# Title 69 — Public Service Commission

## Article 69-01 — General Administration

## Chapter 69-01-01 — Organization of Commission

### § 69-01-01-01. Organization and functions of the public service commission.

1. Jurisdiction. The commission's duties are prescribed by the legislative assembly. The
commission has jurisdiction over railroads, telecommunications companies, pipeline, electric,
and heating companies, weights and measures, siting of energy plants and transmission
facilities, reclamation of mined lands, and all other public utilities engaged in business in this
state.
The commission does not have jurisdiction over the rates of rural electric cooperatives, most
small telephone companies, or cable television.
2. Organization.
a. Commissioners. The three public service commissioners are statewide elected officials,
each serving a six-year term with one commissioner's term expiring every two years. The
commissioners are responsible for the exercise of the powers and duties of the
commission. Although the workload is divided among the commissioners, each
commissioner exercises equal power and shares equal responsibility for each decision.
b. Executive secretary. The public service commission appoints an executive secretary who
coordinates, supervises, and directs the commission's day-to-day operations and advises
and assists the commission in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities. The
executive secretary handles all administrative matters relating to personnel, accounting,
purchasing, payroll, and budget preparation.
Currently, the executive secretary also serves as the director of the public utilities
division.
c. Counsel. The attorney general is the attorney for the commission, but based on
commission recommendation has appointed counsel to act as legal advisor to the
commission.
d. Commission divisions. The commission has seven divisions:
Abandoned mine lands division
Accounting division
Legal division
Public utility division
Reclamation division
Compliance division
3. Functions of the divisions.
a. Abandoned mine lands division. The abandoned mine lands division administers a
federal program to remove hazards and environmental problems associated with

abandoned mines. The division investigates abandoned mine lands sites, designs
reclamation projects, submits applications for federal funds, and manages construction
projects under public contracts.
b. Accounting division. The accounting division provides accounting and data processing
services to all commission divisions.
c. Legal division. The legal division provides legal representation, advice, and counsel to
the commission and divisions. The legal division also provides assistance to the
commission relating to railroads, including responsibilities associated with the intrastate
regulation of railroads and assisting the commission in representing the state's rail
interests at the federal level.
d. Public utility division. The public utility division provides technical and administrative
assistance to the commission in regulating telecommunications and electric and gas
utilities and in siting energy conversion and transmission facilities.
The division makes recommendations on applications for the siting of energy conversion
and transmission facilities and on enforcement of commission orders permitting electric
powerlines, gas pipelines, and electrical generation plants.
The division also responds to complaints, inquiries, and requests for information about
activities or companies within the commission's jurisdiction. It promotes consumer
understanding of the regulatory process and facilitates public participation.
e. Reclamation division. The reclamation division is responsible for the administration and
enforcement of state environmental law regarding surface coal mining and reclamation
operations. It also administers commission authority under the Surface Owner Protection
Act.
f. Testing and safety division. The testing and safety division provides a fair basis for
commercial transactions by maintaining the necessary standards of weight, volume, and
length. It tests commercial weighing and measuring devices for accuracy to protect both
the buyer and seller. It also administers the gas distribution and intrastate pipeline safety
program.
4. Inquiries. General inquiries to the public service commission may be addressed to the
executive secretary of the commission. Specific inquiries about the functions of each division
may be addressed to the division director. Requests for hearings, rulings, or participation in
rulemaking should be addressed to the executive secretary, unless the public notice directs
otherwise.
The commission's telephone number is 701-328-2400. Fax: 701-328-2410. E-Mail:
ndpsc@state.nd.us.
Correspondence should be addressed as follows:
Public Service Commission
600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 408
Bismarck, ND 58505-0480
History: Amended effective August 1, 1981; December 1, 1981; August 1, 1983; March 1, 1986;
October 1, 1987; October 1, 1989; February 1, 1992; May 1, 1993; April 1, 1994; May 1, 1995;
February 1, 1998; February 1, 2000; June 1, 2005; June 9, 2025.
General Authority: NDCC 28-32-02.1
Law Implemented: NDCC 28-32-02.1

