-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 TSuMx4lPPxExyuRiKPdNAD5y4U3x6xT8frXKFQOEINrhI++y3zwmf9CGlwyAJuNl
 ckUC39TzHs0ydJvW3OhLHw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000067716-03-000072.txt : 20031118
<SEC-HEADER>0000067716-03-000072.hdr.sgml : 20031118
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031118160304
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000067716-03-000072
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031117
ITEM INFORMATION:		Other events
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031118

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MDU RESOURCES GROUP INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000067716
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	MINING, QUARRYING OF NONMETALLIC MINERALS (NO FUELS) [1400]
		IRS NUMBER:				410423660
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03480
		FILM NUMBER:		031010656

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		918 EAST DIVIDE AVENUE
		CITY:			BISMARCK
		STATE:			ND
		ZIP:			58506-5650
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7012227900

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		918 EAST DIVIDE AVENUE
		CITY:			BISMARCK
		STATE:			ND
		ZIP:			58506-5650

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	MONTANA DAKOTA UTILITIES CO
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19850429
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>mdu8knorthwestern.txt
<DESCRIPTION>MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC. 8-K
<TEXT>

         UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                      WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549





                             FORM 8-K




                          Current Report



        PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE SECURITIES
                       EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) November 17, 2003



                     MDU Resources Group, Inc.
      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



        Delaware                 1-3480            41-0423660
(State or other jurisdiction  (Commission       (I.R.S. Employer
    of incorporation)          File Number)    Identification No.)







                        Schuchart Building
                      918 East Divide Avenue
                           P.O. Box 5650
                 Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5650
             (Address of principal executive offices)
                            (Zip Code)

 Registrant's telephone number, including area code (701) 222-7900



Item 5.  Other Events.

     MDU Resources Group, Inc.'s press release regarding an
alliance formed with Basin Electric Power Cooperative
to evaluate potential utility opportunities presented by
NorthWestern Corporation's bankruptcy filing is attached
to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99 and incorporated herein by
reference.


                             SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                            MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.

Date November 18, 2003      BY  /s/ Warren L. Robinson
                                Warren L. Robinson
                                Executive Vice President, Treasurer
                                and Chief Financial Officer


                           EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit Number                    Description of Exhibit

      99                          Press release issued November 17, 2003,
                                  regarding an alliance formed with Basin
                                  Electric Power Cooperative to evaluate
                                  potential utility opportunities presented
                                  by NorthWestern Corporation's bankruptcy
                                  filing.


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>exhibit99.txt
<DESCRIPTION>PRESS RELEASE
<TEXT>

MDU Resources, Basin Electric members evaluating NorthWestern
opportunities

Bismarck, N.D. (November 17, 2003) MDU Resources Group, Inc. (NYSE:MDU)
and Basin Electric Power Cooperative announced today that they
have formed an alliance to evaluate potential utility opportunities
presented by NorthWestern Corporation's bankruptcy filing. The
alliance includes Montana Associated Cooperatives LLC and East River
Electric Power Cooperative in South Dakota.

The alliance expects to offer a superior plan to NorthWestern's
stakeholders than reorganizing the existing entity under Chapter
11 as outlined in its Sept. 14 bankruptcy filing.

"We are joining with Basin Electric and its member group to
explore opportunities for our companies around NorthWestern's
utility assets while offering a secure energy future for
NorthWestern's stakeholders," said Martin A. White, chairman of
the board, president and chief executive officer of MDU
Resources. "Both MDU Resources and the cooperatives have deep
roots in Montana and the Dakotas. We understand the people, the
region and the electric and natural gas business. We feel it is a
natural fit. However, we take a very conservative, disciplined
approach to all our business ventures. We will not pay more for
these assets than we feel they are worth. We will better
understand their value after we have completed an in-depth
evaluation of the company and its assets."

Ron Harper, chief executive officer and general manager of Basin
Electric, said the common goal of the coalition is to ensure
energy stability and restore consumer confidence.  "We are
excited at the prospect of potentially purchasing a portion of
NorthWestern's electric utility business, and we are prepared to
move forward in a timely fashion. By joining with MDU Resources
in exploring this potential acquisition, we are convinced that a
commercial transaction can be structured that provides fair value
to NorthWestern. Most importantly, this provides customers and
their communities greater assurance that they will have reliable
and cost-effective electric service."

Preliminarily, MDU Resources would be interested in the assets
that serve the larger communities in NorthWestern's Montana and
South Dakota service area as well as all of NorthWestern's
natural gas properties. The coalition of electric cooperatives in
the two states would be primarily interested in the smaller
communities now served electricity by NorthWestern and located
within areas already served by co-ops.

"We are ready to work with NorthWestern to begin our due
diligence process, which will allow us to evaluate the company
thoroughly to determine a reasonable offer and a solid plan,"
White said. "MDU Resources has acquired more than 90 companies in
the past 11 years. However, we have looked at hundreds more. We
have been very focused on only acquiring companies that we know
will be successful and fit with our culture. This process will be
no different. The distinct advantage we have is that we know the
region very well and presently serve some of these larger
communities with natural gas. Many of the people in these
communities are already our customers."

"We have the customer experience, the financial strength, the
integration expertise and most of all the desire to offer a
permanent solution to the problems that have plagued NorthWestern
as well as a long-term commitment to its people," Harper said.
"This alliance is the best answer for NorthWestern stakeholders -
creditors, customers and employees - and an opportunity for us to
help assure stability to the regional economy."

The members of this alliance include:

  -  MDU Resources and its affiliated companies, Montana-Dakota
     Utilities Co. and WBI Holdings all headquartered in Bismarck,
     N.D.;

  -  Basin Electric Power Cooperative, Bismarck;

  -  Montana Associated Cooperatives LLC, composed of a number of
     rural electric cooperatives across Montana; and

  -  East River Electric Power Cooperative, Madison, S.D. and its
     members Bon Homme Yankton, Tabor; Central, Mitchell; Charles Mix,
     Lake Andes; Codington-Clark, Watertown; Dakota Energy, Huron;
     Douglas, Armour; FEM, Ipswich; Kingsbury, DeSmet; Lake Region,
     Webster; Northern, Bath; Southeastern, Marion; Clay-Union,
     Vermillion; HD, Clear Lake, and Oahe, Blunt.

For updated information on the alliance, see its Web site at
www.secureenergyfuture.com.

The information in this release includes certain forward-looking
statements, including statements by the chairman of the board,
president and chief executive officer of MDU Resources Group,
Inc. and statements concerning potential utility opportunities,
within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934. Although MDU Resources believes that its expectations
are based on reasonable assumptions, actual results may differ
materially. Important factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements
include the effects of competition for potential utility
opportunities, complexities of bankruptcy proceedings, the
ability to obtain any necessary regulatory approvals, the ability
to obtain financing, changes in environmental and regulatory
matters, and the ability to effectively integrate acquired
operations. For a further discussion of risk factors and
cautionary statements, refer to MDU Resources' most recent Form
10-Q (Introduction and Item 2 - Management's Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Risk
Factors and Cautionary Statements that May Affect Future
Results).

MDU Resources Group, Inc.

MDU Resources Group, Inc., a member of the S&P MidCap 400 Index,
provides energy, value-added natural resource products and
related services that are essential to our country's energy,
transportation and communication infrastructure.  MDU Resources
includes natural gas and oil production, construction materials
and mining, electric and natural gas utilities, a natural gas
pipeline, domestic and international independent power
production, utility services and energy services.  For more
information about MDU Resources, see the company's Web site at
www.mdu.com

Basin Electric Power Cooperative

Basin Electric Power Cooperative is a consumer-owned, regional
cooperative headquartered in Bismarck, N.D. It generates and
transmits electricity to 124 member rural electric systems in
nine states including Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana,
Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
These member systems distribute electricity to about 1.8 million
consumers.

Basin Electric was formed in 1961 by a consortium of 67 electric
cooperatives to provide supplemental power. Basin Electric
operates 3,373 megawatts (MW) of electric generating capacity.
The Cooperative owns 2,420 MW of this capacity. It operates the
other 953 MW for participants in the Missouri Basin Power
Project, a group of six consumer-owned utilities.

Basin Electric also manages and maintains 2,424 miles of high-
voltage transmission lines; 40 switchyards and substations and 58
microwave installations used for communications and system
protection. For more information about Basin Electric, see the
Cooperative's website at www.basinelectric.com.



</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
