<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000950120-97-000265
<TYPE>424B3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<FILING-DATE>19970926
<SROS>NYSE
<SROS>PSE
<FILER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MDU RESOURCES GROUP INC
<CIK>0000067716
<ASSIGNED-SIC>4932
<IRS-NUMBER>410423660
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>424B3
<ACT>33
<FILE-NUMBER>033-46605
<FILM-NUMBER>97686507
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 N FOURTH ST
<CITY>BISMARCK
<STATE>ND
<ZIP>58501
<PHONE>7012227900
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>400 NORTH FOURTH ST
<CITY>BISMARCK
<STATE>ND
<ZIP>58501
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>MONTANA DAKOTA UTILITIES CO
<DATE-CHANGED>19850429
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</FILER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>424B3
<SEQUENCE>1
<DESCRIPTION>PRICING SUPPLEMENT NO. 8 TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT
<TEXT>


          Pricing Supplement No. 8           Filing under Rule 424(b)(3)
          Dated September 26, 1997           Registration No. 33-46605
          (To Prospectus dated
          September 15, 1997 and
          Prospectus Supplement
          dated September 15, 1997)


                                     $45,000,000
                              MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.
                         SECURED MEDIUM-TERM NOTES, SERIES A


          Principal Amount:                            $15,000,000
          Interest Rate:                               6.71% per annum
          Maturity Date:                               October 1, 2009
          Issue Price:                                 100%
          Agent's Discount:                            .625%
          Net Proceeds to the Company:                 99.375%
          Redemption Provisions:                       Not redeemable
          Sinking Fund Provisions:                     None
          Original Issue Date:                         September 30, 1997

                    As of the date of this Pricing Supplement, the
          aggregate principal amount of the Notes (as defined in the
          Prospectus) that have been sold (including the Notes to which
          this Pricing Supplement relates and one other sale of even date
          herewith) is $135,000,000.


                                     UNDERWRITING


                    Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in a
          Terms Agreement, dated September 25, 1997, between Salomon
          Brothers Inc (the "Purchaser") and MDU Resources Group, Inc. (the
          "Company"), the Purchaser has agreed to purchase from the
          Company, and the Company has agreed to sell to the Purchaser, as
          principal, $15,000,000 principal amount of the Notes.  (See
          "Supplemental Plan of Distribution" in the Prospectus
          Supplement").
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
