Dakota Electric Association rates per kWh and bills
Dakota Electric Association's 109,148 residential customers in Minnesota paid an average of 15.63¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $116.41 a month on 745 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 15.84¢, and 14.62¢ in August 2026.2
EIA-861 2025 final (released October 7, 2026) and EIA's monthly utility survey through August 2026 (preliminary); next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Averages are revenue divided by kWh, all charges included: not the rate printed in a tariff.
4 of 87 Minnesota counties served (EIA-861 2025)
Dakota Electric's average residential price rose 11.6% from 2024 to 2025, the largest increase among Minnesota's four biggest utilities, and its average monthly bill went from $100.255 to $116.411. The monthly survey has since turned the other way: August 20263 averaged −6.5%2 against the same month a year earlier (preliminary). Its members also had some of the fewest outage minutes in the state.
What a Dakota Electric home pays
Dakota Electric Association is a member-owned cooperative south of the Twin Cities. It sold electricity to 109,148 homes in 2025, 4.6%1 of Minnesota's residential customers, the fourth-largest number in the state. Each figure below is average revenue per kWh: what residential members paid in total, fixed monthly charges and adjustments included, divided by the kWh they used. It is not a line from the tariff.
| Residential average | Year 2025 (EIA-861, final) | Last 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 (EIA-861M, partly preliminary) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 15.63¢ per kWh | 15.84¢ per kWh |
| Use per home, monthly | 745 kWh | 754 kWh |
| Monthly bill | $116.411 | $119.402 |
The single latest month, August 20263, averaged 14.62¢ per kWh2, a preliminary summer figure.
The 2025 average sits in the middle of the state: 15th highest of the 30 Minnesota utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers and 1.3% below the Minnesota average. Nationally it was 78th highest of 177 large utilities, a little above their median of 15.07¢ per kWh, and 10.9% above the national average for electric cooperatives. Minnesota's cooperatives as a group averaged 15.22¢ per kWh1.
The 2025 jump: largest of the big four
Dakota Electric moved further in 2025 than any of Minnesota's other large utilities. The statewide residential average rose 2.5%4 that year.
| 2024 to 2025 | Average price, 2025 | Price change | Bill change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dakota Electric | 15.63¢ | +11.6% | +16.1% |
| Connexus Energy | 14.11¢ | +3.3% | +7.2% |
| Minnesota Power | 15.86¢ | +1.3% | +4.7% |
| Xcel Energy (Minnesota) | 17.07¢ | +0.5% | +5.2%1 |
Prices are in ¢ per kWh. The Dakota Electric average went from 14.00¢ per kWh to 15.63¢ per kWh, and the bill from $100.25 to $116.41. The bill grew faster than the price because use per home also rose, from 716 kWh5 to 745 kWh1 a month.
2025 was also the year of the cooperative's rate case. Although it is a cooperative, Dakota Electric is rate-regulated by the Public Utilities Commission; under Minnesota Statutes section 216B.026, a cooperative comes under the commission's rate regulation only if its members vote to elect it. In December 2025 the commission approved a settlement of Dakota Electric's first rate increase request since 2019; the commission's announcement says the settlement includes a smaller residential increase than originally proposed and a reduced fixed charge. EIA's averages show the result in total; they do not show which charges changed. The tariff book on the cooperative's website lists the charges now in force.
The latest month: below a year earlier
The monthly survey points the other way. In August 20263 Dakota Electric's residential average was 14.62¢ per kWh, −6.5% against August 2025. Over the same comparison Xcel's Minnesota average changed −0.3%, Connexus Energy's +2.7% and Minnesota Power's +11.6%. Over the full 12 months to August 2026, the average of 15.84¢ per kWh2 was only slightly above the 2025 figure. These 2026 months are preliminary and are revised when EIA publishes final annual data in August 2027.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential revenue divided by kWh in each month, as reported to EIA's monthly survey (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary).
Show the numbers
| Month | Dakota Electric Association (¢/kWh) | kWh per customer | Bill per customer |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2025 | 15.01¢ | 782 | $117.34 |
| February 2025 | 15.04¢ | 679 | $102.14 |
| March 2025 | 14.27¢ | 627 | $89.46 |
| April 2025 | 14.99¢ | 564 | $84.61 |
| May 2025 | 16.07¢ | 641 | $103.01 |
| June 2025 | 19.27¢ | 821 | $158.10 |
| July 2025 | 15.33¢ | 1,064 | $163.16 |
| August 2025 | 15.63¢ | 897 | $140.23 |
| September 2025 | 15.67¢ | 726 | $113.77 |
| October 2025 | 15.31¢ | 637 | $97.55 |
| November 2025 | 15.06¢ | 624 | $94.03 |
| December 2025 | 15.42¢ | 782 | $120.60 |
| January 2026 | 15.77¢ | 789 | $124.45 |
| February 2026 | 19.07¢ | 636 | $121.33 |
| March 2026 | 14.93¢ | 630 | $94.02 |
| April 2026 | 14.97¢ | 578 | $86.52 |
| May 2026 | 15.72¢ | 684 | $107.45 |
| June 2026 | 18.00¢ | 829 | $149.12 |
| July 2026 | 15.66¢ | 1,172 | $183.43 |
| August 2026 | 14.62¢ | 958 | $140.10 |
July doubles the April bill
Summer, not winter, sets Dakota Electric's high month. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) use per home was lowest in April 2026, at 578 kWh, and highest in July 2026, at 1,172 kWh. The average bill moved from $86.52 to $183.43. Minnesota Power, further north, peaked in January 20262 instead.
Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility. kWh per residential customer in each month (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary). The table adds the average bill and price for the month.
Show the numbers
| Month | kWh per customer | Bill per customer | ¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | 726 | $113.77 | 15.67¢ |
| October 2025 | 637 | $97.55 | 15.31¢ |
| November 2025 | 624 | $94.03 | 15.06¢ |
| December 2025 | 782 | $120.60 | 15.42¢ |
| January 2026 | 789 | $124.45 | 15.77¢ |
| February 2026 | 636 | $121.33 | 19.07¢ |
| March 2026 | 630 | $94.02 | 14.93¢ |
| April 2026 | 578 | $86.52 | 14.97¢ |
| May 2026 | 684 | $107.45 | 15.72¢ |
| June 2026 | 829 | $149.12 | 18.00¢ |
| July 2026 | 1,172 | $183.43 | 15.66¢ |
| August 2026 | 958 | $140.10 | 14.62¢ |
Outages: half an hour in a year
Dakota Electric members averaged 29 minutes without power in 2025, major event days included, fewer than the Minnesota average of 182 minutes. Excluding major event days under the IEEE 1366 standard, the figure was 21 minutes. The average member had 0.35 interruptions, against 1.18 statewide. Among the other three large utilities, Connexus recorded 54 minutes, Minnesota Power 143 minutes and Xcel 226 minutes6. Outage totals vary from year to year with storms, so one year is not a ranking of networks.
Source: EIA-861 2025, reliability. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.
Show the numbers
| Utility | outage minutes per customer (all events) |
|---|---|
| Dakota Electric Association (MN) | 29 |
| Connexus Energy (MN) | 54 |
| Minnesota Power (MN) | 143 |
| Xcel Energy (MN) | 226 |
Rooftop solar more common, time-of-use almost unused
Advanced meters were on 99.9% of Dakota Electric homes in 2025, yet only 17 residential members were enrolled in time-of-use pricing, a share that rounds to 0.0%. At Connexus the share was 12.5% and at Minnesota Power 15.9%7. The time-of-use guide explains how such pricing changes a bill.
Rooftop solar goes the other way. Dakota Electric reported 1,742 net-metered residential installations with 17.0 megawatts of capacity, 16.0 per 1,000 residential customers, more than Xcel's 13.0, Connexus's 10.8 or Minnesota Power's 9.67. The net metering guide covers how the credits work.
Industrial accounts paid more per kWh than homes
Dakota Electric's sector averages do not follow the usual order. Its 8,357 commercial accounts paid 11.37¢ per kWh in 2025, below the residential average, but its 408 industrial accounts paid 16.85¢ per kWh, above it. Those industrial accounts are small: their average monthly bill was $234.07, against $1,002.47 for a commercial account. At Xcel's Minnesota utility, industrial customers paid 9.52¢ per kWh with an average bill of $113,654.54. Across all 117,913 Dakota Electric accounts, the average was 13.62¢ per kWh1. EIA's figures do not say why; a fixed monthly charge raises the average price per kWh more for an account that uses little.
Which addresses it serves
EIA's service-territory records list Dakota Electric in 4 counties: Dakota County, Goodhue County, Rice County and Scott County. In all 48, at least one other distribution utility also reports customers, so the county or city does not decide whether a home is on Dakota Electric lines; the cooperative's service map and the street address do. Minnesota has no residential retail choice (0.0%1 of homes bought from a competitive supplier in 2025), so the utility at the address is also the seller.
Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 4 counties. Counts whole counties even where the utility serves only part of one; check the utility's own service-area map for an address.
Show the numbers
| County | Other utilities reporting service |
|---|---|
| Dakota County | Xcel Energy, Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative, Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association |
| Goodhue County | Xcel Energy, Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association, City of Lake City, Kenyon Municipal Utilities |
| Rice County | Xcel Energy, Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative, Steele-Waseca Cooperative Electric, Goodhue County Cooperative Electric Association |
| Scott County | Xcel Energy, Minnesota Valley Electric Cooperative, Shakopee Public Utilities Comm, New Prague Utilities Comm |
Members who struggle with a bill can apply for federal LIHEAP energy assistance, of which Minnesota received $125.3 million10 for fiscal 2026; the help paying guide explains how. Statewide figures and every utility are on the Minnesota electricity page.
Dakota Electric questions
What is Dakota Electric's rate per kWh?
Residential members paid an average of 15.63¢ per kWh1 in 2025 and 15.84¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026, 2026 months preliminary). Both are total residential revenue, monthly charges included, divided by kWh sold. The energy charge in Dakota Electric's tariff book is a narrower number.
What is the average Dakota Electric bill?
$116.41 a month in 2025 for 745 kWh1 of use, and $119.40 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026). In that period the monthly average ran from $86.52 in April 2026 to $183.43 in July 20262.
Did Dakota Electric raise rates?
Its residential average went from 14.00¢ per kWh5 in 2024 to 15.63¢ per kWh in 2025 (+11.6%1). The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved a settlement of the cooperative's rate case in December 2025. In August 20263 the average was 14.62¢ per kWh, −6.5%2 against August 2025 (preliminary).
Is Dakota Electric regulated by the Public Utilities Commission?
Yes. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission describes Dakota Electric Association as a member-owned, nonprofit distribution cooperative that is rate-regulated by the commission, so its rate changes go through a commission rate case, as Xcel Energy's do.
Related pages
Sources
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; table sales_ult_cust_2025 and _2026; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state; table sales_revenue.xlsx (EPM Table 5.6.A); January 2001 to 2026-08; months since January 2026 preliminary; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2024; 2024, final (file updated December 3, 2025); released December 3, 2025. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, reliability; table Reliability_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, advanced meters, dynamic pricing and net metering; table Advanced_Meters, Dynamic_Pricing, Net_Metering 2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- EIA-861 2025, service territory; table Service_Territory_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
- Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties; table cb_2025_us_county_5m; cb_2021_us_county_5m; 2025 (2021 for Connecticut). www.census.gov
- HHS, LIHEAP funding releases to states; table FY2027 first release; FY2026 final; FY2027 first release (October 9, 2026); FY2026 total; released October 9, 2026. acf.gov
How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.