POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, JEFFREY J. LEGGE, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  _______1/2_____________, 1997.



                                     _______Jeffrey J. Legge____________ 
                                      Jeffrey J. Legge  

In Presence of: 

_______Cheryl Enderle____________

______Anita Anderson________________


<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, JOHN C. MAC FARLANE, do hereby constitute and appoint A. E.
ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A. NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  ______1/2 _________, 1997.



                                   _______John C. MacFarlane____________ 
                                    John C. MacFarlane  
In Presence of: 

_______Dee Fletcher________________


_______Rodney C. H. Scheel_________


<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, ROBERT N. SPOLUM, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  _____1/6__________, 1997



                                  ______Robert N.Spolum________________  
                                      Robert N. Spolum  
In Presence of: 

_______Linda Brenzel_______________


_______Michele Pingel______________


<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, NATHAN I. PARTAIN, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  ______1/6___________, 1997.


                                  ______Nathan I. Partain______________  
                                    Nathan I. Partain  
In Presence of: 

______Karent Keating____________________



_______Ellen Reimts____________



<PAGE>

                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, DAYLE DIETZ, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. MAC
FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  ______1/13___________, 1997.


                                   ______Dayle Dietz____________________ 
                                        Dayle Dietz  
In Presence of: 

_______Owen E. Jensen__________


________Diane Pederson_____________



<PAGE>

                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________
                                

          I, ARVID R. LIEBE, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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 ExchangeCommission pursuant to the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. 

Date:  ________1/6_______, 1997.


                                   ______Arvid R. Liebe_________________ 
                                        Arvid R. Liebe  
In Presence of: 

_________Melogy Kunde_______________


_________Renee Thomas__________


<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, THOMAS M. BROWN, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  _______1/6________, 1997.


                                   _____Thomas M. Brown_________________ 
                                    Thomas M. Brown  
In Presence of: 

____Donna M. Hull__________________


_____Kimmy K. Schmidt_______________<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, MAYNARD D. HELGAAS, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN
C. MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY
A. NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  ________1/3_______, 1997.


                                   ______Maynard D. Helgaas_____________ 
                                     Maynard D. Helgaas  
In Presence of: 

_______Ronald Herraas______________


_______Penny Mosher_____________


<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, KENNETH L. NELSON, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  ___1/8_____________, 1997



                                                                         
                                 _____Kenneth L. Nelson_____           
                                       Kenneth L. Nelson  
In Presence of: 

_____Mike Holper___________________


_____Wayne Langley___________________


<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, DENNIS R. EMMEN, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A.
NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  ______1/13___________, 1997



                                   ______Dennis R. Emmen________________ 
                                        Dennis R.Emmen  
In Presence of: 

_______Becky Luhning_______________


_______Penny Mosher________________


<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, A. E. ANDERSON, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C.
MAC FARLANE, JAY D. MYSTER, C. E. BRUNKO, and BEVERLY A. NORLIN, 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, 1996, 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:  ______1/2___________, 1997.


                                   _____A. E. Anderson__________________ 
                                        A. E. Anderson  
In Presence of: 

______Penny Mosher_________________


______Lori D. Dawkins_____________<PAGE>


                       POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                
                           __________


          I, JAY D. MYSTER, do hereby constitute and appoint JOHN C. MAC
FARLANE, A. E. ANDERSON, BEVERLY A. NORLIN, 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, Governmental & Legal and Corporate
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, 1996,
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:  _______1/3__________, 1997.


                                  ______Jay D. Myster__________________  
                                       Jay D. Myster  
In Presence of: 

_______Becky Luhning_______________


_______Lori D. Dawkins________________