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North Dakota Public Service Commission
| North Dakota Public Service Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $117,610 |
| 2023-25 FY Budget: | $21,261,831 |
| Total Seats: | 3 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 6 years |
| Authority: | North Dakota Constitution, Article V, Section 2 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
| Randel Christmann, Sheri Haugen-Hoffart, Jill Kringstad | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | 2026 |
| Last election: | 2024 |
| Other North Dakota Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission • Tax Commissioner | |
The North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC) is a three-person state executive board in the North Dakota state government. The commission has jurisdiction over and regulates electric and natural gas utilities, weights and measures, telecommunications companies, the reclamation of mined lands, the siting of energy infrastructure, auctioneers, and railroad safety.[1]
Commissioners are elected by popular vote to serve staggered, six-year terms. One seat on the commission is up for election every two years.[1]
Current officeholders
| Office | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota Public Service Commission | Randel Christmann | Republican |
| North Dakota Public Service Commission | Sheri Haugen-Hoffart | Republican |
| North Dakota Public Service Commission | Jill Kringstad | Republican |
Authority
The public service commission's authority is derived from Article V, Section 2 of the North Dakota Constitution.
Article V, Section 2:
| The qualified electors of the state at the times and places of choosing members of the legislative assembly shall choose a governor, lieutenant governor, agriculture commissioner, attorney general, auditor, insurance commissioner, three public service commissioners, secretary of state, superintendent of public instruction, tax commissioner, and treasurer. ... |
Qualifications
Article V, Section 4 of the North Dakota Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
| To be eligible to hold an elective office established by this article, a person must be a qualified elector of this state, must be at least twenty-five years of age on the day of the election, and must have been a resident of this state for the five years preceding election to office. ... |
- Qualified North Dakota voter
- At least 25 years old
- A resident of North Dakota for at least five years preceding the election
Vacancies
Article V, Section 8 addresses vacancies in state executive offices. In the event of a vacancy, the governor appoints a successor. Once appointed, the individual serves the remainder of the unexpired term. If a vacancy occurs within 95 days before a regularly-scheduled election for the position, the office must remain vacant.[2]
Elections
Commissioners are elected by popular vote to serve staggered, six-year terms. One seat on the commission is up for election every two years.[1]
2024
General election candidates
- Randel Christmann (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Tracey Wilkie (Democratic Party)
Democratic primary candidates
Republican primary candidates
- Randel Christmann (Incumbent) ✔
2022
Fedorchak's seat
General election candidates
- Julie Fedorchak (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Melanie Moniz (Democratic Party)
Democratic primary candidates
Republican primary candidates
- Julie Fedorchak (Incumbent) ✔
Haugen-Hoffart's seat (unexpired term)
Note: Brian Kroshus (R) resigned from the North Dakota Public Service Commission in December 2021 after being appointed as state tax commissioner. Sheri Haugen-Hoffart (R) was appointed to the commission in February 2022 to replace Kroshus. Kroshus' former seat was on the 2022 ballot for a four-year unexpired term.
General election candidates
- Sheri Haugen-Hoffart (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Trygve Hammer (Democratic Party)
Democratic primary candidates
Republican primary candidates
- Sheri Haugen-Hoffart (Incumbent) ✔
2020
General election candidates
- Brian Kroshus (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Casey D. Buchmann (Democratic Party)
Democratic primary candidates
Republican primary candidates
- Brian Kroshus (Incumbent) ✔
Past elections
= candidate completed the 
Duties
The commission has jurisdiction over and regulates electric and natural gas utilities, weights and measures, telecommunications companies, the reclamation of mined lands, the siting of energy infrastructure, auctioneers, and railroad safety.[1] Additional duties include, but are not limited to:[3]
- Requiring public utilities or other persons to conform to state laws and the rules of the commission;
- Supervising all public utility rates and setting rates, following a hearing, if rates are found to be unreasonable, insufficient, or discriminatory;
- Testing the meters of public utilities covered by the commission;
- Establishing a system of accounts in order to classify and prescribe forms for public utilities;
- Adopting and enforcing rules regarding the decommissioning of wind energy facilities; and
- Setting minimum safety standards for the design, construction, and operation of intrastate pipelines.
Divisions
The commission consists of the following divisions:[1]
- Abandoned Mine Lands: administers federal programs to eliminate hazards associated with abandoned lines and manages construction projects to that end.
- Reclamation: administers state law regarding surface coal mining and reclamation efforts.
- Compliance: licenses auctioneers, tests commercial weighing and measuring devices, supplements federal oversight of rail safety, and oversees pipeline standards for intrastate distribution.
- Public Utilities: monitors and enforces utility compliance, siting requirements, and the regulation of rates, terms, and conditions of retail electric services.
State budget
- See also: North Dakota state budget and finances
The budget for the Public Service Commission for the 2023-25 biennium was $21,261,831.[4]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The public service commissioners are each entitled to an annual salary in accordance with Title 49 of the North Dakota Century Code.
2023
In 2023, each commissioner received a salary of $117,610, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]
2022
In 2022, each commissioner received a salary of $115,304, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, each commissioner received a salary of $113,600, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2020, each commissioner received a salary of $110,829, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, each commissioner received a salary of $108,656, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, each commissioner received a salary of $108,656, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, each commissioner received a salary of $108,656, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, each commissioner received a salary of $105,490, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, each commissioner received a salary of $102,418, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, each commissioner received a salary of $99,435, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, each commissioner received a salary of $95,611, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2010
In 2010, each commissioner received a salary of $85,824, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the North Dakota Public Service Commission has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Contact information
North Dakota Public Service Commission
600 East Boulevard, Dept. 408
Bismarck, ND 58505-0480
Phone: 701-328-2400
TTY: 800-366-6888
Fax: 701-328-2410
E-mail: ndpsc@nd.gov
See also
| North Dakota | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 North Dakota Public Service Commission, "About the ND Public Service Commission (PSC)," last updated Jan. 2021
- ↑ Justia, "Chapter 44-02," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "Chapter 49-02," accessed Feb. 3, 2021
- ↑ North Dakota Legislature, "68th Legislative Assembly State Budget Actions for the 2023-25 Biennium," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 21, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed December 3, 2017
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 4, 2014
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," January 27, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed April 23, 2011
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