Electricity Rates in Montana

Electricity Rates, Plans & Statistics

Electricity Companies & Statistics in Montana

  • Population
    see rank
    1,104,271
  • Total Production
    see rank
    26,766,152 MWh / 24.24 MWh per capita
  • Total Consumption
    see rank
    15,570,787 MWh / 14.1 MWh per capita
  • Total Production from Renewable
    see rank
    14,025,759 MWh / 12.7 MWh per capita
  • CO2 Emissions from Consumption
    see rank
    7,391,635,201 kg / 6,693.68 kg per capita
  • Total Production from Non-Renewable
    see rank
    12,740,393 MWh / 11.54 MWh per capita
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Average Residential Electricity Bills & Rates in Montana

Montana residential electric rates are highest in January and the highest average bill is in April.

Historical Electricity Rates:

Price Per kWhAverage Bill$0.125/kWh$0.104/kWh$148.66/mo.$72.60/mo.
7th11.38¢Average residential price per kWh in the state of Montana
5th$103.02Average residential monthly electricity bill for Montana Residents

Montana Electricity Fuel Mix

MonthlyWe report production data as it is published. Due to reporting methods and timing, data from 2022 and 2021 may be incomplete. Data is released in full each fall for the previous calendar year. For clarification on any data points, please contact our team.
AnnualAnnual data for 2021 will be finalized in the fall of 2022. Until that time, some data may be incomplete. Data for 2022 is a summation of all information released to date, which may only represent a portion of the actual production that has occurred. For clarification on any data points, please contact our team.

Montana's Electricity Prices and Usage

Consumers in Montana enjoy a lower residential electricity rate than most people around the nation, with an average state electricity rate of 11.38 cents per kilowatt hour compared to the nationwide average price of 15.34 cents. While there are 30 electricity companies operating in the state, citizens often will only have one electricity supplier choice due to the regulated electricity market in place. There are over 7,391,635,200.93 kilograms of CO2 emissions emitted from electricity use in the state, which is enough to make Montana the 40th highest polluting state in the US based on total kilograms emitted. Residents in the state consume, on average, 14.1 megawatt hours of electricity each, making Montana the 20th highest ranked state based on electricity consumption per capita. Customers in the state are faced with 0.7 power outages on average, with outages lasting an average of 34.11 minutes. The national averages for these data points are 1.58 outages and 145.81 minutes. Approximately 52.40% of the states' electricity is produced from sustainable fuels, ranking them as the 21st highest state for total renewable electricity production.

Residential Electricity Providers in Montana

ProviderService TypeResidential Rate (¢)Residential Average Bill ($)Residential Sales (MWh)Residential Revenues ($)State Production (MWh)
NorthWestern EnergyBUNDLED12.4393.562,865,787356,154,7003,823,473.23
Flathead Electric CooperativeBUNDLED9.46118.08905,54485,673,00011,557
Mission Valley PowerBUNDLED7.16102.9269,44819,284,220
Yellowstone Valley Electric CooperativeBUNDLED12.34122.11240,62529,687,786
Missoula Electric CoopBUNDLED9.83110.61193,13218,987,165
Vigilante Electric CooperativeBUNDLED7.62114.35192,82314,698,000
Montana Dakota UtilitiesBUNDLED11.2491.24191,70121,552,000109,999
Ravalli ElectricBUNDLED10.04121.37149,528.6915,013,075.16
Park Electric CoopBUNDLED9.33111.5886,505.978,074,143.61
Lincoln Electric CooperativeBUNDLED10.47133.4786,084.949,009,055.13
30 providers total

Commercial Electricity Providers in Montana

ProviderService TypeCommercial Rate (¢)Commercial Average Bill ($)Commercial Sales (MWh)Commercial Revenues ($)State Production (MWh)
NorthWestern EnergyBUNDLED12.04408.443,108,874374,430,1563,823,473.23
Flathead Electric CooperativeBUNDLED7.24240.04481,42434,833,00011,557
Montana Dakota UtilitiesBUNDLED10.05390.26267,13526,848,000109,999
Fergus Electric CooperativeBUNDLED9.275,651.25185,72217,225,000
Mission Valley PowerBUNDLED6.47131.62137,0868,864,000
Glacier Electric CoopBUNDLED8.55303.5377,526.316,625,559.69
Yellowstone Valley Electric CooperativeBUNDLED12.40420.8867,7898,405,824
Sheridan Electric CooperativeBUNDLED15.40952.1356,741.848,740,553.29
Missoula Electric CoopBUNDLED9.01267.8753,1184,785,283
Marias River Electric CooperativeBUNDLED9.13257.4244,499.64,062,158.26
29 providers total

Power Plants in Montana

PlantCity/CountyPrimary Fuel TypeProduction (MWh)Emission (KG)Emissions/MWh (KG/MWh)Toxic Chemical ReleaseClosing Date
ColstripTalen Energy (13.71%)Puget Sound Energy (25.00%)Portland General Electric (20.00%)PacifiCorp (10.00%)NorthWestern Energy (16.29%)Avista Utilities (15.00%)
Colstrip Coal 10,671,337.0511,061,033,948.381,036.52
LibbyUS Army Corps of Engineers (100.00%)
Lincoln County Conventional Hydroelectric 1,845,254.02
Noxon RapidsAvista Utilities (100.00%)
Sanders County Conventional Hydroelectric 1,568,975.01
Selis Ksanka QlispeEnergy Keepers Inc (100.00%)
Lake County Conventional Hydroelectric 987,458
Hungry HorseUS Bureau of Reclamation (100.00%)
Flathead County Conventional Hydroelectric 953,331
Fort PeckUS Army Corps of Engineers (100.00%)
McCone County Conventional Hydroelectric 920,418
Pryor Mountain WindPacifiCorp (100.00%)
Carbon County Wind 789,304
NaturEner Rim Rock EnergyNaturEner Rim Rock Energy LLC (100.00%)
Toole County Wind 660,882
YellowtailUS Bureau of Reclamation (100.00%)
Big Horn County Conventional Hydroelectric 512,187
Judith Gap Wind Energy CenterInvenergy (100.00%)
Wheatland County Wind 483,074
66 power plants total

Quick Facts

Montana generates 4,018,341.76 megawatts from wind turbines. That is sufficient to rank it 20th in the United States for wind energy electricity generation.

Montana produces 12.7 megawatt hours per resident of the state from renewable fuel types. This makes Montana the 5th highest state for renewable generation per capita in the nation.

The population of Montana has increased by 1.85% in the past 12 months.

Montana creates 37.16% of their electricity from hydroelectric power, approximately 9,945,487.11 megawatt hours per year.

Montana produces 756,849.28 megawatt hours from natural gas, which is enough to rank them 49th in the United States for natural gas generation.

By megawatt hours sold, the largest provider in Montana is NorthWestern Energy.

CountyPopulationProvidersPlantsResidential Rate (¢)Residential Avg. Electric Bill
Beaverhead County9,391210.03$103.95/mo
Big Horn County13,1986312.67$112.14/mo
Blaine County7,051312.82$107.69/mo
Broadwater County6,6412110.03$103.96/mo
Carbon County10,4883212.67$99.10/mo
Carter County1,349415.84$96.76/mo
Cascade County84,1783713.03$104.33/mo
Chouteau County5,896413.29$109.49/mo
Custer County11,9687113.13$127.37/mo
Daniels County1,739311.74$129.53/mo
Dawson County9,0036113.08$102.70/mo
Deer Lodge County9,3802110.03$103.95/mo
Fallon County3,0744114.48$90.44/mo
Fergus County11,464313.92$112.62/mo
Flathead County103,4004410.90$107.59/mo
Gallatin County116,725411.21$98.59/mo
Garfield County972213.59$115.15/mo
Glacier County13,827311.22$97.61/mo
Golden Valley County8202113.95$112.82/mo
Granite County3,3333112.07$96.04/mo
Hill County16,297213.13$109.02/mo
Jefferson County12,057210.03$103.96/mo
Judith Basin County2,0042213.94$112.81/mo
Lake County31,0304110.22$98.80/mo
Lewis and Clark County70,3402511.10$99.33/mo
Liberty County2,0263112.38$103.20/mo
Lincoln County19,6745110.82$115.15/mo
Madison County8,4992110.56$101.65/mo
McCone County1,8056113.03$110.89/mo
Meagher County1,9324110.60$107.15/mo
Mineral County4,490311.60$106.66/mo
Missoula County117,379311.05$101.54/mo
Musselshell County4,813313.94$113.38/mo
Park County17,072311.13$101.87/mo
Petroleum County434314.13$116.64/mo
Phillips County4,233312.44$106.75/mo
Pondera County5,974412.26$100.17/mo
Powder River County1,759413.77$143.22/mo
Powell County6,955211.79$97.77/mo
Prairie County1,227413.01$122.73/mo
Ravalli County43,790411.55$104.39/mo
Richland County11,3755210.19$102.62/mo
Roosevelt County10,8847310.89$110.79/mo
Rosebud County8,4646312.77$127.66/mo
Sanders County12,2986211.48$100.47/mo
Sheridan County3,52249.11$111.66/mo
Silver Bow County35,0172110.03$103.96/mo
Stillwater County8,9165212.94$104.29/mo
Sweet Grass County3,6904211.94$107.19/mo
Teton County6,1732312.92$105.75/mo
Toole County5,0133310.91$91.70/mo
Treasure County693312.60$134.50/mo
Valley County7,553512.93$122.30/mo
Wheatland County2,0823413.86$112.79/mo
Wibaux County1,018415.30$67.91/mo
Yellowstone County163,5933512.90$110.89/mo

Power Plant Fuel Types, Emissions & Pollution Factors

Montana is the 40th worst ranked state when it comes to total CO2 pollution, with the state consuming enough electricity to account for 7,391,635,200.93 kilograms of CO2 emissions per year. More telling of the state's pollution reality is the per capita CO2 totals. Currently that amount stands at 6,693.68 kilograms of CO2 emissions from electricity use, which results in the state being the 11th ranked state in the nation for CO2 pollution emitted per capita. Electricity producing facilities in the state most often use Coal, which makes up 11,248,266.66 megawatt hours (or 42.02%) of the fuel types used for electricity generation in the state. Adding Coal totals to Conventional Hydroelectric (37.16%) and Wind (15.01%), these three fuels make up 94.19% of the state electricity generation. Montana has 66 electricity producing plants, which is the 41st most in the country and 14th highest when counting power plants per person.

COAL
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
42.02%
CONVENTIONAL HYDROELECTRIC
Conventional Hydroelectric
Conventional Hydroelectric
Conventional Hydroelectric
Conventional Hydroelectric
37.16%
WIND
Wind
Wind
15.01%
NATURAL GAS
Natural Gas
2.83%
PETROLEUM COKE
Petroleum Coke
1.70%
OTHER
Other
1.28%

Montana Net Metering

Montana has 21 out of 30 electricity suppliers reporting that they offer net metering to residents with personal solar panels. Regulations put in place at the state level are decent for consumers interested in installing solar or other alternative electricity generation sources.

Energy Loss

The average energy loss for companies in Montana is 5.21%. This includes data from 6 companies, including NorthWestern Energy, Flathead Electric Cooperative, and Mission Valley Power. The United States average for energy loss is 2.45%, which earns a rank of 46th best in the United States for Montana in this category.

Solar Taxes And Rebates

When it comes to encouraging solar panel installs at private residences, tax and rebate incentives from the government are some of the easiest methods. Montana offers a credit that is $1000 or less or there is no state tax. There are currently no statewide rebates available to consumers who are installing solar panels. Montana citizens have the ability to apply a 100% property tax exemption for the purchase of private solar panels, which is as good as it gets. Fortunately, residents in the state have a 100% sales tax exemption for the install of solar at a place of residence. This is as good as it gets.

State Level Initiatives

Legislation enforced at the state level determines whether customers who are seeking renewable energy sources can easily find alternatives. States that have Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) have requirements in place for electricity suppliers who do business in the state. These standards require that a certain amount of electricity must be produced from renewable fuels. Montana does not currently have any standards in place that providers must adhere to. Also, there are currently no low income solar programs to assist low income families to install solar panels.

FAQ: Common Questions About Electricity in Montana

What is a good electricity rate in Montana?

The average electricity price paid by customers in Montana in 2023 is 11.38 cents per kilowatt hour.

Where does Montana get its electricity?

Montana's electricity is produced using primarily Coal, which makes up 42.02% of the fuel used in the state. Conventional Hydroelectric and Wind also account for 37.16% and 15.01% respectively.

Does Montana have a deregulated electricity market?

No, Montana has a regulated electricity market where consumers often have only a single supplier choice for their electricity needs.

How many power plants are located in Montana?

There are 66 active power plants in Montana.

How many electric companies offer service in Montana?

Montana has 30 electricity providers operating in the area.

What is the average electric bill in Montana?

The average electric bill in the state of Montana in 2023 is $103 while the national average is $137.

What electricity company is the largest supplier in Montana?

By total megawatt hours sold, NorthWestern Energy is the largest electricity supplier in Montana.

What power companies are in Montana?

What is the cheapest electricity company in Montana?

Residential Rate RankProviderResidential Rate (¢)State Customers
1Mission Valley Power7.1622,323
2City of Troy Utilities7.581,051
3Vigilante Electric Cooperative7.6210,711
4Sheridan Electric Cooperative8.653,730
5Lower Yellowstone Electric REA8.665,100
6Park Electric Coop9.336,497
7Marias River Electric Cooperative9.383,829
8Flathead Electric Cooperative9.4672,653
9Missoula Electric Coop9.8316,065
10Ravalli Electric10.0411,470

Ginalyn Gelera
Last Reviewed By: Ginalyn Gelera
Published: 2022-09-24