8-K

                       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) December 20, 2002

                            MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

       Delaware                    1-3480                       41-0423660
(State of Incorporation)        (Commission                    (IRS Employer
                                File Number)                 Identification No.)

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

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


                   (Former name or former address, if changed
                              since last report.)





ITEM 5.       OTHER EVENTS.
              ------------

              On December 20, 2002, MDU Resources Group, Inc. announced that its
              Centennial Power, Inc. subsidiary entered into an agreement to
              purchase the 66.6-megawatt Mountain View wind powered electric
              generation facility from San Gorgonio Power Corporation.
              Incorporated by reference is a press release issued by MDU
              Resources Group, Inc. on December 20, 2002, regarding the
              acquisition, attached as Exhibit 99.

ITEM 7.       FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
              ----------------------------------

              (c) Exhibits.

          99. Press release issued December 20, 2002, regarding the acquisition
              of generating facilities.





                                    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.


Dated:  December 23, 2002



                            MDU RESOURCES GROUP, INC.


                            By:  /s/ Warren L. Robsinson
                               ---------------------------
                               Warren L. Robinson
                               Executive Vice President, Treasurer and
                               Chief Financial Officer





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number                        Description of Exhibit
- --------------                       ----------------------

    99.              Press release issued December 20, 2002, regarding the
                     acquisition of generating facilities.

EX-99

                                                                      EXHIBIT 99

                                  NEWS RELEASE

[GRAPHIC OMITTED]
[GRAPHIC OMITTED] MDU RESOURCES
                  GROUP, INC.

                  Schuchart Building
                  918 East Divide Avenue

                  Mailing Address:
                  P.O. Box 5650 Bismarck, ND 58506-5650 (701) 222-7900


          MDU RESOURCES TO PURCHASE CALIFORNIA WIND GENERATION FACILITY

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA - DECEMBER 20, 2002 - MDU Resources Group, Inc.
(NYSE:MDU) announced that its Centennial Power, Inc. subsidiary had entered into
an agreement to purchase the 66.6-megawatt Mountain View wind powered electric
generation facility, from San Gorgonio Power Corporation, an affiliate of PG&E
National Energy Group for $102.5 million cash, subject to certain closing
adjustments. The acquisition is subject to satisfaction of certain conditions
including receipt of regulatory approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission and the Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Anti-Trust
Improvement Act. Financial closing is expected to occur in early 2003. The
project meets stated economic and financial objectives of MDU Resources for
growth via acquisitions and is expected to be accretive to earnings.

The Mountain View project is located in the San Gorgonio Pass, northwest of Palm
Springs, Calif., one of the nation's prime wind energy development areas. The
facilities consist of 111 Mitsubishi MWT-600 wind turbines and began commercial
operation in September 2001. The project sells all of its output under a
long-term contract with the California Department of Water Resources. SeaWest
Wind Power, Inc. will continue to operate the facilities.

"This project is an ideal one for us to become involved with since it supplies
power to the California market under contract and has a reliable earnings stream
that is unaffected by economic cycles," said Paul Gatzemeier, Centennial Power's
vice president and general manager. "In addition, this project is
environmentally sound, gives us more expertise in wind generation and
diversifies our generation assets."

The information in this release includes certain forward-looking statements,
including statements by the vice president and general manager of Centennial
Power, Inc. and a statement that the acquisition meets the stated economic and
financial objectives of MDU Resources for growth via acquisitions, within the
meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although the
company 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 operation of plant facilities, present or prospective generation, market
demand for energy from plants or facilities, federal and California governmental
policies and the ability to effectively integrate acquired operations. For
further discussion, refer to MDU Resources' most recent Form 10-Q at Item 2 -
Management's Discussion and Analysis - Safe Harbor for Forward-looking
Statements.

MDU Resources Group, Inc. 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 electric and natural
gas utilities, a natural gas pipeline, utility services, natural gas and oil
production, construction materials and mining, and energy services. For more
information about MDU Resources, see the company's Web site at www.mdu.com or
contact the investor relations department at investor@mduresources.com.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., PG&E National Energy Group, Inc. develops,
builds, owns and operates electric generating and natural gas pipeline
facilities and provides energy trading, marketing and risk-management services.
PG&E National Energy Group is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PG&E Corporation
(NYSE: PCG).

                                  ************

Contacts:
Warren L. Robinson - Executive Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial
Officer (701) 222-7991 or Cathi Christopherson - Vice President, Corporate
Communications (701) 222-7959 Sandra McDonough, 503/833-4601 or Megan Frey,
503/833-4603 - PG&E National Energy Group