This plan is operational with implementation and on-going planning efforts through the Department of Commerce’s Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (OREE). Its overall purpose is to position North Dakota as a model for America in the development of innovative, long-term energy resources and to capitalize on its diverse set of energy resources. This plan also aims to double energy production from all sources by 2025; derive at least 25% of energy produced from RE by 2025; export capacity to 4,000 MW; produce 135 million gallons of biodiesel by 2015; increase natural gas processed in-state by 64% (75 billion cubic feet per year by 2012); and produce 175,000 barrels of oil a day.

While North Dakota’s gas utilities are not required to implement energy efficiency plans, Montana-Dakota Utilities does offer an energy efficiency program.

In January of 2015, the North Dakota Legislature took up SB 2276. This bill provides fora property tax exemption for infrastructure used to deliver natural gas to unserved communities, an income tax credit for conversion to a natural gas heating source, and a sales and use tax exemption for construction or expansion of a natural gas transmission or distribution system. The tax commissioner shall consider any operative property certified by the department of commerce as extending natural gas service to an unserved community, for the purpose of determining the value of the operative property within the state. The qualified cost, not including land, of a project certified as extending natural gas to an unserved community is exempt for a period of ten taxable years. Qualified costs do not include the cost of direct replacement, refurbishment, repair, or maintenance of existing operative property. To receive the exemption, a project must receive certification from the department of commerce prior to the commencement of construction. The company receiving certification must provide a copy of the certification letter to the tax commissioner no later than thirty days after receiving certification from the department of commerce. A taxpayer is entitled to a credit against the tax liability determined in the amount of fifty percent of the taxpayer's direct costs incurred to adapt or add equipment to real property owned by the taxpayer in North Dakota for the purpose of converting to natural gas as the primary heating fuel source. Gross receipts from sales of tangible personal property used to construct or expand a natural gas transmission or distribution system would also be exempt. This bill was sent to the Governor on April 6, 2015. In May of 2015, The North Dakota Legislature’s management committee approved an interim study of possible natural gas expansion incentives.

WEC Energy Corp. subsidiary Trillium CNG owns and operates a station in Grand Forks.

A gas distribution delivery stabilization (weather normalization) clause is in place for Montana-Dakota Utilities during the winter heating months (Nov. 1 through May 1). Xcel Energy’s residential gas rates are fully decoupled through an SFV rate design that utilizes a flat monthly fee rate. In its 2013 rate case Montana Dakota Utilities (MDU) proposed to discontinue its gas distribution delivery stabilization (weather normalization) mechanism for residential customers, and to instead implement a straight-fixed-variable rate design. MDU proposed to leave the weather normalization clause in place for firm general service customers. These matters are being decided in an ongoing segment of the Company’s rate case docket.