North Dakota – Gov. Kelly Armstrong welcomed U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to North Dakota, emphasizing the state’s role in American energy security and its shared goal with the Trump administration of achieving U.S. energy dominance.
“North Dakota stands ready to partner with the Trump administration and the private sector to achieve U.S. energy dominance and provide reliable, affordable energy for all Americans,” Armstrong said. He noted the state’s position as a top 10 energy producer and the nation’s third-largest oil producer, highlighting projects such as enhanced oil recovery using captured CO₂ and efforts to strengthen the electric grid through an all-of-the-above strategy combining coal, natural gas, and renewable energy.
Armstrong joined Wright in a roundtable discussion hosted by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven at the University of North Dakota’s Energy & Environmental Research Center. The event included U.S. Rep. Julie Fedorchak, Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, Department of Mineral Resources Director Nathan Anderson, Pipeline Authority Executive Director Justin Kringstad, UND President Andy Armacost, state legislators, and energy industry leaders.
The governor said North Dakota’s coal, oil, and gas sectors have gained momentum under an administration that recognizes their significance to national energy security, pointing to a recent White House event promoting coal. He stressed that the tech industry also depends on reliable power sources, stating that facilities like data centers and AI operations cannot run solely on wind and solar.
Armstrong said the shift toward a more pragmatic energy policy represents an opportunity for North Dakota, which is positioned ahead of much of the country in balancing energy production with economic growth.
Since Wright’s confirmation as Energy Secretary on Feb. 3, Armstrong has worked closely with him on key state priorities. In March, the governor voiced support for funding through the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program for the North Plains Connector, a 420-mile high-voltage direct current transmission line linking the Eastern and Western electric grids through Montana and North Dakota, as well as for Project Tundra.
