NECA and the IBEW Build a Legacy Project in the North Dakota Badlands

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) is one of the most rural electrical projects underway in the United States, and it is being powered by the partnership between the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). Located in the rugged landscape of Medora, North Dakota, this once-in-a-generation build is being completed by the skilled workforce of IBEW Local 714 and the contractor teams at ArchKey Electric and North Valley Electric.

The TRPL site brings extraordinary challenges: remote terrain, complex electrical systems, environmentally sensitive requirements, and the need to meet the “Living Building Challenge”, one of the most rigorous sustainability standards in the world. ArchKey Electric’s early involvement in pre-construction, combined with North Valley’s local expertise, has allowed the team to engineer custom solutions that integrate battery storage, solar systems, low-impact materials, specialty conduits, and advanced automation infrastructure.
These technical demands require not just experience, but the steady collaboration between union labor and NECA contractors. Large-scale rural projects succeed only when labor and management begin coordinating years in advance to secure a skilled workforce, ensure safety planning, and support contractors through unique logistical challenges.

The NECA–IBEW partnership is essential to the success of these projects. Contractors bring national resources, planning expertise, and cutting-edge technology; IBEW electricians deliver the training, safety culture, and craftsmanship needed to execute an innovative build on a demanding site. Together, they have delivered major electrical milestones at TRPL — including completing underground systems, energizing permanent power, and advancing into finish stages ahead of schedule.

But the most enduring impact reaches beyond the jobsite. The TRPL will become a world-class destination that blends seamlessly into the Badlands, supports regional tourism, and strengthens the local economy for years to come. Through its partnership with NECA and the IBEW, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is not just being constructed — it is being crafted to stand as a landmark of innovation, sustainability, and union-built legacy. For the workers involved, this project is more than a job, it’s a chance to help make history. Workers on the project will be able to speak with profound pride about being able to tell future generations: I helped build that. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is set to open on July 4th, 2026, in Medora, North Dakota.