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Sources of Montana utility-scale electricity generation:
full-year 2023[1]

  Coal (44.8%)
  Hydroelectric (29.7%)
  Wind (17.7%)
  Natural Gas (3.9%)
  Petroleum (1.9%)
  Solar (0.9%)
  Biomass (0.1%)
  Other (0.9%)

This is a list of electricity-generating power stations in the U.S. state of Montana, sorted by type and name. In 2022, Montana had a total summer capacity of 6,439 MW through all of its power plants, and a net generation of 27,088 GWh.[2] In 2023, the electrical energy generation mix was 44.8% coal, 29.7% hydroelectric, 17.7% wind, 3.9% natural gas, 1.9% petroleum, 0.9% solar, 0.1% biomass, and 0.9% other. Small-scale solar, including customer-owned photovoltaic panels, delivered and additional 76 GWh to the state's electrical grid in 2023.[1]

During 2019, Montana exported about one-half of the electricity generated by its power plants to other states. Montana has the largest recoverable deposits of coal in the nation, accounting for 30% of U.S. reserves. In recent years three-quarters of the coal mined in Montana has been exported, with over one-third going to Asia via western Canada.[3]

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

Nuclear power stations[edit]

Montana had no utility-scale plants that used fissile material as a fuel in 2022.[1]

Fossil-fuel power stations[edit]

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[4]

Coal[edit]

A useful map[5] of coal generation plants is provided by the Sierra Club.

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Year
Opened		 Scheduled Retirement Refs
Colstrip Steam Electric Station Rosebud County 45°52′59″N 106°36′50″W / 45.8831°N 106.614°W / 45.8831; -106.614 (Colstrip Coal Plant) 1480 1975 (Unit 1- 340MW)
1976 (Unit 2- 340MW)
1984 (Unit 3- 740MW)
1986 (Unit 4- 740MW) 		2020 (Unit 1- closed)
2020 (Unit 2- closed)
2027 (Unit 3)
2027 (Unit 4) 		[6][7][8]
Colstrip Energy LP Plant Rosebud County 45°58′31″N 106°39′17″W / 45.9752°N 106.6547°W / 45.9752; -106.6547 (Colstrip Energy LP Plant) 38 1990 TBD [9][10]
Hardin Generator Project Big Horn County 45°45′28″N 107°36′00″W / 45.7578°N 107.6000°W / 45.7578; -107.6000 (Hardin Generator Project) 107 2006 TBD [A] [11]
Lewis & Clark Station Richland County 47°40′43″N 104°09′24″W / 47.6785°N 104.1566°W / 47.6785; -104.1566 (Lewis & Clark Station) 53 1958 2021 (closed) [12][13][14][15]
Sidney Sugars Plant Richland County 47°43′02″N 104°08′08″W / 47.7172°N 104.1356°W / 47.7172; -104.1356 (Sydney Sugars Plant) 4.0 1950 TBD [16]

A The Hardin facility was mostly idle and is re-ramping to service cryptocurrency mining.[17]

Natural Gas and Petroleum[edit]

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Fuel
Type		 Generation
Type		 Year
Opened		 Refs
Basin Creek Generation Plant Silver Bow County 45°55′45″N 112°31′10″W / 45.9293°N 112.5194°W / 45.9293; -112.5194 (Basin Creek Plant) 54 gas Reciprocating Engine (x9) 2006 [18][19]
Culbertson Generation Station Roosevelt County 48°12′36″N 104°23′30″W / 48.2100°N 104.3917°W / 48.2100; -104.3917 (Culbertson Generation Station) 85 gas Simple Cycle 2010 [20]
Dave Gates Generating Station[A] Deer Lodge County 46°06′17″N 112°52′36″W / 46.1047°N 112.8766°W / 46.1047; -112.8766 (Dave Gates Generating Station) 150 gas Simple Cycle (x3) 2011 [21]
Glendive Gas Turbine Dawson County 47°03′14″N 104°44′24″W / 47.0539°N 104.7400°W / 47.0539; -104.7400 (Glendive GT Plant) 75 gas Simple Cycle (x2) 1979/2003 [22]
Miles City Gas Turbine Custer County 46°24′40″N 105°47′43″W / 46.4112°N 105.7953°W / 46.4112; -105.7953 (Miles City GT Plant) 24 gas Simple Cycle 1972 [23]
OREG 1 & 2 Roosevelt County 48°12′51″N 104°23′51″W / 48.2141°N 104.3975°W / 48.2141; -104.3975 (OREG 1/2) 40 waste heat from gas compressor turbine ORC Generator (x8) 2006/2009 [24]
Phillips 66 Billings Refinery Yellowstone County 45°46′37″N 108°29′28″W / 45.7769°N 108.4911°W / 45.7769; -108.4911 (Billing Refinery) 1.5 petroleum gases Steam Turbine 2007
Yellowstone Energy Yellowstone County 45°48′42″N 108°25′40″W / 45.8117°N 108.4278°W / 45.8117; -108.4278 (Yellowstone Plant) 52 petroleum Steam Turbine 1995 [25]

A formerly Mill Creek Generating Station

Renewable power stations[edit]

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[4]

Biomass[edit]

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Fuel Generation
Type		 Year
Opened		 Refs
Stoltze CoGen1 Flathead County 48°23′16″N 114°14′27″W / 48.3877°N 114.2409°W / 48.3877; -114.2409 (Stoltze Cogen) 3.0 wood/wood waste Steam Turbine 2013 [26]

Hydroelectric[edit]

See also: List of dams and reservoirs in Montana

Additional Montana hydroelectric general references:[27][28]

Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Number of
Turbines		 Year
Opened		 Refs
Bigfork Hydro Flathead 4.5 3 1908
Black Eagle Hydro Cascade County 47°31′17″N 111°15′41″W / 47.5213°N 111.2614°W / 47.5213; -111.2614 (Black Eagle Hydro) 21 3 1927 [29]
Broadwater Power Project Broadwater County 46°07′14″N 111°24′27″W / 46.1206°N 111.4076°W / 46.1206; -111.4076 (Broadwater Power Project) 9.7 1 1989 [30]
Canyon Ferry Powerplant Lewis and Clark County 46°38′56″N 111°43′40″W / 46.6490°N 111.7279°W / 46.6490; -111.7279 (Canyon Ferry Powerplant) 57.6 3 1953-1954 [31]
Cochrane Hydro Cascade County 47°32′15″N 111°11′42″W / 47.5375°N 111.1950°W / 47.5375; -111.1950 (Cochrane Hydro) 62 2 1958 [29]
Flint Creek Hydro Granite County 46°13′39″N 113°17′41″W / 46.2275°N 113.2947°W / 46.2275; -113.2947 (Flint Creek Hydro) 2.0 1 2013 [32]
Fort Peck Hydropower Plant McCone County 48°00′44″N 106°24′44″W / 48.0122°N 106.4123°W / 48.0122; -106.4123 (Fort Peck Hydropower Plant) 218 5 1943/1948/
1951/1961		 [33]
Hauser Hydro Lewis and Clark County 46°45′57″N 111°53′14″W / 46.7659°N 111.8873°W / 46.7659; -111.8873 (Hauser Hydro) 18.2 6 1911 [29]
Holter Hydro Cascade County 46°59′29″N 112°00′17″W / 46.9915°N 112.0047°W / 46.9915; -112.0047 (Holter Hydro) 53.2 4 1918 [29]
Hungry Horse Powerplant Flathead County 48°20′29″N 114°00′52″W / 48.3415°N 114.0144°W / 48.3415; -114.0144 (Hungry Horse Hydro Powerplant) 427 4 1952-1953 [34]
Libby Hydro Plant Lincoln County 48°24′35″N 115°18′51″W / 48.4098°N 115.3143°W / 48.4098; -115.3143 (Libby Hydro Plant) 525 5 1975-1976/
1984		 [35]
Madison Hydro Madison County 45°29′16″N 111°38′02″W / 45.4879°N 111.6338°W / 45.4879; -111.6338 (Madison Hydro) 8.0 4 1906/1908 [29]
Morony Hydro Cascade County 47°34′54″N 111°03′39″W / 47.5817°N 111.0609°W / 47.5817; -111.0609 (Morony Hydro) 49 2 1930 [29]
Mystic Lake Hydro Stillwater County 45°13′33″N 109°45′45″W / 45.2257°N 109.7625°W / 45.2257; -109.7625 (Mystic Lake Hydro) 12 2 1925 [29]
Noxon Rapids Hydro Sanders County 47°57′38″N 115°44′01″W / 47.9605°N 115.7336°W / 47.9605; -115.7336 (Noxon Rapids Hydro Plant) 580 5 1959-1960/
1977		 [36]
Rainbow Hydro Cascade County 47°32′04″N 111°12′16″W / 47.5344°N 111.2045°W / 47.5344; -111.2045 (Rainbow Hydro) 64 1 2013 [29]
Ryan Hydro Cascade County 47°34′12″N 111°07′21″W / 47.5699°N 111.1225°W / 47.5699; -111.1225 (Ryan Hydro) 69.5 6 1915-1916 [29]
Seli's Ksanka Qlispe' Hydro
(formerly Kerr Dam Hydro)		 Lake County 47°40′40″N 114°14′02″W / 47.6777°N 114.2339°W / 47.6777; -114.2339 (Seli's Ksanka Qlispe' Hydro) 206 3 1938/1949/
1954		 [29]
South Dry Creek Hydro Carbon County 45°12′23″N 109°09′55″W / 45.2063°N 109.1652°W / 45.2063; -109.1652 (South Dry Creek Hydro) 2.0 1 1985 [37]
Thompson Falls Hydro Sanders County 47°35′36″N 115°21′30″W / 47.5932°N 115.3582°W / 47.5932; -115.3582 (Thompson Falls Hydro) 94 7 1915-1917 [29]
Tiber Dam Hydro Liberty County 48°19′05″N 111°06′06″W / 48.318°N 111.1018°W / 48.318; -111.1018 (Tiber Dam Hydro) 7.5 1 2004 [27]
Turnbull Hydro Teton County 47°36′19″N 112°05′49″W / 47.6053°N 112.0969°W / 47.6053; -112.0969 (Turnbull Hydro) 13 2 2011 [38]
Yellowtail Powerplant Big Horn County 45°18′27″N 107°57′27″W / 45.3074°N 107.9575°W / 45.3074; -107.9575 (Yellowtail Powerplant) 278 4 1966 [39]

Wind[edit]

See also: Wind power in Montana
Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MW)		 Number of
Turbines		 Year
Opened		 Turbine
Mfg Spec		 Refs
Big Timber Wind Farm (Greycliff) Sweet Grass County 45°51′19″N 109°38′57″W / 45.8554°N 109.6492°W / 45.8554; -109.6492 (Big Timber Wind) 25 14 2018 GE 1.8MW [40]
Diamond Willow Wind Facility Fallon County 46°16′31″N 104°11′01″W / 46.2753°N 104.1836°W / 46.2753; -104.1836 (Diamond Willow Wind) 30 20 2008 GE 1.5MW [40]
Fairfield Wind Teton County 47°43′24″N 111°57′55″W / 47.7233°N 111.9653°W / 47.7233; -111.9653 (Fairfield Wind) 10 6 2014 GE 1.6/1.7MW [40]
Glacier Wind I&II Glacier County
Toole County		 48°32′00″N 112°11′05″W / 48.5333°N 112.1847°W / 48.5333; -112.1847 (Glacier Wind) 210 140 2008 Acciona 1.5MW [41]
Gordon Butte Wind Meagher County 46°24′43″N 110°20′16″W / 46.4119°N 110.3378°W / 46.4119; -110.3378 (Gordon Butte Wind) 17.7 9 2012
2018		 GE 1.6MW
GE 2.7MW		 [40]
Greenfield Wind Teton County 47°43′23″N 111°57′47″W / 47.7230°N 111.9630°W / 47.7230; -111.9630 (Greenfield Wind) 25 13 2016 GE 2.3MW [40]
Horseshoe Bend Wind Park Cascade County 47°29′54″N 111°26′21″W / 47.4983°N 111.4392°W / 47.4983; -111.4392 (Horseshoe Bend Wind Park) 9.0 6 2006 GE 1.5MW [40]
Judith Gap Wind Energy Center Wheatland County 46°34′21″N 109°45′11″W / 46.5725°N 109.7531°W / 46.5725; -109.7531 (Judith Gap Wind) 135 90 2006 GE 1.5MW [22]
Musselshell Wind Project I&II Wheatland County 46°16′31″N 109°28′58″W / 46.2753°N 109.4827°W / 46.2753; -109.4827 (Musselshell Wind) 20 14 2013 GE 1.5MW [40]
Pryor Mountain Wind Project[A] Carbon County 45°08′05″N 108°41′12″W / 45.13472°N 108.68667°W / 45.13472; -108.68667 (Pryor Mountain Wind) 240 114 2020 Vestas 2.0/2.2MW
GE 2.3MW[42]		 [43][44]
Rim Rock Wind Farm Glacier County
Toole County		 48°49′13″N 112°06′12″W / 48.8202°N 112.1033°W / 48.8202; -112.1033 (Rim Rock Wind) 189 126 2012 Acciona 1.5MW [45][46]
Spion Kop Wind Farm Judith Basin County 47°20′00″N 110°38′21″W / 47.3333°N 110.6392°W / 47.3333; -110.6392 (Spion Kop Wind) 40 25 2013 GE 1.6MW [40][47]
Stillwater Wind Stillwater County 45°51′57″N 109°28′36″W / 45.8658°N 109.4766°W / 45.8658; -109.4766 (Stillwater Wind) 80 31 2018 Siemens-Gamesa 2.3/2.6MW [48]
South Peak Wind Judith Basin County 47°19′48″N 110°36′53″W / 47.3299°N 110.6146°W / 47.3299; -110.6146 (South Peak Wind) 80 29 2020 GE 2.3/2.5MW [49]
Two Dot Wind Farm Wheatland County 46°26′58″N 110°05′14″W / 46.4494°N 110.0872°W / 46.4494; -110.0872 (Two Dot Wind) 9.7 6 2014 GE 1.6MW [40][47]

A formerly Mud Springs Wind

Solar[edit]

See also: Solar power in Montana
Project Name Location Coordinates Capacity
(MWAC) 		Year
Opened 		Refs
Black Eagle Solar Cascade County 47°32′51″N 111°15′14″W / 47.5475°N 111.2540°W / 47.5475; -111.2540 (Black Eagle Solar) 3.0 2017 [50]
Great Divide Solar Lewis and Clark County 46°48′21″N 112°14′56″W / 46.8057°N 112.2490°W / 46.8057; -112.2490 (Great Divide Solar) 3.0 2017 [51]
Green Meadow Solar Lewis and Clark County 46°41′40″N 112°03′49″W / 46.6945°N 112.0636°W / 46.6945; -112.0636 (Green Meadow Solar) 3.0 2017 [52]
Magpie Solar Golden Valley County 46°17′29″N 108°56′16″W / 46.2914°N 108.9379°W / 46.2914; -108.9379 (Magpie Solar) 3.0 2017 [53]
River Bend Solar Stillwater County 45°42′14″N 109°33′55″W / 45.7038°N 109.5652°W / 45.7038; -109.5652 (River Bend Solar) 2.0 2017 [54]
South Mills Solar Big Horn County 45°43′48″N 107°37′57″W / 45.7301°N 107.6326°W / 45.7301; -107.6326 (South Mills Solar) 3.0 2017 [55]

Storage power stations[edit]

Montana had no utility-scale storage power stations in 2019.[4] A proposed facility is the 400MW/1300MWh Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Project.[56]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, Montana, Fuel Type-Check all, Annual, 2001–23". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  2. ^ "Montana Electricity Profile". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2023-03-30.
  3. ^ "Montana Electricity Profile Analysis". U.S. EIA. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  4. ^ a b c Energy Information Administration (15 September 2020). "Form EIA-860 detailed data with previous form data (EIA-860A/860B)". eia.gov. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020.
  5. ^ Sierra Club-Beyond Coal
  6. ^ "Colstrip Steam Electric Station - Colstrip, Montana". Talen Energy. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  7. ^ "Colstrip Steam Electric Station Units 1 and 2 to Retire". prnewswire.com. 2019-06-11.
  8. ^ "Colstrip Steam Plant - Global Energy Monitor". Global Energy Monitor. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  9. ^ "Colstrip Energy LP Plant". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  10. ^ "Colstrip Energy LP, monthly electricity data". U.S. Energy Information Administration. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  11. ^ Tom Lutey (2019-03-01). "Hardin coal-fired power plant sells to possible cryptocurrency company". Billings Gazette.
  12. ^ "Lewis & Clark Station". Montana-Dakota Utilities. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  13. ^ Tom Lutey (2019-02-19). "MDU to shutter Eastern Montana coal power plant in 2020". Billings Gazette.
  14. ^ "Eastern Montana coal plant closes". Montana Standard. Retrieved 2021-04-01.
  15. ^ rjean@willistonherald.com, Renée Jean. "Lewis and Clark Station could find new life in a world class way". Sidney Herald. Retrieved 2021-01-10.
  16. ^ "Sidney Sugars - Facility Information". American Crystal Sugar Company. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  17. ^ Brian Spegele and Caitlan Ostroff (2021-05-21). "Bitcoin Miners Are Giving New Life to Old Fossil-Fuel Power Plants". Wall Street Journal.
  18. ^ "Basin Creek 51.8 MW Generation Plant". ITG Henneman Engineering Inc. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  19. ^ Tim Trainor (2010-02-27). "The little power plant that could". Montana Standard.
  20. ^ "Culbertson Station". Basin Electric Cooperative. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  21. ^ "NWE electricity generation - Dave Gates Generating Station at Mill Creek". Northwestern Energy. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  22. ^ a b "Glendive gas turbine". Montana-Dakota Utilities. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  23. ^ "Miles City gas turbine". Montana-Dakota Utilities. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  24. ^ "Recovered Energy Generation". Ormat Technologies, Inc. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  25. ^ "Yellowstone Energy Oil Plant". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  26. ^ "Montana Biomass Energy Projects". Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  27. ^ a b "Montana's Hydroelectric Portfolio". Montana Department of Environmental Quality. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  28. ^ "Hydroelectric projects in Montana". Foundation for Water and Energy Education. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  29. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "NWE Hydroelectric Facilities". Northwestern Energy. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  30. ^ "Toston Dam (Broadwater-Missouri) Factsheet" (PDF). Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. 2014-10-31. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  31. ^ "Canyon Ferry Dam". U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
  32. ^ George Plaven (2011-09-05). "Turning on the juice: Flint Creek dam to resume producing hydroelectric power in Granite County". The Montana Standard.
  33. ^ "USACE Hydropower at Fort Peck". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  34. ^ "Hungry Horse Powerplant". U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  35. ^ "Libby Dam and Lake Koocanusa". U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  36. ^ "Clark River Project - Noxon Rapids". Avista Corp. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  37. ^ "South Dry Creek Hydro Plant". Global Energy Observatory. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  38. ^ "Project aims to turn irrigation ditch into power". Northwest Renewable News. 2009-11-09. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  39. ^ "Yellowtail Dam". U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h i "MSU Wind Applications Center - Active Wind Project". Montana State University. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  41. ^ LeAnne Kavanagh (October 28, 2009). "Glacier Wind Farm is state's biggest wind energy project". Shelby Promoter.
  42. ^ "Pryor Mountain Wind Project" (PDF). Rocky Mountain Power. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  43. ^ Tom Lutey (2020-08-07). "Bridger wind farm could be finished by end of year". Billings Gazette.
  44. ^ Tom Lutey (2020-01-12). "Wind farm projects lining up to call hills around south-central montana town home". Billings Gazette.
  45. ^ Paula Moore (17 June 2013). "Rim Rock Wind Farm Is Largest-Capacity Wind Site in Montana". ENR Mountain States. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  46. ^ "Rim Rock Wind Farm, Montana". Power Technology. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  47. ^ a b "Wind Generation". Northwestern Energy. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  48. ^ "Pattern's Stillwater Wind Comes To Life In Montana". North American Windpower. November 19, 2018.
  49. ^ "Renewable energy sites - South Peak". Allete Clean Energy / Allete Inc. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
  50. ^ Jo Dee Black (2017-06-01). "Construction on Black Eagle Solar well underway". Great Falls Tribune. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  51. ^ "Great Divide". OneEnergy Renewables. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  52. ^ "Green Meadow Solar". Renewable Northwest. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  53. ^ "Magpie Solar Project". Solar Energy Resources. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  54. ^ "River Bend Solar". Renewable Northwest. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  55. ^ "South Mills Solar". Renewable Northwest. Retrieved 2021-01-13.
  56. ^ "Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Project". Gordon Butte Energy Park LLC. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_power_stations_in_Montana