POWER OF ATTORNEY

          Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints each of Paul K. Sandness and Debra S.
Anderson, signing singly, the undersigned's true and lawful
attorney-in-fact to:

  (1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or director of MDU Resources
Group, Inc. (the "Company"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with
Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
thereunder;

  (2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the
undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete and
execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5 and timely file such form with the
 United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
exchange or similar authority; and

  (3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection
with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact,
may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required
by, the undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed
by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to
this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such
terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

          The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing
whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise
of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all
intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do if
personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or
such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully
do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the
rights and powers herein granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that
the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the
request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company
assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to comply with
Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

          This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect
until the undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5
with respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in
securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the
undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact.

          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power
of Attorney to be executed as of this 17th day of May, 2013.


								Signature

						  Jeffrey S. Thiede
							Print Name