Northern Plains Electric Cooperative is a member-owned electric utility that takes pride in the communities and members it serves. From its headquarters in Carrington and Cando, Northern Plains works to improve the quality of life by not only providing a reliable and affordable supply of electric energy, but also by working hand in hand with the people who strive to make their communities great places to live.

The cooperative has worked extensively with area communities, wildlife refuges, and other agencies to showcase the area’s abundant natural resources. Its employees have been instrumental in forming Birding Drives Dakota, which is a coalition of three communities that has developed a network of birding drives designed to direct tourists to the region’s birding "hotspots."

Northern Plains strives to help local communities envision the potential for increased tourism. It provides assistance to member entrepreneurs wishing to develop private tourism ventures, works with communities in developing public ventures, and joins other community partners in promoting legislation and public policy that helps North Dakota and regional tourism to grow.

There are a number of wildlife refuges and other areas in the Northern Plains service area (which is a 50-70-mile wide area from south of Jamestown to the Canadian border) that are important to the development of nature-based tourism. Northern Plains takes pride in not only serving those areas, but also proudly stands alongside its communities as tourists from all over the nation become aware of North Dakota as a special, untouched destination for all who long to get back to nature.