Basin Electric Donates $500,000 to Hurricane Relief.

BISMARCK, N.D. -- Basin Electric Power Cooperative announced today that its directors have approved a half-million dollar donation to Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi.

"Basin Electric and its member systems are very proud to do what we can to help with the hurricane relief efforts," said Ron Harper, Basin Electric CEO and general manager. "As a Touchstone Energy(R) Cooperative, we are part of a nationwide family of electric cooperatives. There are many members of our family who have been devastated by this disaster and we want to do whatever we can to help."

The donation will be split evenly between the two states, with $250,000 going to Louisiana and $250,000 to Mississippi. The funds will aid cooperative employees and member consumers whose lives and homes have been ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Over the next three weeks, the 1,800 employees of Basin Electric and its subsidiaries can also add to the donation by contributing vacation time and sick leave. The time donated will be converted to its cash equivalent and contributed to the relief effort. Harper said the employee contributions will be over and above the $500,000 donation approved by the board. Additional relief efforts by electric cooperatives throughout North Dakota and the region are also underway.

Harper said Basin Electric is committed to conducting their business according to the four core values of being a Touchstone Energy(R) Cooperative: commitment to community, integrity, accountability and innovation.

Basin Electric is a consumer-owned, regional cooperative headquartered in Bismarck. It generates and transmits electricity to 121 member rural electric systems in nine states: Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. These member systems distribute electricity to about 1.8 million consumers. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.basinelectric.com.