Power Supply Chain and Demand in Montana
Vertically integrated utilities run most of Montana's grid. 1,167 MW of new generation is planned in Montana, 80 MW of it under construction or built and awaiting operation, against 3 MW of planned retirements through 2030. 20 data centers are identified in the state. Residential electricity averaged 13.95¢/kWh in 2026 through July, +11.3% from a year earlier. Unemployment was 3.2% in August 2026, and construction employment is +21.6% against August 2019. The SAVRN trackers hold 5 local moratoria or restrictions for Montana across all statuses (4 in force) and 2 named projects on the Delay Watchlist.
What the build-out changed in Montana
Montana is building power faster than most states, and the jobs data shows it. Electrical contractor jobs, the trade every data center, substation and plant needs first, grew 43.9% from 2019 to 2025, 4th in the country. Construction employment is +21.6% against August 2019, 15th of 48 states where BLS publishes it. Planned generation equals 15% of the power plants Montana runs today, 24th of 51 (the median state plans 15%). Households pay part of the cost: residential prices are +11.3% year to date, the 11th fastest increase of 51. Factory employment is the exception: manufacturing jobs are -3.3% against August 2019.
Then and now
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Construction jobs (Aug 2019 → Aug 2026) | 30.6k | 37.2k | ▲ 21.6% | 15th of 48 |
| Electrical contractor jobs (2019 → 2025) | 2,662 | 3,830 | ▲ 43.9% | 4th of 48 |
| Power line construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 963 | 1,189 | ▲ 23.5% | 21st of 44 |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 510 | 506 | ▼ 0.8% | 42nd of 46 |
| Unemployment rate (Feb 2020 → Aug 2026) | 3.5% | 3.2% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Residential price, ¢/kWh (YTD Jul 2025 → 2026) | 12.53¢ | 13.95¢ | ▲ 11.3% | 11th of 51 |
| Generation fleet → planned additions | 7.7 GW operating | 1.2 GW planned | 15% of fleet | 24th of 51 |
Where Montana ranks among 51
1st = the most. Ranks cover every state and DC that publishes the figure.
Regionally, Idaho leads on electrical contractor jobs, 2019 to 2025 at +66.6%; Montana is 2nd of 5 in its neighborhood at +43.9%.
County spotlight
Yellowstone County holds the most data centers on record in Montana (7), and its electrical contractor workforce changed +40.5% since 2019 to 541 jobs. The largest share of planned generation sits in Wheatland County: 710 MW, led by Haymaker Energy Project LLC (wind). The fastest-growing electrical trade market is Flathead County, where contractor jobs grew 66.7% to 640.
Where Montana sits in the power system
- Grid operator
- Non-RTO (utility-run)
- Operating capacity
- 7.7 GW
- Planned generation
- 1,167 MW
- Under construction or built
- 80 MW
- Data centers identified
- 20
- Data center load in queues
- —
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.2%
- Residential price change
- +11.3%
Neighboring states are shaded. Select one to open its page.
Montana, county by county
56 counties in Montana. Planned generation sits in 4 of them, data centers stand in 8, and local measures are on record in 3. Pick a layer, then select a county for its full record.
County leaders
Counties on record 25
| County | Data centers | Planned MW | Building MW | Lead developer | Electrical contractor jobs | Change 2019–25 | Local measures | Watchlist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellowstone County | 7 | 50 MW | — | Beartooth Energy Storage, LLC | 541 | ▲ 40.5% | 1 (1 in force) | — | |
| Lewis and Clark County | 3 | 7 MW | — | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | 283 | — | — | — | |
| Missoula County | 3 | — | — | — | 458 | ▲ 39.2% | 1 (1 in force) | 1 | |
| Gallatin County | 2 | — | — | — | 676 | ▲ 55.0% | — | — | |
| Flathead County | 2 | — | — | — | 640 | ▲ 66.7% | — | — | |
| Custer County | 1 | — | — | — | 17 | ▲ 21.4% | — | — | |
| Rosebud County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Cascade County | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Wheatland County | — | 710 MW | 80 MW | Haymaker Energy Project LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Beaverhead County | — | 400 MW | — | ARFL bn, LLC | — | — | — | — | |
| Park County | — | — | — | — | 101 | ▲ 6.3% | — | — | |
| Lake County | — | — | — | — | 67 | ▲ 103.0% | — | — | |
| Fergus County | — | — | — | — | 54 | ▲ 92.9% | — | — | |
| Lincoln County | — | — | — | — | 50 | ▲ 61.3% | — | — | |
| Richland County | — | — | — | — | 44 | ▲ 4.8% | — | — | |
| Deer Lodge County | — | — | — | — | 39 | ▲ 69.6% | — | — | |
| Broadwater County | — | — | — | — | 35 | — | — | — | |
| Pondera County | — | — | — | — | 26 | ▲ 44.4% | — | — | |
| Hill County | — | — | — | — | 25 | ▲ 8.7% | — | — | |
| Carbon County | — | — | — | — | 25 | ▲ 108.3% | — | — | |
| Madison County | — | — | — | — | 19 | ▲ 26.7% | — | — | |
| Musselshell County | — | — | — | — | 15 | ▼ 11.8% | — | — | |
| Valley County | — | — | — | — | 15 | ▼ 25.0% | — | — | |
| Sanders County | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | |
| Silver Bow County | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 (0 in force) | — |
Every county in Montana 56
Each county has its own page: power plants, utilities and prices, jobs since 2019, data centers, local rules and its neighbors.
Cities and towns on record 11
| City or town | County | Data centers | Local measures | Watchlist | Latest record | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billings | Yellowstone County | 7 | — | — | — | |
| Helena | Lewis and Clark County | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Missoula | Missoula County | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Kalispell | Flathead County | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Bozeman | Gallatin County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Colstrip | Rosebud County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Four Corners | Gallatin County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Great Falls | Cascade County | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Fort Peck Reservation | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Tribal moratorium on data centers with no end date In force | |
| Montana County | — | — | 1 (1 in force) | — | Montana County Calls for More Power to Regulate Data Centers In force | |
| Butte | — | — | — | 1 | Atlas Power / Sabey Data Center Properties Butte |
Data center counts come from every facility on the SAVRN Data Center Map, counted in the county and the city or community where each building physically stands (Census boundaries), not its mailing address. Jurisdictions appear as the Moratorium Tracker records them.
Montana, from generation to the household bill
1Grid operator
Utility-run territory: resource planning sits with the vertically integrated utilities and the state commission.
2Generation pipeline
- Operating capacity
- 7.7 GW
- Planned, all types
- 1,167 MW
- Under construction or built
- 80 MW
- Planned gas
- 0 MW
- Planned retirements 2026–30
- 3 MW
- Net firm additions derived
- 77 MW
3Data center demand
- Data centers identified
- 20
- Operators
- 10
- Load in tracked queues
- —
- Utility large-load projects
- 2
- Commercial sales, YTD change
- -0.9%
- Industry share of state GDP
- 1.2%
4Jobs and pay
- Unemployment, Aug 2026
- 3.2% (-0.2 pts y/y)
- Construction jobs vs 2019
- +21.6%
- Manufacturing jobs vs 2019
- -3.3%
- Electrical contractor jobs 2019–25
- +43.9%
- Electrician median pay
- $76,760
- Electrician ÷ cashier pay
- 2.25×
5Household bill
- Residential price, YTD Jul 2026
- 13.95¢/kWh
- Change vs YTD 2025
- +11.3%
- All-sector price change
- +8.0%
- Total retail sales change
- -2.0%
6Policy friction
- State measures on record
- 1
- Local measures (in force)
- 5 (4)
- Watchlist projects
- 2
- Lawsuits tracked
- 0
- Announced capital, disclosed
- —
- Dedicated tax incentive
- Yes (no sales tax; other incentive)
Planned power plants in Montana
Every planned generator in Montana in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, by technology, then the 15 largest units. Under construction or built covers status codes U, V and TS.
| Technology | Units | Planned MW | Under construction or built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind | 2 | 710 MW | 80 MW |
| Battery storage | 2 | 250 MW | — |
| Solar | 1 | 200 MW | — |
| Other | 2 | 7 MW | — |
Largest planned generators
| Plant | County | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haymaker Hybrid | Wheatland | Onshore Wind Turbine | 630 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2031 | Haymaker Energy Project LLC |
| Anthelope Hills Solar Generation BESS | Beaverhead | Solar Photovoltaic | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | ARFL bn, LLC |
| Anthelope Hills Solar Generation BESS | Beaverhead | Batteries | 200 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | ARFL bn, LLC |
| Jawbone Wind Project | Wheatland | Onshore Wind Turbine | 80 MW | Under construction (≤50%) | 2029 | Triple Oak Power LLC |
| Beartooth Energy Storage LLC | Yellowstone | Batteries | 50 MW | Approvals pending | 2027 | Beartooth Energy Storage, LLC |
| Hauser | Lewis and Clark | Conventional Hydroelectric | 4 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) |
| Hauser | Lewis and Clark | Conventional Hydroelectric | 4 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) |
What the Montana build-out runs on
Who is building generation in Montana, which manufacturers and contractors have a plant, expansion or contract recorded here, and how long the critical equipment takes to arrive.
Developers and owners with planned generation
| Developer or owner | Units | Planned MW | Building MW | Main technology | Counties |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haymaker Energy Project LLC | 1 | 630 MW | — | Wind | 1 |
| ARFL bn, LLC | 2 | 400 MW | — | Solar | 1 |
| Triple Oak Power LLC | 1 | 80 MW | 80 MW | Wind | 1 |
| Beartooth Energy Storage, LLC | 1 | 50 MW | — | Battery storage | 1 |
| NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | 2 | 7 MW | — | Other | 1 |
Manufacturers and contractors with a recorded Montana footprint
No plant, expansion or contract in the manufacturer record names Montana. The national suppliers below serve every state.
Order-by check derived
3 of the 4 planned units of 50 MW or more in Montana that are not yet under construction (450 of 1,080 MW) are past the date their step-up transformer had to be ordered to meet the planned in-service date. These units hold their schedules only if the equipment is already on order.
| Plant | Technology | MW | Planned in service | Transformer order-by | Turbine order-by | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthelope Hills Solar Generation BESS | Solar | 200 MW | Dec 2027 | Nov 2024 | — | ARFL bn, LLC |
| Anthelope Hills Solar Generation BESS | Battery storage | 200 MW | Dec 2027 | Nov 2024 | — | ARFL bn, LLC |
| Beartooth Energy Storage LLC | Battery storage | 50 MW | Dec 2027 | Nov 2024 | — | Beartooth Energy Storage, LLC |
Lead times, OEM backlogs and the national generation and grid contractors are on the national supply chain section.
Data center and large-load demand in Montana
20 data centers run by 10 operators are identified in Montana. The full list by city is on the Montana Data Center Map page. Utilities report 2 large customer projects here to EEI.
| Utility | Customer or type | MW stated | Investment stated | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthWestern Energy | Quantica Infrastructure | 1,000 MW | — | |
| NorthWestern Energy | Atlas Power Group | 150 MW | — |
The Montana jobs report, and who the build-out employs
Payroll employment, August 2026 (preliminary)
| Industry | Jobs | Change vs Aug 2025 | Change vs Aug 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total nonfarm | 522.1k | ▼ 0.9% | ▲ 7.4% (+35.8k) |
| Construction | 37.2k | ▲ 0.3% | ▲ 21.6% (+6.6k) |
| Manufacturing | 20.5k | ▼ 2.4% | ▼ 3.3% (-0.7k) |
| Mining and logging | 5.7k | ▲ 1.8% | ▼ 23.0% (-1.7k) |
| Retail trade | 63.9k | ▲ 0.5% | ▲ 9.8% (+5.7k) |
Power and data industries, 2019 to 2025
| Industry | Jobs 2019 | Jobs 2025 | Change | Average pay 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Data processing and hosting | 510 | 506 | ▼ 0.8% | $339,905 |
| Electrical contractors | 2,662 | 3,830 | ▲ 43.9% | $73,094 |
| Power and communication line construction | 963 | 1,189 | ▲ 23.5% | $111,293 |
| Electric power generation, transmission, distribution | — | 2,700 | — | $121,160 |
| Transformer manufacturing | — | not disclosed | — | — |
Pay ladder, May 2025
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual pay | Multiple of cashier pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 12,170 | $34,190 | 1.00× |
| Fast food and counter workers | 14,960 | $29,090 | 0.85× |
| Retail salespersons | 13,490 | $36,270 | 1.06× |
| All occupations | 511,580 | $48,740 | 1.43× |
| Construction laborers | 4,590 | $49,830 | 1.46× |
| Welders | 1,530 | $55,610 | 1.63× |
| HVAC mechanics | 1,230 | $60,850 | 1.78× |
| Plumbers and pipefitters | 1,860 | $79,960 | 2.34× |
| Electricians | 2,750 | $76,760 | 2.25× |
| Power plant operators | 130 | $106,040 | 3.10× |
| Power-line installers | 680 | $110,320 | 3.23× |
| Construction supervisors | 4,350 | $76,910 | 2.25× |
| Electrical engineers | 790 | $87,360 | 2.56× |
County-level contractor jobs and pay are in the county record above.
What the data center industry adds to Montana
PwC figures are modeled estimates commissioned by the industry.
The rules and the pipeline in Montana
State measures 1
| Bill | Measure | Status | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SB 212 | Montana: The Montana Right to Compute Act (SB 212), signed by Governor Gianforte on April 16, 2025, establishes a legal right to own and use computational | In force | 2025-04 |
Delay Watchlist projects 2
| Project | Location | Status | Cause | MW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Power / Sabey Data Center Properties Butte | Butte | cancelled | 250 MW | ||
| KRAMBU, Inc. Bonner (Missoula County) | Bonner (Missoula County) | cancelled | 3 MW |
Local moratoria and restrictions (5) appear by county and city in the county-by-county section. Counts include every status in the weekly tracker feeds as of October 5, 2026. The Montana Data Center Map page counts only active local pauses and delayed or blocked projects as of its September 2 rebuild, so its figures are lower. The difference is one of definition and date.
Montana's neighbors
Montana power, answered from the record
How much new power generation is planned in Montana?
EIA's August 2026 inventory lists 1,167 MW of planned generators in Montana, 80 MW of it under construction or built. By capacity the pipeline is wind 61%, battery storage 21%, solar 17%. The largest single unit is Haymaker Hybrid (630 MW, Haymaker Energy Project LLC). Owners plan to retire 3 MW from 2026 to 2030.
Who runs the power grid in Montana?
Non-RTO (utility-run) serves most of Montana, which means vertically integrated utilities plan and dispatch generation under the state commission. No data center load is tracked in its queues yet.
Is the build-out creating trade jobs in Montana?
Construction employment is +21.6% against August 2019. Electrical contractor jobs went from 2,662 in 2019 to 3,830 in 2025 (+43.9%, 4th in the country).
Are electricity prices rising in Montana?
Residential electricity averaged 13.95¢/kWh from January to July 2026, +11.3% on a year earlier, the 11th fastest increase of 51. Commercial sales, the class that includes data centers, changed -0.9%.
Is planned generation in Montana on schedule?
3 of 4 planned units of 50 MW or more not yet under construction are past the latest date to order a step-up transformer (more than 160 weeks) for their planned in-service date. They hold schedule only if equipment is already on order.
What do electricians earn in Montana?
The median electrician in Montana earned $76,760 in May 2025, 2.25 times the median cashier, and power-line installers earned $110,320 (BLS OEWS).
Which counties in Montana have the most planned generation?
By planned nameplate capacity: Wheatland County (710 MW), Beaverhead County (400 MW), Yellowstone County (50 MW).
Does Montana have a data center moratorium?
The SAVRN Moratorium Tracker holds 1 state-level measure (1 enacted) and 5 local moratoria or restrictions in Montana, 4 of them in force, 37th most in the country.
Montana across the SAVRN trackers
Sources for this page
- BEA state GDP via FRED
- BLS LAUS
- BLS OEWS
- BLS QCEW
- BLS State Employment (CES)
- EEI large customer projects
- EIA Electric Power Monthly
- EIA-860M (Aug 2026)
- NCSL
- PwC for the Data Center Coalition
- SAVRN Capital Atlas
- SAVRN Data Center Map
- SAVRN Delay Watchlist
- SAVRN Grid Operator Watchlist
- SAVRN Moratorium Tracker
- U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas)
Every figure links to its original source through the Sources buttons. Values marked derived are calculated from reported figures.