with carbon monoxide alarms inside (CPSC).
Solar in Grand Forks
By our rough estimate, a 6 kW system in Grand Forks makes about 6,730 kWh a year, about 2% less than in Fargo and 5% less than in Bismarck. If all of it replaced power you would otherwise buy, it would be worth about $815 a year at Xcel’s 2024 average price, and about the same on Nodak. Surplus earns much less, so a system that rarely exports, matched to daytime loads, pays best. December output is about a fifth of July’s, and snow cover cuts it further. These are estimates, not quotes.
Model your roof with the solar potential tool and the solar savings calculator, then read how solar installation works, what it costs and how net metering works.
Home batteries in Grand Forks
We found no battery incentive from Xcel in North Dakota or from Nodak. A battery can store midday solar for the evening instead of exporting it at a low credit, but at 12¢ power that saves little; the reason to buy one is backup. Ask your utility about interconnection before you buy. See home batteries and battery costs.
EV charging in Grand Forks
At 2024 average prices and 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs about $3.60 per 100 miles on either Xcel or Nodak by our estimate, more in deep cold. Grand Forks has 29 public ports, so most drivers rely on a Level 2 charger at home, which needs a 240-volt circuit, a licensed electrician and a permit. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Grand Forks: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- City of Grand Forks: the Department of Building Safety (255 N. 4th Street) reviews plans and inspects all construction in the city and its two-mile jurisdiction, including electrical work, and many permits can be applied for online (Building Safety).
- Electrical code: the city follows the 2023 National Electrical Code and the State Electrical Board’s 2023 wiring standards. Owners may do their own wiring only in a home they own and live in (electrical permits).
- Utility approval: Xcel or Nodak must approve a grid-tied system.
Building Safety also handles floodplain rules, so ask early if your equipment, such as a standby generator or battery, will sit in a flood zone. Check HOA rules on panels and generators before you buy.
Cities we cover
- Grand Forks
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Grand Forks energy questions
Who supplies electricity in Grand Forks?
Xcel Energy serves the city. EIA also lists Nodak Electric Cooperative, Otter Tail Power and the city of Northwood as utilities in Grand Forks County. Your bill names your utility, and that decides your solar export rules.
Can I wire my own EV charger in Grand Forks?
Only if you own and live in the home, and the work still needs a permit and inspection from the Department of Building Safety. Most people hire a licensed electrician for a 240-volt circuit.
Is there enough sun for solar in Grand Forks?
Yes, though it is the lowest of the state’s main cities: about 3.84 kWh per square meter a day, or roughly 1,120 kWh a year per kW of panels by our estimate. Cheap power and low export credits make payback slow, so compare quotes against the estimated value.
Does Nodak Electric allow solar?
Yes; EIA counted 14 net-metered home solar systems on Nodak lines at the end of 2024. As a cooperative, Nodak sets its own crediting rules rather than following the state rule for investor-owned utilities, so ask Nodak for its current terms.
Sources
EIA-861, 2024 (price = residential revenue ÷ sales; outages; service territory; net-metered systems); Xcel Energy North Dakota residential price sheet; City of Grand Forks Department of Building Safety (archived 2026); NASA POWER, 2001–2020; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025; AFDC station data; CPSC. Read October 2026 unless noted. Estimates are ours and labelled.