Northern Municipal Power Agency

What Northern Municipal Power Agency does

Northern Municipal Power Agency (NMPA) is a Joint Action Agency established in 1976 and headquartered in Thief River Falls, Minnesota, that operates as the wholesale energy supplier for 12 municipal utilities located in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Each participating municipal utility holds a seat on the NMPA board of directors, embedding a member-owned cooperative governance structure. NMPA is a member of the Minnkota Power Cooperative joint system, with Minnkota of Grand Forks, N.D. serving as the operating agent. The agency owns a 30% share of the 427,000-kilowatt Coyote Station lignite coal plant near Beulah, North Dakota, and approximately a 15% load-ratio share of Minnkota's transmission system spanning 3,340+ miles of transmission line and 249 substations.

NMPA's generation portfolio comprises approximately 55% coal, 34% wind, 8% hydro, and 3% other resources by nameplate capacity. Wind generation includes the Minnkota/NMPA shares of the Langdon Wind Energy Center (139.5 MW), Ashtabula Wind Energy Center (217.5 MW), and Oliver County Wind Energy Center (100 MW), totaling approximately 459 MW of wind nameplate capacity. Hydro generation comes from an approximately 109,000 kW allotment from the Garrison Dam project, marketed by the Western Area Power Administration. All generation and load are modeled, scheduled, dispatched, and settled financially through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) wholesale energy market. Beyond wholesale supply, NMPA operates the PowerSavers energy efficiency program (150+ million kWh saved since 2010), the Demand Response Program (approximately 50,000 participating consumers, 350 MW winter / 80 MW summer interruptible load), and the Infinity Renewable Energy Program (consumer-selectable renewable energy purchases via RECs).

NMPA generates revenue through wholesale electricity supply to its 12 member municipal utilities under multi-year contractual arrangements, with each participant represented on the board. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated directly with member utilities, which then set retail rates for end-use consumers. The agency has 11-50 employees and operates with a lean structure that outsources operational execution to Minnkota Power Cooperative.

Name

Northern Municipal Power Agency

Legal name

Northern Municipal Power Agency

Website

https://nmpagency.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Northern Municipal Power Agency is a 1976-founded Joint Action Agency that supplies wholesale electricity and related energy programs to 12 municipal utilities in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, operating through the Minnkota Power Cooperative joint system under a member-owned cooperative governance model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Electric Power Supply

NAICS

Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Cooperatives (Rural/Member-Owned Utilities) (EUADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Green Tariffs & Utility Renewable Supply Programs (EUAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Wholesale electricity supply
• Municipal utility services
• Joint action agency
• Electric power generation
• Demand response programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Thief River Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Electricity Supply: NMPA generates revenue by supplying electricity at wholesale rates to its 12 member municipal utilities. The agency owns generation assets (30% of Coyote Station) and transmission shares, providing reliable power to participants in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Revenue is derived from electricity sales to municipal utilities which then serve end-use consumers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Northern Municipal Power Agency (NMPA) supplies wholesale electric power and related energy programs to 12 municipal utilities in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Through the Joint System arrangement with Minnkota Power Cooperative, NMPA provides electricity generated from coal, wind, and hydroelectric resources, along with demand response, energy efficiency, and renewable energy programs serving approximately 50,000 end-use consumers via the member utilities.

Product overview

Northern Municipal Power Agency (NMPA) operates as a wholesale energy supplier serving 12 municipal utilities in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The organization provides a portfolio of energy services including baseload power generation (via its 30% ownership in Coyote Station coal plant and joint system resources), renewable energy through wind facilities (Langdon, Ashtabula, and Oliver County Wind Energy Centers with combined capacity of approximately 457 MW), and hydroelectric power from Garrison Dam allocation. Energy delivery programs include the PowerSavers energy efficiency program and the Demand Response Program that remotely controls interruptible loads. Consumer-facing programs include the Infinity Renewable Energy Program for purchasing renewable energy credits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PowerSavers: Energy efficiency and conservation programs offered by NMPA and its participating municipals, helping consumers save energy through incentives for high-efficiency equipment and improvements.
• Infinity Renewable Energy Program
• PowerSavers (Demand Response)

Products and services

• Wholesale Electricity Supply Core service providing wholesale electric power to 12 member municipal utilities in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota through ownership stakes in coal, wind, and hydroelectric generation assets and a 15% load-ratio share of the Minnkota transmission system.
• PowerSavers Energy Efficiency Program Energy efficiency and conservation program offering incentives to residential and commercial consumers for high-efficiency HVAC, lighting, motors, water heaters, and other qualifying improvements. Since 2010 the program has helped consumers save more than 150 million kilowatt-hours.
• Demand Response Program
• Infinity Renewable Energy Program Consumer program allowing participants to designate a specified amount or percentage of their electricity to be derived from renewable resources, tracked through Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). Originally started in 2002 to support wind turbine development in North Dakota.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ million kWh saved through PowerSavers energy efficiency program since 2010
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Minnkota Power CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinnkota of Grand Forks, N.D. serves as the operating agent for NMPA. NMPA is a member of the Minnkota Power Cooperative Joint System, providing access to shared generation and transmission infrastructure. Minnkota operates and maintains transmission infrastructure including 3,340+ miles of transmission lines and 249 substations, monitored 24/7 from their energy control center.
• Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe Joint System participates in MISO wholesale energy market to buy and sell surplus power. All generation and load is modeled, scheduled, dispatched and settled financially through MISO.
• Otter Tail Power CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationOtter Tail Power Company operates the Coyote Station generation plant. NMPA owns 30% of the 427,000-kilowatt lignite coal plant located near Beulah, ND.
• Western Area Power Administration (WAPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWAPA markets electricity generated by Garrison Dam. The Joint System receives an allotment of energy from Garrison Dam equivalent to approximately 109,000 kW. Minnkota has been purchasing Garrison Dam power from WAPA since 1955.
• Minnesota Municipal Utilities AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry association for municipal utilities in Minnesota; provides networking, advocacy, and resources for member utilities.
• American Public Power AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational association representing publicly owned electric utilities; provides advocacy, education, and industry resources.
• Widseth Smith Nolting (WSN)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIndependent engineering firm retained by NMPA to render continuous engineering counsel and prepare annual engineering reports on the Electric System, including operations, rate sufficiency, and recommendations for repairs and improvements.
• North American CoalcoreTechnology or IntegrationOwns and operates the Coyote Creek Mine which supplies approximately 2.5 million tons of lignite annually to the Coyote Station power plant.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Lignite Energy Council: Lignite Energy Council is an industry association representing lignite coal producers and utilities including Coyote Station owners. While not a direct peer, it represents the broader ecosystem for NMPA's primary baseload fuel source and Coyote Creek Mine supply chain.
• Otter Tail Power Company: Otter Tail Power Company is an investor-owned utility that operates Coyote Station on behalf of NMPA and its partners. It serves retail electric customers in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota with a diversified generation portfolio that overlaps NMPA's service territory.

Direct peers

• Minnkota Power Cooperative: Minnkota Power Cooperative is a generation and transmission cooperative that serves as NMPA's operating agent and joint system partner. It operates the 3,340+ miles of transmission infrastructure and 249 substations that NMPA depends on, making it the most direct operational peer.
• American Municipal Power: American Municipal Power (AMP) is a nonprofit joint action agency that provides wholesale power supply and energy services to municipal electric utilities across multiple states. AMP's member-owned cooperative structure serving public power utilities is directly comparable to NMPA's business model.
• Missouri River Energy Services: Missouri River Energy Services is a joint action agency serving municipal utilities across Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota with wholesale power supply, similar to NMPA. It provides power supply, energy marketing, and related services to municipal electric utility members in the same regional footprint.
• WPPI Energy: WPPI Energy is a joint action agency that provides wholesale electricity to 51 member municipal utilities in Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, and Iowa. It owns generation assets and operates as a member-owned cooperative, closely paralleling NMPA's wholesale supply model.
• Nebraska Public Power District: Nebraska Public Power District is a public power district that generates and transmits wholesale electricity in Nebraska. It operates a diversified generation portfolio including coal, nuclear, wind, and hydro, comparable to NMPA's resource mix and member-driven wholesale supply structure.
• Heartland Consumers Power District: Heartland Consumers Power District is a public power district providing wholesale electricity to municipal and rural electric systems in South Dakota. Its member-driven wholesale supply model and diversified generation portfolio closely parallel NMPA's structure.

Regional players

• East River Electric Power Cooperative: East River Electric Power Cooperative is a generation and transmission cooperative serving distribution cooperatives in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota. Its joint system model and regional Midwest footprint parallel NMPA's cooperative wholesale supply approach.

Broad incumbents

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative: Basin Electric Power Cooperative is one of the largest generation and transmission cooperatives in the U.S., serving member cooperatives across several states. It operates coal, natural gas, wind, and other generation assets with a similar diversified portfolio approach to NMPA's joint system.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/northern-municipal-power-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Northern Municipal Power Agency