Power Plants in Montana

Montana's generating fleet holds 7.7 GW of nameplate capacity — what the equipment could produce running flat out — and ranks 42nd among the 51 states and territories by capacity. The state operates 72 plants in service, with hydro leading at 2,684 MW across 23 plants, supplying 35% of state capacity. Wind follows at 2,147 MW across 23 plants, or 28% of the total. Coal contributes 1,811 MW in just 4 plants for 23.6% of capacity, natural gas provides 707 MW across 9 plants (9.2%), and solar adds 181 MW across 9 plants (2.4%). The remaining 1.7% comes from 5 other plants totalling 134 MW.

Montana's largest plant by far is Colstrip, a coal station with 1,647 MW in Rosebud County. The next four are all hydroelectric: Libby with 525 MW in Lincoln County, Noxon Rapids with 488 MW in Sanders County, and Hungry Horse with 428 MW in Flathead County. The largest wind facility is Clearwater Wind I at 366 MW, also in Rosebud County. The fleet spans nearly a century, from Big Fork, which came online in July 1927, to the University of Montana CHP plant, which entered service in December 2025.