Electricity In Montana
- Population1,068,778
- Total Consumption14,812,597 MWh / 13.86 MWh per capita
- CO2 Emissions from Consumption7,116,606,025 kg
- Total Production23,828,725 MWh / 22.3 MWh per capita
Residential Electricity Bills & Rates in Montana
Montana residential electric rates are highest in January and the highest average bill is in September.
Historical Electric Rates:
Energy Profile of Montana
Montana's Electricity Prices and Usage
The average residential electricity rate in Montana in 2022 is 11.22 cents per kilowatt hour, which is 17.58% lower than the national average of 13.62 cents.. The state has a regulated electricity market, meaning consumers may have only a few provider options to choose from when shopping for their electricity. Citizens in the state have an average monthly residential electric bill of $98.39 per month. The US average monthly bill is $121.91. NorthWestern Energy is the largest electricity provider in the state based on total residential customers. Citizens living in the state average a per capita consumption rate of 13.86 megawatt hours of electricity each year. The state produces 52.28% of their electricity using sustainable fuel sources, which ranks them 8th in the country for ratio of sustainable fuel sources to non-renewable sources.
Residential Electricity Providers in Montana
| Provider | Service Type | Residential Rate (¢) | Residential Average Bill ($) | Residential Sales (MWh) | Residential Revenues ($) | State Production (MWh) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthWestern Energy | BUNDLED | 12.04 | 88.34 | 2,738,415 | 329,599,336 | 3,905,502.52 |
| Flathead Electric Cooperative | BUNDLED | 9.52 | 112.97 | 832,348 | 79,277,000 | 11,994 |
| Mission Valley Power | BUNDLED | 6.89 | 94.27 | 250,961 | 17,291,370 | |
| Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative | BUNDLED | 12.38 | 121.3 | 229,543 | 28,413,083 | |
| Montana Dakota Utilities | BUNDLED | 10.89 | 86.56 | 188,362 | 20,512,000 | 215,468 |
| Vigilante Electric Cooperative | BUNDLED | 7.79 | 117.64 | 187,925 | 14,645,000 | |
| Missoula Electric Coop | BUNDLED | 9.91 | 107.93 | 181,996 | 18,037,755 | |
| Ravalli Electric | BUNDLED | 10.04 | 121.52 | 143,279.44 | 14,378,230.77 | |
| Park Electric Coop | BUNDLED | 9.29 | 112.7 | 85,220.22 | 7,916,863.68 | |
| Lincoln Electric Cooperative | BUNDLED | 10.60 | 132.12 | 80,967.97 | 8,580,229.15 |
Power Plants in Montana
| Plant | City/County | Primary Fuel Type | Production (MWh) | Emission (KG) | Emissions/MWh (KG/MWh) | Toxic Chemical Release | Closing Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colstrip | Coal | 9,563,520 | 9,962,336,171.56 | 1,041.7 | Yes | ||
| Lincoln County | Conventional Hydroelectric | 2,310,881 | |||||
Noxon RapidsAvista Utilities (100.00%) | Sanders County | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1,596,460.01 | ||||
Fort PeckUS Army Corps of Engineers (100.00%) | Fort Peck | Conventional Hydroelectric | 1,105,656.99 | ||||
Selis Ksanka QlispeEnergy Keepers Inc (100.00%) | Lake County | Conventional Hydroelectric | 962,819 | ||||
Hungry HorseUS Bureau of Reclamation (100.00%) | Hungry Horse CDP | Conventional Hydroelectric | 925,709 | ||||
YellowtailUS Bureau of Reclamation (100.00%) | Fort Smith CDP | Conventional Hydroelectric | 780,391 | ||||
NaturEner Rim Rock EnergyNaturEner Rim Rock Energy LLC (100.00%) | Toole County | Wind | 651,953 | ||||
Thompson FallsNorthWestern Energy (100.00%) | Thompson Falls | Conventional Hydroelectric | 480,176 | ||||
Judith Gap Wind Energy CenterInvenergy (100.00%) | Harlowton | Wind | 467,093 |
Quick Facts
The state of Montana generates 9,492,573.35 megawatt hours from hydroelectric plants, which gives them a rank of 7th highest hydroelectric generation in the United States.
While most states try to inhibit the use of non-renewable fuel types, Montana’s use of these fuel sources for electricity production has actually risen by 8.07% during the course of the last 12 months.
Montana has seen an uptick of about 4.36% in the amount of power generated by wind turbines.
Customers in the state of Montana deal with an average of 1.23 electrical outages a year, with outages lasting an average of 201.4 minutes.
Montana is the 6th largest producer of megawatt hours per capita, with a population of 1,068,778 and recent annual megawatt hour production of 23,828,724.77.
Emitting 7,116,606,024.81 kilograms of CO2 emissions during electricity use, Montana is the 41st highest polluting state in the country based on electricity emissions.
| County | Population | Providers | Plants | Residential Rate (¢) | Residential Avg. Electric Bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaverhead County | 9,453 | 2 | 8.44 | $113.16/mo | |
| Big Horn County | 13,319 | 7 | 3 | 12.20 | $117.41/mo |
| Blaine County | 6,681 | 4 | 12.92 | $112.24/mo | |
| Broadwater County | 6,237 | 2 | 1 | 8.88 | $110.11/mo |
| Carbon County | 10,725 | 4 | 1 | 12.55 | $97.75/mo |
| Carter County | 1,252 | 5 | 15.49 | $96.35/mo | |
| Cascade County | 81,366 | 4 | 7 | 12.82 | $102.41/mo |
| Chouteau County | 5,635 | 5 | 13.79 | $114.95/mo | |
| Custer County | 11,402 | 7 | 1 | 13.12 | $131.37/mo |
| Daniels County | 1,690 | 2 | 11.32 | $138.41/mo | |
| Dawson County | 8,613 | 6 | 1 | 12.01 | $108.46/mo |
| Deer Lodge County | 9,140 | 2 | 1 | 10.85 | $96.52/mo |
| Fallon County | 2,846 | 4 | 1 | 13.76 | $91.93/mo |
| Fergus County | 11,050 | 3 | 15.31 | $128.30/mo | |
| Flathead County | 103,806 | 5 | 4 | 9.73 | $114.02/mo |
| Gallatin County | 114,434 | 3 | 11.64 | $92.71/mo | |
| Garfield County | 1,258 | 2 | 13.67 | $127.90/mo | |
| Glacier County | 13,753 | 4 | 10.13 | $97.16/mo | |
| Golden Valley County | 821 | 2 | 1 | 15.37 | $128.90/mo |
| Granite County | 3,379 | 2 | 1 | 11.77 | $90.81/mo |
| Hill County | 16,484 | 3 | 13.70 | $113.24/mo | |
| Jefferson County | 12,221 | 2 | 9.80 | $103.77/mo | |
| Judith Basin County | 2,007 | 3 | 2 | 13.88 | $110.98/mo |
| Lake County | 30,458 | 4 | 1 | 7.33 | $96.47/mo |
| Lewis and Clark County | 69,432 | 4 | 5 | 11.77 | $99.35/mo |
| Liberty County | 2,337 | 5 | 1 | 12.30 | $106.49/mo |
| Lincoln County | 19,980 | 5 | 1 | 10.44 | $115.12/mo |
| Madison County | 8,600 | 2 | 1 | 11.20 | $94.08/mo |
| McCone County | 1,664 | 6 | 12.80 | $116.02/mo | |
| Meagher County | 1,862 | 4 | 1 | 12.07 | $94.51/mo |
| Mineral County | 4,397 | 2 | 11.50 | $93.31/mo | |
| Missoula County | 119,600 | 4 | 9.94 | $104.61/mo | |
| Musselshell County | 4,633 | 3 | 14.91 | $123.94/mo | |
| Park County | 16,606 | 2 | 10.85 | $98.86/mo | |
| Petroleum County | 487 | 3 | 15.05 | $129.99/mo | |
| Phillips County | 3,954 | 4 | 11.78 | $109.96/mo | |
| Pondera County | 5,911 | 5 | 12.65 | $110.37/mo | |
| Powder River County | 1,682 | 3 | 14.11 | $155.35/mo | |
| Powell County | 6,890 | 2 | 11.25 | $95.60/mo | |
| Prairie County | 1,077 | 5 | 12.74 | $121.40/mo | |
| Ravalli County | 43,806 | 2 | 10.51 | $113.71/mo | |
| Richland County | 10,803 | 6 | 2 | 10.09 | $98.31/mo |
| Roosevelt County | 11,004 | 6 | 3 | 10.37 | $109.97/mo |
| Rosebud County | 8,937 | 7 | 2 | 13.25 | $148.79/mo |
| Sanders County | 12,113 | 6 | 2 | 10.67 | $97.18/mo |
| Sheridan County | 3,309 | 3 | 8.70 | $112.94/mo | |
| Silver Bow County | 34,915 | 2 | 1 | 9.06 | $108.88/mo |
| Stillwater County | 9,642 | 4 | 2 | 12.80 | $103.33/mo |
| Sweet Grass County | 3,737 | 4 | 2 | 11.42 | $104.31/mo |
| Teton County | 6,147 | 3 | 3 | 13.34 | $112.70/mo |
| Toole County | 4,736 | 3 | 3 | 9.14 | $90.30/mo |
| Treasure County | 696 | 3 | 13.36 | $165.13/mo | |
| Valley County | 7,396 | 6 | 1 | 13.40 | $143.69/mo |
| Wheatland County | 2,126 | 2 | 4 | 15.24 | $127.28/mo |
| Wibaux County | 969 | 3 | 10.89 | $86.56/mo | |
| Yellowstone County | 161,300 | 4 | 4 | 12.75 | $119.35/mo |
The state of Montana’s primary fuel source consumed for electricity production is Coal. They produce 10,151,850.06 megawatt hours, or 42.60% of the total production in the state, from this fuel. When combined with Conventional Hydroelectric (39.84%) and Wind (12.16%), these three fuels make up 94.60% state's electricity production. Electricity use in the state results in 7,116,606,024.81 kilograms of CO2 emissions. This is the 41st most of any state in the US. Averaging 6,658.64 kilograms of CO2 emissions per capita, the state ranks 12th worst for pollution per capita. Montana is home to 62 electricity generation plants, which is 42nd most in the country and 14th most when counting plants per citizen.
FAQ: Common Questions About Energy in Montana
Where does Montana get its electricity?
Montana’s electricity is produced using primarily Coal, which makes up 42.60% of the fuel used in the state. In addition, Conventional Hydroelectric makes up 39.84% and Wind accounts for 12.16%.
How much does electricity cost in Montana?
The average price per kilowatt hour of electricity in Montana in 2022 is 11.22 cents.
What electricity company is the largest provider in Montana?
By total revenue, NorthWestern Energy is the largest electricity supplier in Montana.
How many electric companies offer service in Montana?
There are 30 electricity companies operating in Montana.
What is the average electric bill in Montana?
The average electricity bill in the state of Montana in 2022 is $98 while the national average is $122.
How many power plants are within Montana?
Montana has 62 active power plants generating electricity for the state.
Does Montana have a deregulated electricity market?
No, the state has a regulated market, where citizens’ electricity company choices are usually determined by their location or state legislation.
What is the cheapest electricity company in Montana?
| Residential Rate Rank | Provider | Residential Rate (¢) | State Customers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mission Valley Power | 6.89 | 21,901 |
| 2 | City of Troy Utilities | 7.40 | 1,045 |
| 3 | Vigilante Electric Cooperative | 7.79 | 10,374 |
| 4 | Sheridan Electric Cooperative | 8.22 | 3,715 |
| 5 | Lower Yellowstone Electric REA | 8.75 | 5,093 |
| 6 | Marias River Electric Cooperative | 9.09 | 3,817 |
| 7 | Park Electric Coop | 9.29 | 6,307 |
| 8 | Flathead Electric Cooperative | 9.52 | 70,404 |
| 9 | Missoula Electric Coop | 9.91 | 15,656 |
| 10 | Ravalli Electric | 10.04 | 10,972 |
What power companies offer service in Montana?
| State Customers Rank | Provider | State Customers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NorthWestern Energy | 387,450 |
| 2 | Flathead Electric Cooperative | 70,404 |
| 3 | Montana Dakota Utilities | 25,601 |
| 4 | Mission Valley Power | 21,901 |
| 5 | Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative | 21,341 |
| 6 | Missoula Electric Coop | 15,656 |
| 7 | Ravalli Electric | 10,972 |
| 8 | Vigilante Electric Cooperative | 10,374 |
| 9 | Glacier Electric Coop | 7,808 |
| 10 | Fergus Electric Cooperative | 6,531 |
