Transformer sizes, costs increase as farms grow larger
Just as the average farm size has increased in the 50-plus years since Northern Plains and its predecessors Baker Electric and Tri-County Electric Cooperatives first brought electricity to the area, so also has the need for increased electrical capacity grown as farmers use electricity to dry grain, milk cows, and perform a myriad of other tasks on today’s modern farms.
While not all transformers are as large as the 150 KVA that serves the Flick farm north of Chaseley, it is not at all unusual for a typical modern farm to require electric capacity of 75 KVA, or more. These large, modern transformers dwarf the little 3-KVA transformers that served our grandfathers farms, both in size and price. Today, it is not unusual for a typical large transformer to cost $3000, or more.
To help defray the cost of larger transformers, which are above those costs which are recovered in the electric rates, Northern Plains asks it members to pay an installation charge based on the size of the transformer. These charges vary according to the size of the transformer needed.
For more information about new service construction fees, or if you are planning to enlarge your existing service, please call (800) 882-2500.