Where Grand Forks candidates stand on energy and utilities

Energy and economy: Her campaign lists securing the border, expanding energy and agriculture, curbing inflation, reducing federal spending, and protecting the Second Amendment among its priorities. (Julie Fedorchak for U.S. Congress)

Data centers: On AI and data-center development, Fedorchak’s stated position is to allow development while putting safeguards in place to protect communities, ratepayers, and the public. (InForum)

Data centers: At an October 2026 debate, Hammer called for more caution in establishing data centers and a congressional role in regulating them, citing concerns about AI surveillance and its effects on prices and wages. (The Dickinson Press)

Data centers: At an October 2026 debate, Neville called for greater transparency about data centers and said they should have remediation plans for when facilities are abandoned. (The Dickinson Press)

Data centers: At an October 2026 debate, Tuttle said townships should have authority over data-center decisions and raised concerns about secrecy around those projects. (The Dickinson Press)

Trade and energy: Tuttle said the United States should pursue fair and equal trade to support farmers, and said he does not believe biofuels and green energy work. (The Dickinson Press)

Data centers: Lamb said he would slow data-center development and assign an assistant attorney general with AI expertise to review how data centers operate. (Wahpeton Daily News, statewide candidates forum coverage)

No public statement found in our sources.

Energy security: Her campaign emphasizes protecting energy infrastructure from foreign threats and maintaining a strong, reliable energy industry. (Sheri Haugen-Hoffart for North Dakota)

Ratepayers and input: At the 2026 candidate forum, Pederson said ratepayers should come first, public input should be meaningful, energy development should be responsible, and projects should require bonding for proper decommissioning. (Eight statewide candidates speak at Wahpeton forum; opponents absent)

Local input: Kelsh supports industrial and energy development but says it should proceed openly, with local governments and other stakeholders involved early and rural residents given a voice. He also supports eliminating nondisclosure agreements between large industrial developers and local governments. (North Dakota Living, Election 2026: The statewide candidates)

Data-center costs: In the 2026 debate, Kelsh argued that the state should ensure data-center growth does not shift electricity costs onto existing ratepayers and said grid and generation capacity must be considered as large loads are proposed. (InForum, Plain Talk: Public Service Commission debate between Jill Kringstad and Scot Kelsh)

Energy and rates: Her campaign priorities include affordable, reliable, dispatchable energy; consumer protection through fair rates and utility oversight; and fair, transparent regulation. (Jill Kringstad for Public Service Commissioner)

Grid reliability: In the 2026 debate, Kringstad said coal and natural gas are necessary for reliable power during severe winter conditions when wind generation is unavailable. She also cited an example in which a data-center customer paid network-upgrade costs upfront and customer rate credits resulted from profit-sharing. (InForum, Plain Talk: Public Service Commission debate between Jill Kringstad and Scot Kelsh)

Data centers: Benton said the state had been too slow to protect communities as data centers move in and that projects should proceed on terms set by communities and the state; she said she would tie the sales-tax break on data-center equipment to meeting those terms. (Grand Forks Herald, 2026 data-center candidate survey)

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: She said data centers and other new technologies bring both economic value and hardships, and that the state should examine their pros and cons and provide focused, informed attention to the issue. (Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate survey)

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: He said the state should regulate data centers aggressively and should not allow confidentiality agreements. (Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate survey)

Data centers: Johnson said data-center proposals should protect residents, maintain grid reliability, pay their infrastructure and power costs, and contribute substantially to property taxes; he said local governments should decide on permitting with state-provided information and assistance. (Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate survey)

Data centers: Sanford said data centers should cover their electricity costs so North Dakotans do not face higher rates; he also said closed-loop cooling appears best for controlling water use. (Grand Forks Herald — 2026 candidate survey)

Data centers: She said data centers can provide computing power useful to agriculture, manufacturing and health care, but projects should be considered and sited carefully to fit the local area. (Grand Forks Herald — District 43 data center survey)

Data centers: He said data centers may offer economic benefits but should be considered and sited carefully, with local fit taken into account. (Grand Forks Herald — District 43 data center survey)

Data centers: He opposes large data center projects absent stronger regulation, arguing for action to limit and regulate the industry. (Grand Forks Herald — District 43 data center survey)

Data centers: He supports a temporary pause on approvals for large data center projects to give the Legislature time to establish statewide protections. (Grand Forks Herald — District 43 data center survey)

No public statement found in our sources.

Data centers: Said residents should have greater transparency and meaningful involvement in data-center siting, and protection against rising utility bills, water scarcity and local disturbances. (Grand Forks Herald)