Exhibit 24-A


                         POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
                            __________


     I, JEFFREY J. LEGGE, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, and or any one of them,
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my 
behalf as Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of Otter Tail Power
Company, the Annual Report of Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for 
its fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said 
Annual Report, and to deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and
all amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934, as amended.

Date: February 12, 1999.



                                     ___________Jeffrey J. Legge_______ 
                                                Jeffrey J. Legge 

In Presence of:


Anita Anderson 
______________


Becky Luhning
______________




                          POWER OF ATTORNEY

                             __________


     I, JOHN C. MAC FARLANE, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN D. 
ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them, my Attorney-in-Fact for
the purpose of signing, in my name and on my behalf as President and 
Chief Executive Officer, Principal Executive Officer and Director of 
Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of Otter Tail Power Company 
on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, and any and 
all amendments to said Annual Report, and to deliver on my behalf said 
Annual Report and any and all amendments thereto, as each thereof is 
so signed, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  February 11, 1999.



                                      ________John C. MacFarlane_______ 
                                              John C. MacFarlane 

In Presence of:


Deborah A. Kleven
___________________


Penny Mosher
___________________






                          POWER OF ATTORNEY

                             __________


     I, ROBERT N. SPOLUM, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them,
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my
behalf as Director of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of 
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, 
and to deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all 
amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  February 17, 1999



                                       ___________Robert N. Spolum_____ 
                                                  Robert N. Spolum 

In Presence of:



Dwight Fredricson
___________________


Francine C. Johnson
___________________






                          POWER OF ATTORNEY

                              __________


     I, NATHAN I. PARTAIN, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them,
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my
behalf as Director of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of 
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, 
and to deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all 
amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. 

Date:  February  19, 1999.


                                       _________Nathan I. Partain________ 
                                                Nathan I. Partain 

In Presence of:


Eric Elveberg
_____________


Ellen Rembert
_____________






                          POWER OF ATTORNEY

                             __________


     I, DAYLE DIETZ, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. MAC FARLANE,
JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them, my Attorney-in-Fact
for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my behalf as Director of 
Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of Otter Tail Power Company on
Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 1998, and any and all 
amendments to said Annual Report, and to deliver on my behalf said Annual
Report and any and all amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, 
for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  March 1, 1999.


                                                  
                                      ___________Dayle Dietz___________ 
                                                 Dayle Dietz 

In Presence of:


Eleanor Zakala
________________


Steve Stroh
________________






                          POWER OF ATTORNEY

                              __________


     I, ARVID R. LIEBE, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them, 
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my
behalf as Director of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, 
and to deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all 
amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  February 16, 1999.


                                       ___________Arvid R. Liebe ______ 
                                                  Arvid R. Liebe 

In Presence of:


Renee Thomas
_________________


Susan J. DeJong
_________________






                           POWER OF ATTORNEY

                              __________


     I, THOMAS M. BROWN, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them, 
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my
behalf as Director of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of 
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, 
and to deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all 
amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  February 22, 1999.


                                      ___________Thomas M. Brown _____ 
                                                 Thomas M. Brown 

In Presence of:


Donna M. Hull
_________________


Diane Rundlbade
_________________






                         POWER OF ATTORNEY

                            __________


     I, C. E. BRUNKO, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. MAC FARLANE,
and JOHN D. ERICKSON, or any one of them, my Attorney-in-Fact for the 
purpose of signing, in my name and on my behalf as Assistant Treasurer 
and Assistant Secretary of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 
31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, and to deliver 
on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all amendments thereto, as each 
thereof is so signed, for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  February 12, 1999.


                                       __________C. E. Brunko____________ 
                                                 C. E. Brunko 

In Presence of:


LeAnn Dornburg
____________________


Desdemona B. Norgren
____________________





                          POWER OF ATTORNEY

                             __________


     I, MAYNARD D. HELGAAS, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them, 
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my 
behalf as Director of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of 
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December
31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, and to 
deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all amendments 
thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended.

Date:  February 14, 1999.


                                       _________Maynard D. Helgaas_______ 
                                                Maynard D. Helgaas 

In Presence of:


Julie Dunwoodie
___________________


Ronald Hurour
___________________




                         POWER OF ATTORNEY

                              __________


     I, KENNETH L. NELSON, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them, 
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my 
behalf as Director of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report,
and to deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all 
amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  February 15, 1999



                                       __________Kenneth L. Nelson____ 
                                                 Kenneth L. Nelson 

In Presence of:


Kim M. Nelson
_________________


Penny Mosher
_________________




                           POWER OF ATTORNEY

                              __________


     I, DENNIS R. EMMEN, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, JOHN D. ERICKSON, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them,
my Attorney-in-Fact for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my
behalf as Director of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of 
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended 
December 31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, 
and to deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all 
amendments thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended.

Date:  February 16, 1999



                                       _________Dennis R. Emmen_______ 
                                                Dennis R. Emmen 
In Presence of:


Becky Luhning
________________


Penny Mosher
________________






                          POWER OF ATTORNEY

                             __________


     I, JOHN D. ERICKSON, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. 
MAC FARLANE, and C. E. BRUNKO, or any one of them, my Attorney-in-Fact
for the purpose of signing, in my name and on my behalf as Vice 
President, Finance of Otter Tail Power Company, the Annual Report of 
Otter Tail Power Company on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December
31, 1998, and any and all amendments to said Annual Report, and to 
deliver on my behalf said Annual Report and any and all amendments 
thereto, as each thereof is so signed, for filing with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934, as amended. 

Date:  February 24, 1999.


                                       _________John D. Erickson______ 
                                                John D. Erickson 

In Presence of:


Penny Mosher
_________________


Lori D. Dawkins
_________________