From September 2025 through August 2026, fossil fuels supplied about 59% of North Dakota’s electricity consumption, while low-carbon sources provided about 40%. Coal dominated the mix at roughly 53%, with gas supplying another 6%. Wind was by far the largest clean electricity source, contributing almost 36%, while hydropower supplied about 5%. North Dakota therefore has a substantial low-carbon foundation, but more than half of its electricity still comes from fossil fuels, whose use contributes to climate change and air pollution.

Is Electricity Growing in North Dakota?

Electricity consumption in North Dakota is growing and reaching new records. The latest 2026 figure was about 55,900 kWh per person, exceeding the previous record of about 53,700 kWh in 2025 by roughly 2,200 kWh, or 4%. Low-carbon electricity generation also set a record, rising to about 22,600 kWh per person from 21,800 kWh in 2025—an increase of around 800 kWh, or nearly 4%. Both gains are encouraging, although faster clean electricity growth would help reduce fossil dependence while meeting additional demand from electrification and AI.

Suggestions

North Dakota can build on its strong wind sector by expanding generation and the transmission infrastructure needed to deliver it. Nearby examples offer useful benchmarks: wind supplies about 58% of electricity generation in the US state of South Dakota and 57% in the US state of Iowa, well above North Dakota’s current share. North Dakota should also consider building nuclear generation and expanding solar to broaden its clean electricity supply. The US states of Minnesota and Illinois demonstrate nuclear’s contribution, at about 18% and 49% of electricity generation respectively, while the US state of Colorado generates about 14% from solar. These regions offer practical examples of how wind, solar and nuclear can support a larger, more diversified low-carbon electricity system.

History

Across 2024–2026, North Dakota’s low-carbon electricity history shows steady wind expansion alongside smaller hydropower fluctuations. Wind generation increased by 0.3 TWh in 2024, 0.6 TWh in 2025 and 0.5 TWh in 2026, adding a combined 1.4 TWh over the three years. Hydropower declined by 0.1 TWh in each of 2024 and 2025, a disappointing setback, before recovering by 0.2 TWh in 2026. Those hydropower changes balanced out over the period, leaving wind responsible for the net increase across the listed sources—an encouraging foundation for further clean electricity growth.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Sep 2025 – Aug 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.