EXHIBIT 5(A)

                               Lester H. Loble, II
                  Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary
                            MDU Resources Group, Inc.
                               Schuchart Building
                             918 East Divide Avenue
                                  P.O. Box 5650
                        Bismarck, North Dakota 58506-5650


                                 March 25, 2002


MDU Resources Group, Inc.
Schuchart Building
918 East Divide Avenue
P.O. Box 5650
Bismarck, North Dakota  58506-5650

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     I am Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of MDU Resources Group,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"). This opinion is being rendered in
connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration
Statement") to be filed on or about the date hereof with the Securities and
Exchange Commission by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
(the "Securities Act"), and pursuant to which the Company intends to register
100,000 additional shares of its Common Stock, par value $1.00 (the "Stock"),
and the Preference Share Purchase Rights attached thereto (the "Rights"), for
offer and sale in connection with the MDU Resources Group, Inc. Group Genius
Innovation Plan (the "Plan").

     In connection with this opinion, I have examined originals or copies,
certified or otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of (i) the Registration
Statement, (ii) the Rights Agreement, dated as of November 12, 1998, between the
Company and Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota, N.A. (f/k/a Norwest Bank Minnesota,
N.A.), as Rights Agent, together with the exhibits thereto (the "Rights
Agreement"), pursuant to which the Rights were created, (iii) resolutions of the
Board of Directors of the Company, dated May 17, 2001, authorizing the
establishment of the Plan, (iv) the Plan, (v) the orders of the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, dated March 5, 2002, the Montana Public Service
Commission, dated February 22, 2002, and the Public Service Commission of
Wyoming, dated March 19, 2002 (collectively, the "Orders"), and (vi) such other
instruments certificates, records and documents, and such matters of law, as I
have considered necessary or appropriate for the purposes hereof.

     Based on the foregoing, subject to the limitations and qualifications
contained in this opinion, and provided the Orders remain in full force and
effect and have not been amended, rescinded or repealed, I am of the opinion
that:

1.   The Company is a corporation validly organized and existing under the laws
     of the State of Delaware and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign
     corporation in the States of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South
     Dakota, and Wyoming.

2.   When

     (a)  the Registration Statement shall have become effective under the
          Securities Act,

     (b)  the Company's Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee
          thereof shall have approved the issuance and sale of the Stock by the
          Company, and





     (c)  the Stock shall have been duly issued and delivered by the Company for
          the consideration set forth in the aforesaid Plan and in accordance
          with the actions hereinabove mentioned,

     the Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

3.   The Rights, when issued as contemplated in the Rights Agreement, will be
     validly issued and will represent legally binding obligations of the
     Company under the laws of the State of Delaware.

     I am a member of the North Dakota and Montana Bars and do not hold myself
out as an expert on the laws of Minnesota, South Dakota or Wyoming, but I have
made a study through counsel located in such jurisdictions or otherwise of such
jurisdictions insofar as such laws are involved in the conclusions expressed in
this opinion. Insofar as the opinions expressed herein relate to the General
Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the applicable provisions of the
Delaware Constitution and the reported judicial decisions interpreting the
Delaware laws, or the federal laws of the United States of America, I have
relied on the opinion of even date herewith of Thelen Reid & Priest LLP, counsel
to the Company, which opinion is to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement.

     I hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to me therein.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ Lester H. Loble, II

                                        Lester H. Loble, II
                                        Vice President, General
                                        Counsel and Secretary