💧 Hydroelectric Power Plants in Montana
Montana operates 24 hydroelectric power plants totaling 2,681 MW of nameplate capacity. Annual generation: 8.8M MWh.
Hydroelectric plants spin turbines using falling or flowing water — typically from a dam-impounded reservoir. They are dispatchable, long-lived, and emission-free at the point of generation, though large reservoirs can disrupt rivers and ecosystems and methane can be released from flooded vegetation.
Plants24operating
Capacity2,681 MWnameplate
Generation8.8M MWhannual
All Montana hydroelectric plants
| Plant | City | County | Capacity | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libby | Libby | Lincoln County | 525 MW | Usace Northwestern Division |
| Noxon Rapids | Noxon | Sanders County | 488 MW | Avista Corp |
| Hungry Horse | Columbia Falls | Flathead County | 428 MW | U S Bureau Of Reclamation |
| Yellowtail | Hardin | Big Horn County | 278 MW | U S Bureau Of Reclamation |
| Selis Ksanka Qlispe | Polson | Lake County | 228 MW | Energy Keepers Inc |
| Fort Peck | Fort Peck | Mccone County | 180 MW | Usace-Omaha |
| Thompson Falls | Thompson Falls | Sanders County | 98 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Morony | Great Falls | Cascade County | 63 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Cochrane | Great Falls | Cascade County | 60 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Rainbow (Mt) | Great Falls | Cascade County | 59 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Holter | Wolf Creek | Cascade County | 57 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Ryan | Great Falls | Cascade County | 55 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Canyon Ferry | Helena | Lewis And Clark County | 52 MW | U S Bureau Of Reclamation |
| Black Eagle | Great Falls | Cascade County | 24 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Hauser | Helena | Lewis And Clark County | 19 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Madison Dam | Ennis | Madison County | 16 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Turnbull Hydro | Fairfield | Teton County | 13 MW | Turnbull Hydro Llc |
| Mystic | Fishtail | Stillwater County | 12 MW | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |
| Broadwater Power Project | Toston | Broadwater County | 10 MW | Montana Dept-Natural Res&consv |
| Tiber Dam Hydroelectric Plant | Chester | Liberty County | 8 MW | Tiber Montana Llc |
| Big Fork | Big Fork | Flathead County | 4 MW | Pacificorp |
| South Dry Creek Hydro | Red Lodge | Carbon County | 2 MW | Hydrodynamics Inc |
| Flint Creek Hydroelectric Llc | Philipsburg | Granite County | 2 MW | Hydrodynamics Inc |
| Milltown | East Missoula | Missoula County | — | Northwestern Energy (Mt Hydro) |