Chris Myers – Dakota Electric Association®

2025 Annual Report

Chris Myers — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:26:34 +0000

Prioritizing Safety

Safety remains Dakota Electric’s highest priority. In 2025, the cooperative strengthened its safety culture through expanded training, including first aid, fire extinguisher use and industry programs through the Minnesota Rural Electric Association. April Safety Week reinforced procedures for severe weather and personal threat response, while the Executive Safety Steering Team continued focusing on vehicle safety inspections and improving near-miss reporting.

During the year, Dakota Electric lineworkers received the “Lifeguard on Duty” award at the MREA Safety and Loss Control Conference for their heroic actions near Miesville, helping save a truck driver’s life following an electrical contact incident. Dakota Electric was also invited to join the NRECA “Excellent Coops” Safety Group, a national collaboration focused on advancing safety culture across electric cooperatives.

Strengthening Reliability

Dakota Electric continues investing in infrastructure to maintain a reliable electric system. In January 2026, the cooperative completed its 20-year cable replacement initiative, replacing all bare underground primary cable with durable jacketed cable to improve reliability and support future growth.

Substation improvements also continue, including progress on the Fischer Substation project to strengthen system resiliency and meet growing energy needs.

Financial Stewardship

Dakota Electric carefully manages financial resources to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity. Rising industry costs led the cooperative to file a general rate case with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on December 30, 2024, the first since 2019.

In 2025, parties reached a settlement agreement approved by the Commission in December, with final rates expected to take effect in 2026 following the compliance process. Dakota Electric continues to maintain strong financial oversight, as confirmed by another clean financial audit.

Enhancing Member Experience

Providing excellent service remains a priority. In 2025, Dakota Electric handled 128,388 member calls and continued connecting with members through community events and outreach.

The cooperative also prepared for the launch of MyDEA, the new member portal that went live in February 2026, offering expanded self-service tools for managing accounts, viewing energy use and making payments.

Load management programs delivered significant value in 2025, helping members save an estimated $17.4 million by reducing peak demand and lowering power supply costs.

Investing in the Future

Construction continues on Dakota Electric’s new Energy Center, with structural steel now complete for the office, warehouse, fleet storage and maintenance areas. Work on the roofing structure, exterior shell and metal panels is underway.

Once finished, the Energy Center will provide expanded space for operations, equipment and employees to support Dakota Electric’s growing membership.

Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Winners

Chris Myers — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 18:34:19 +0000

The NRECA Youth Tour inspires future leaders by offering students an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they learn about the cooperative business model, meet officials, visit monuments, and discuss key issues. Since 1967, Dakota Electric has sent about 170 students, demonstrating our commitment to the community.

Below are the students Dakota Electric is sponsoring for this year’s Youth Tour.

Nawal Nur

Eastview High School

Alayna Fick

Hastings High School

Sophia Way

Eastview High School

Alexandra Raines

Lakeville North High School

Anvith Pothula

Eastview High School

Michelle Bolander

School of Environmental Studies

2025 Highlights

Chris Myers — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 17:01:48 +0000

440 Members added to Electric Vehicle Programs
$17.4 Million saved by load management programs
1.87 Billion kWh sales
128,388 calls taken by Member Services
$4.2 Million capital credits returned to members
74,606 Capital credit checks mailed to members
20.6 Minutes – Average outage duration per member
$83,000 donated to our communities
135 Miles of trees trimmed

Board Election Reminder

Chris Myers — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:17:50 +0000

Ballots for Dakota Electric’s 2026 Board of Directors election were mailed to members on March 30 by Survey & Ballot Systems, an independent election service. Members may vote by mail or online using the instructions included with their ballot. Ballots must be received by noon on April 23. Members may also bring their completed ballot to Dakota Electric’s Annual Meeting on April 23 for in-person submission.

Learn more about the candidates and election details on our Election Page.

Dakota Electric’s Annual Meeting will take place on Thursday, April 23 at Dakota Electric’s headquarters, located at 4300 220th Street West in Farmington. Registration will open at 6 p.m. with the opportunity to chat with board candidates at 6:30 p.m.. The official business meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and the meeting will adjourn at 8:30 p.m.

Rate Case Update & Other News

Chris Myers — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:28:56 +0000

Rate Case Update

On December 11, 2025, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Dakota Electric’s rate case settlement. The approved settlement reduces the overall rate increase from about 11% to 9.6%.

Some final steps are still in process, but Dakota Electric expects the new rates to take effect in early spring. Until then, an interim rate increase of 9.5% will remain in place. The final rate increase will replace, not add to, the interim rate.

Members can expect additional updates in the coming months on the new rates and when they will go into effect.

Cold Weather Rule Ends April 30

The State of Minnesota established the Cold Weather Rule to protect residential heat-affected consumers — who make and keep a payment plan — from disconnection of service between Oct. 1 and April 30.

Most Cold Weather Rule payment plans last until April 30 unless you make other arrangements with Dakota Electric. Your service could be shut off if you have a past due balance on April 30 and do not make and keep a new payment plan. Member service representatives are ready to work with you to avoid disconnection. Contact Dakota Electric at 651-463-6212 before April 30.

MyDEA is Live

Dakota Electric’s new online member portal, MyDEA, is now available. Members can use MyDEA to view and pay their bill, track energy use, manage notifications, and access their account anytime.

Dakota Electric understands the transition has caused some frustrations and appreciates members’ patience as the system rollout continues. Prefer to pay by mail or in person? No problem. Setting up a MyDEA account is optional.

Learn more and get started at MyDEA.

Introducing MyDEA

Chris Myers — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 16:53:22 +0000

A new, easier way to manage your electric account

Dakota Electric is launching My Dakota Electric Account (MyDEA), a new portal and billing system designed to make managing your electric account simpler, more flexible, and more informative.

What’s changing

Account numbers will be updated.
A new online portal and billing system will be available.
A redesigned electric bill will provide clearer information.

Member feedback guided the upgrade to Dakota Electric’s billing system and online tools. MyDEA replaces the previous portal with a modern platform offering improved functionality and expanded self-service options.

What members need to do

Account setup begins in late February.
Members with an email address on file will receive a customized link to create their new MyDEA profile. Step-by-step instructions will also be available on our website.
Important: Existing usernames, passwords, account numbers, and saved payment methods will not transfer for security reasons.
Members enrolled in automatic payments (EFT) will need to re-enter payment methods to avoid service disruptions.

Key things members should know

Bills

The new bill design will begin appearing in March.
Members can choose how to receive their bill: paper, email, text, and through MyDEA.

Payments

Paying by check remains the same.
ACH/EFT payments and AutoPay must be re-entered in MyDEA.
Credit cards and digital wallets (Venmo, PayPal, etc.) can now be set up for recurring payments.
Online processing fees are reduced from $3.95 to $2.95.

Portal

Members currently using QuikPay or EZ-Pay websites will be automatically redirected to MyDEA. See page 3 for account setup instructions.
Account settings and notification preferences are easy to manage.
Members can conveniently access energy usage and outage information.

Visit www.dakotaelectric.com after February 23 to set up your new MyDEA Account.

Sign up for email reminders as we get closer to launch.

Getting Started with MyDEA

Chris Myers — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:59:11 +0000

Getting Started with MyDEA

Members who have provided an email address to Dakota Electric will receive an individualized message in late February when account setup opens. Be sure to check your junk mail!

Members who do not have an email address on file can visit this website after February 23 to set up their account.

ACTION REQUIRED

Every member must set up their new account.

Existing account numbers will not transfer to the new system. Each member will receive a new account number.

Create Your MyDEA Account

DON’T KNOW YOUR NEW ACCOUNT NUMBER?

Select “Find My New Account Number” during step one.

You will need your old account number to locate your new account number.

If you have already received your new bill, your new account number can be found at the top of the bill.

Once step three is complete, you will receive an email to set up your password.

ACTION REQUIRED

Members enrolled in EFT or AutoPay will need to re-establish their payment method once logged in. If this step is not completed, payments will not process.

Inside MyDEA

MyDEA dashboard features

View balances, bills, and payment history
Monitor and compare energy usage
Make payments and manage payment options
Report outages and receive updates
Manage account settings and notifications
Access rebate submissions and account services

Your New Electric Bill

Chris Myers — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 15:04:07 +0000

New bill features — front

You will have a new account number.
Designed to be cleaner and easier to read.
See your balance at a glance.
Payment options are listed in one place, including: online, phone, mail, and in person.
A simple monthly comparison shows how this month stacks up against last month and last year.
AutoPay status and withdrawal date are easy to find for added peace of mind.

New bill features — back

Charges are grouped and labeled more clearly, making it easier to see how your bill is calculated.
Money-saving programs, tips, and opportunities to lower your energy costs are highlighted.

2026 Electric Cooperative Youth Tour

Chris Myers — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 14:12:40 +0000

Each year Dakota Electric selects five winners from our pool of applicants to attend the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. The window for applications for 2026 runs from December 29 to February 20.

Click on the image to learn more.

Rate Case Update & Notice to Cogenerators

Chris Myers — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 14:03:00 +0000

Rate Case Update

On December 11, 2025, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Dakota Electric’s rate case settlement. The approved settlement reduces the overall rate increase from about 11% to 9.6%.

Some final housekeeping items are still in process, but Dakota Electric expects the new rates to take effect in early spring. Until then, an interim rate increase of 9.5% will remain in place. The final rate increase will replace, not add to, the interim rate.

Members can expect further updates on the new rates in the coming months.

Notice to Cogenerators

In compliance with Minnesota rules relating to cogeneration and small power production, Chapter 7835, Dakota Electric Association is required to interconnect with and purchase electricity from cogenerators and small power producers that satisfy the conditions of a qualifying facility.

Dakota Electric will provide free information to all interested members regarding rates and interconnection requirements. An interconnection application is required and subject to approval from the cooperative before a qualifying facility interconnects and operates in parallel with the cooperative’s distribution system.

Any disputes over interconnections, sales and purchases are subject to resolution by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.