Xcel agrees to lower rate increase for North Dakota electric customers A settlement reached between state regulatory staff, outside stakeholders and Fargo's largest power provider would allow the company to hike its monthly electricity rates by about $2.50 a household, for a total of $7.1 million. That's substantially less than the rate increase originally requested by Xcel, whose ask for several million dollars to help retire two units of a Minnesota coal plant was denied. Written By: Adam Willis | × High-voltage direct current lines at Edgeley, N.D., on Dec. 28, 2020. Mikkel Pates / Forum News Service BISMARCK — State regulatory staff and outside stakeholders reached an agreement earlier this month with Fargo’s largest power provider for a hike on customers' electricity bills to cover $7.1 million in company costs and investments.