Exhibit 5(a)



                                                June 14, 1996



             MDU Resources Group, Inc.
             400 North Fourth Street
             Bismarck, North Dakota 58501


             Ladies and Gentlemen:

                       With reference to the Registration Statement on
             Form S-8 to be filed on or about the date hereof with the
             Securities and Exchange Commission by MDU Resources Group,
             Inc. (the "Company") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
             amended (the "Act"), and pursuant to which the Company
             intends to register 700,000 shares of its Common Stock, par
             value $3.33 (the "Stock") and the Preference Share Purchase
             Rights attached thereto (the "Rights") for offer and sale
             in connection with the Company's Tax Deferred Compensation
             Savings Plan (the "Plan"), it is my opinion that: 

                       1.   When

                       (a)  appropriate authorizations by the Federal
                            Energy Regulatory Commission, the Montana
                            Public Service Commission and the Public
                            Service Commission of Wyoming with respect
                            to the issuance and sale of the Stock shall
                            have been granted;

                       (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 for the consideration set forth in
                            the aforesaid Registration Statement and in
                            accordance with the actions hereinabove
                            mentioned,

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

                       2.   The Rights, when issued as contemplated by
             the Registration Statement, will be validly issued.

                       I am a member of the North Dakota and Montana
             Bars and do not hold myself out as an expert on the laws of
             any other state.  Except as set forth in paragraph 1(a)
             above, my opinions expressed above are limited to the law
             of the states of North Dakota and Montana, the General
             Corporation Law of the state of Delaware, and the Federal
             laws of the United States.

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

                                           Very truly yours,
    
                                           /s/ Lester H. Loble, II

                                           Lester H. Loble, II
                                           General Counsel 
                                           and Secretary