Dakota Electric held its 87th Annual Meeting on April 24 at its headquarters in Farmington. Members and guests gathered to hear updates from the cooperative’s leadership and Board of Directors, focusing on five key areas: safety, rates, future facility needs, potential load growth, and power supply.
Board Chair Paul Bakken, Treasurer David Jones, and CEO Ryan Hentges provided insights into Dakota Electric’s strategic priorities. Hentges addressed the cooperative’s continued investment in system infrastructure, including new substations, expanded metering, and vegetation management efforts that have improved system reliability and reduced outage times.
As part of his remarks, Hentges discussed the findings of a recent facility planning study that identified the need for increased garage space, equipment storage, land, and office space. He emphasized the importance of proactive planning to accommodate rising energy demands, meet today’s needs, and prepare for future opportunities.
Hentges also addressed the growing interest in large-scale data centers and Dakota Electric’s responsibility, and statutory requirement, to serve any new electric load looking to be situated within its service area. While no agreements are finalized, Dakota Electric is actively planning to ensure it could serve this type of load without sacrificing the reliability of the electric grid. Hentges reaffirmed that the cooperative will require developers to cover all upgrades to the system through contractual arrangements and any future partnerships will be evaluated carefully with a focus on reliability, infrastructure readiness, and member value.
To maintain service quality in the face of inflation and increased material costs, Hentges noted that Dakota Electric has filed a rate case with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission—its first since 2019. Despite these financial pressures, the cooperative continues to operate efficiently, with a clean audit and strong fiscal stewardship.
Members were also reminded of Dakota Electric’s upcoming Member Appreciation Event at the Minnesota Zoo, which will take place on July 17 and is free for all members and their families. More information will be available in the July edition of Circuits, with registration opening July 1.
Additionally, members voted to approve amendments to the cooperative’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, with 85.8% voting in favor.
For those unable to attend, you can view the video report on this page, on our YouTube channel, or by visiting www.dakotaelectric. com/about-us/annual-meeting-election.
