News And Events

Nodak Electric Cooperative’s SmartHub mobile app provides many features that help you manage your account, from billing and payment info to detailed usage analysis. It’s a great tool to help you access your account information on the go.

This past month, Nodak rolled out a new upgrade for the SmartHub mobile application that will help you get to the features you need quickly and efficiently.

First, you’ll notice the mobile app will have a fresh, new look. When you open the app, you’ll be able to see your usage analysis right up front, or you can contact us with the click of a button right from the home screen.

Member alerts will also be displayed right on the home screen, making it easy for us to communicate important information to you. Billing, payment and other features are available with one click of a button in a new condensed menu.

Simply log on to your existing SmartHub app for the upgrade, or if you are interested in accessing SmartHub, download it from your favorite app store. We hope these app updates will help provide a more user-friendly and efficient experience. All of the features you love about SmartHub now will still be available, just with a refreshed look and an enhanced user experience.

We are excited about the new changes and hope you check out the app soon! New look. New experience. Same SmartHub.

SmartHub Mobile 3.0 will automatically occur on your mobile devices using at least Android 5.0 or iOS 9.0. Users with a lower version will stay on the current SmartHub mobile version 2.42.

Payment scheduling available in SmartHub

Paying your monthly electric bill is even more convenient on the mobile app! Cooperative members can now schedule their payment in SmartHub. This feature allows users to select one or more days to make a non-recurring payment.

Step by Step Guide:
1. Log in to SmartHub.
2. Click on the ‘Pay’ icon.
3. On the ‘Payment Details’ page as shown, in the ‘Choose Payment Date’ section, click in the field labeled ‘Other.’
4. Choose your payment date on the calendar that appears. The amount you enter in ‘Payment Amount’ field will be applied on the selected date.

Users may also continue with option to choose same day or specified due date for payment.

If you have any questions concerning this new feature or the app, please give our member service representatives a call at 701-746-4461 or 1-800-732-4373.

As various North Dakota hunting seasons approach, please remember that electrical insulators, conductors and electrical equipment are NOT on the hunting season list. Nodak Electric Cooperative encourages hunters to be aware of electrical equipment while enjoying the great outdoors this season.

Hunters and other gun owners should not shoot near or toward power lines, power poles and substations. A stray bullet can cause damage to equipment, could be deadly to the shooter, and potentially interrupt electric service to large areas.

Be aware of what’s behind that big buck or it might cost big bucks. Repairs can be costly and damages cause outages to our members. As a nonprofit cooperative, owned by the members, we all share in this expense.

We recognize the majority of hunters practice safe hunting and understand the potential risks when discharging a firearm. We encourage experienced hunters who are familiar with the area to identify the locations of utility properties and equipment to young or new hunters in their group and remind them to avoid shooting toward these facilities. Enjoy the great outdoors safely.

Hunting Safety Tips

• Do not shoot at or near power lines or insulators.
• Familiarize yourself with the location of power lines and equipment on land where you shoot.
• Damage to the conductor can happen, possibly dropping a phase on the ground. If it’s dry and the electricity goes to ground, there is the possibility of electrocution and fire.
• Be especially careful in wooded areas where power lines may not be as visible.
• Do not use power line wood poles or towers to support equipment used in your shooting activity.
• Take notice of warning signs and keep clear of electrical equipment.
• Do not place deer stands on utility poles or climb poles. Energized lines and equipment on the poles can conduct electricity to anyone who comes in contact with them, causing shock or electrocution.
• Do not shoot at or near birds perching on utility lines. That goes for any type of firearm, including pistols, rifles or shotguns.
• Do not place decoys on power lines or other utility equipment. Anything attached to a pole besides utility equipment can pose an obstruction – and a serious hazard – to electric cooperative employees as they perform utility operations.

Minnkota’s Grand Forks campus was charged up Aug. 7-8, introducing local leaders and the public to the present and future potential of driving electric. The events revolved around a two-day visit from the West Fargo Public Schools (WFPS) all-electric Blue Bird school bus, purchased by the school district earlier this year.

Electric Bus or Bust

The morning of Aug. 7, Minnkota (Nodak’s wholesale power provider) invited its employees and visiting representatives to tour the electric bus, ask the mechanic questions about its capabilities and take a short ride around town. Passengers experienced the surprisingly quiet and zippy ride of the 70-seat bus, which boasts a 120-mile range and zero emissions.

That afternoon, Minnkota welcomed city leaders, economic development groups, universities and public schools, transportation officials, lawmakers and others to check out the bus themselves. They came with many insightful questions about what it takes to incorporate an electric bus into a standard fleet and walked away with new transportation ideas for their organizations and neighborhoods.

Plugged In to the Future

On Aug. 8, Minnkota’s visitor parking lot was packed with powerful plug-in cars, a battery-boosted bus and bikes, special guests and giveaways.

More than 275 people popped by the cooperative for “Plugged In to the Future” – a “Back to the Future”-inspired celebration of electric transportation co-hosted by Nodak Electric. The event was the first of its kind in the Greater Grand Forks community and drew more than a dozen electric vehicle (EV) owners from around North Dakota and Minnesota, all of them thrilled to showcase their cars and answer questions for those interested in Teslas, Chevy Bolts, plug-in hybrids and other models.

One driver from Dickinson, N.D., traveled more than 350 miles in his Tesla Model S to take part and offered rides to curious attendees.

“Plugged In to the Future” featured the WFPS all-electric school bus, electric bike demonstrations provided by Scheels and an EV ride-along experience.

For prospective EV owners, Rydell Cars was on-site with a couple of hybrids from their sales lot and details on what additional EV models are available. Information was also provided on home charging incentives and the easy steps involved in getting a garage EVready.

A Drive Electric North Dakota representative drove a Tesla Model X – aptly named WATTS – from Bismarck and chatted with event-goers about the public charging stations in the state, as well as the opportunities for growing EV adoption in the next few years.

Organizers urged attendees to fill out a survey after the event to assess what they learned about electric vehicles. Nearly 99% of respondents said they felt more knowledgeable about EVs after the event and 91% said they were now more open to owning an EV of their own.

Your Nodak Electric bill will soon take on a new and improved look. A simplified layout will make your bill easier to understand, while electricity usage charts will give you more insight into how weather and habits contribute to your bill.

How to read your new electric bill:

1. Your account number, statement date and past due date are provided with a summary of existing charges.

2. This section will contain important information regarding your bill along with useful tips from Nodak Electric.

3. This section expands upon your service summary, including account details and a breakdown of your energy and demand charges. Additional charges or credits will appear in this section.

4. A history chart provides an easy way to compare how electricity was used from month to month and to the previous year with usage, temperature and cost averages.

5. Paying by U.S. mail? Be sure to include the bottom portion of your bill with the appropriate side facing out.

Summer in North Dakota means thunderstorms can quickly grow dangerous. When these storms hit, make sure you’re ready for any situation.

Be prepared

Phone numbers help Nodak respond to your location when you report an outage. Call 800-732-4373 to update the phone number(s) on your account.

Stay safe

Stay away from downed power lines, trees and branches caught in power lines and water in contact with electrical outlets, sockets or lines. If you see a downed power line, keep your distance and call Nodak at 800-732-4373.

Be patient

Please be aware that time of restoration can vary based on weather and outage cause. Please know that Nodak crews are working as quickly as possible to restore power. We appreciate your patience!

Stay informed

Stay informed of outage details on our outage map or on our Facebook page. Report outages by calling 800-732-4373.

More than 1,800 students from around the country attended the annual Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. from June 15-21, including Nodak’s own Harrison Stockeland, a junior at Grand Forks Central High School.

Each year, Nodak sponsors one student for the event. Now in its 55th year, the Youth Tour was established to help educate youth about the political process and allow students to visit national monuments and interact with U.S. government officials.

Harrison was motivated to apply for the Youth Tour to learn more about Washington and to meet other students. “It was truly a magical experience, meeting new people from lots of different states. I made an uncountable number of friends and a few who will be friends for life,” Harrison said.

Students toured the National Museum of the Marine Corps and the Smithsonian museums, cruised down the Potomac on a riverboat and visited Arlington National Cemetery, the National Archives, the Holocaust Museum and Gettysburg National Military Park. Th e group had opportunities to explore the East Wing of the White House and saw all the major monuments, including the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and more.

Tour participants also enjoyed a Capitol Hill Day, during which they toured the Capitol and met with Rep. Kelly Armstrong, Sen. John Hoeven and a representative for Sen. Kevin Cramer.

Along with touring Washington, D.C. and visiting the White House, all Youth Tour students gathered for Rural Electric Youth Day to hear featured Grand Forks Central student joins hundreds of co-op peers for Washington, D.C. experience speakers provide insight on the important roles electric cooperatives play in their communities. They participated in a pin-trading event, where trading state pins with other students from other states helped them to meet new people.

Harrison has traveled to Washington, D.C. before, but the idea of a cooperative was new to him.

“I didn’t know much about electric cooperatives,” he said. “I thought that electric cooperatives just provided power, but we had a speaker who was a lineman and he went to Haiti to help set up power in their community. It was awesome to see how passionate he was about helping. Th at is what cooperatives are about – community.”

Harrison said he enjoyed the entire trip, but the highest point was the people.

“It truly was all that I was told it would be,” he said, “and more!”

Pembina County Historical Museum tells story of early settlers

Imagine taking a step back in time and following the footsteps of the early settlers in northeast North Dakota.

The state’s homesteading spirit is brought to life at the Pembina County Historical Museum. Visitors are transformed into turn-of-the century pioneers as they interact with the antique farm machinery that helped families prosper from the rich Red River Valley soil. They stroll through an original homestead, barn and church that once brought rural citizens together.

The Pembina County Historical Museum is located across the road from the beautiful Icelandic State Park near Cavalier, N.D. Established in 1964, the 912-acre park allows visitors to learn about the state’s early settlement and provides an array of recreational opportunities. Boating, swimming and fishing are a few favorite summer activities while snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular during the winter. Picnic areas enable visitors to enjoy a relaxing afternoon in the shade of old oak trees.

The Pembina County Historical Museum was originally located within the city of Cavalier and moved to its current location in 1999. The land for the museum and Icelandic State Park were donated to the state by G.B. and Esther Gunlogson. The museum officially opened for visitors in 2001.

On the grounds are 13 buildings to tour, including the historic St. Anthony’s Church with a choir loft, an 1882 homestead and a 1930s barn filled with tack and tools of a real working barn that fed and housed animals. There is also a blacksmith shop, granary, engine building, restored Great Northern Depot, three buildings of restored farm equipment and the main museum building containing exhibits and a jail converted to a research library. It also has one of the largest antique vehicle collections in North Dakota, including the rare 1925 Case Model X Suburban Coupe, which was originally purchased by G. B. Gunlogson when he was head of the Case motor car division. The Society purchased it from a collector in Maryland a few years ago.

The granary is located on 20 acres leased from the state’s Parks and Recreation Department. It’s adjacent to 22 acres of land owned by the Pembina County Historical Society where the barn and tractor pull track are located. Collectable historical items are donated to the museum from local collectors and those as far away as Florida.

“People originally from around the area stay in contact with the museum and help in bringing in historical items,” said Zelda Hartje, museum administrator.

Although the museum is filled with the state’s history, new attractions are being added on a regular basis. Recently, two 6-foot-tall statue soldiers weighing 1,300 pounds each were added to the Veterans Memorial.

For the last three years, the museum has also worked with area youth to help build a community orchard. The public is invited to visit the orchard to view the progress of the trees, bushes and pollinator plants.

The museum is free to the public and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Machinery Show To Raise Funds

The Pembina County Historical Society will hold its 26th annual Pioneer Machinery Show at the museum on Sept. 8. The event is the Society’s largest annual fundraiser and typically draws more than 1,000 people.

The day includes a Threshermen’s breakfast, church service, blacksmith and sawmill demonstrations, parade, kids activities, kids pedal pull, Jim Johnston Memorial Antique Tractor Pull at 2 p.m., threshing demonstrations and much more to do and see.