Lewis and Clark County, Montana: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Helena and East Helena
Lewis and Clark County is one of the places the data center build-out is physically happening. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Lewis and Clark County, 15% of Montana's total. Construction employs 2,074, up 43.2% since 2019. Lewis and Clark County is home to Helena and East Helena. 7 MW of new generation is planned here across 2 units, led by NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) (other technologies), the 4th largest pipeline among Montana's counties. Employers here counted 39,657 jobs in 2025, up 9.2% from 2019.
Cities and towns in Lewis and Clark County
Lewis and Clark County is home to Helena and East Helena.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Augusta, Canyon Creek, Craig, Gilman, Helena Valley Northeast, Helena Valley Northwest, Helena Valley Southeast, Helena Valley West Central, Helena West Side, Lincoln, Marysville, Milford Colony, Rimini, Unionville, Wolf Creek, York.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Lewis and Clark County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Montana |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 71,181 | 75,331 | ▲ 5.8% | 6th of 56 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 36,317 | 39,657 | ▲ 9.2% | 17th of 56 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,826 | $65,290 | ▲ 36.5% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 1,448 | 2,074 | ▲ 43.2% | 8th of 25 by growth |
| Data processing and hosting jobs (2019 → 2025) | 172 | 90 | ▼ 47.7% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 3.1% | 2.8% | ▼ 0.3pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 14 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 12 MW | — | |
| Planned generation (Aug 2026) | — | 7 MW | 9% of today's fleet | 4th of 4 by size |
12 MW has retired here since 2019, including Hauser (hydro, 12 MW, 2025). 14 MW of that came online in 2019 or later, mostly hydro. Owners plan to retire 3 MW more by 2035, led by Hauser in 2028. Its power plants have 80 MW of capacity, 93% of it hydro. Electrical contractors employ 283, at an average $72,149 a year. NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) is the largest utility serving Lewis and Clark County, one of 4 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 14.23¢/kWh in 2024, above the 10.95¢ median for Montana utilities. Unemployment was 2.8% in August 2026, against 3.1% in 2019. 75,331 people live here, up 5.8% since 2020, 6th of 56 Montana counties by population.
Who powers Lewis and Clark County
Net change in operating capacity since 2019: +2 MW. Colors follow the fuel legend above.
Utilities with service territory in Lewis and Clark County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) | Investor Owned | Bundled | 328,127 | 14.23¢ | 49% |
| Sun River Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| Vigilante Electric Coop, Inc | — | — | — | — | — |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 79% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 4
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 74 MW | 93% |
| Solar | 6 MW | 7% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Ferry | U S Bureau of Reclamation | Hydro | 58 MW | 1953 |
| Hauser | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | Hydro | 17 MW | 1911 |
| Great Divide Solar, LLC | Adapture Renewables, Inc. | Solar | 3 MW | 2017 |
| Green Meadow Solar, LLC | Adapture Renewables, Inc. | Solar | 3 MW | 2017 |
Planned generation 2
| Plant | Technology | MW | Status | Year | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser | Conventional Hydroelectric | 4 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2028 | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) |
| Hauser | Conventional Hydroelectric | 4 MW | Planned, approvals not started | 2029 | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) |
Retired since 2019
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser | Hydro | 12 MW | 2025 |
Scheduled to retire
| Plant | Technology | MW | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hauser | Hydro | 3 MW | 2028 |
The Lewis and Clark County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 39,657 | $65,290 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 2,074 | $76,917 | 0.99 |
| Electrical contractors | 283 | $72,149 | 0.99 |
| Power and communication line construction | 144 | $126,603 | 2.25 |
| Data processing and hosting | 90 | $64,208 | 0.73 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Lewis and Clark County
3 data centers in Lewis and Clark County are on the SAVRN Data Center Map.
Lewis and Clark County and its neighbors
Of the 7 counties that border Lewis and Clark County, Flathead County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis and Clark County | 75,331 | ▲ 9.2% | 80 MW | 7 MW | 3 | — |
| Broadwater County | 8,493 | ▲ 12.1% | 10 MW | — | — | — |
| Cascade County | 85,029 | ▲ 1.8% | 331 MW | — | 1 | — |
| Flathead County | 115,429 | ▲ 15.7% | 438 MW | — | 2 | — |
| Jefferson County | 13,329 | ▲ 17.3% | — | — | — | — |
| Meagher County | 2,137 | ▲ 11.0% | 18 MW | — | — | — |
| Powell County | 7,157 | ▲ 1.8% | — | — | — | — |
| Teton County | 6,496 | ▲ 7.8% | 48 MW | — | — | — |
More of Montana
Lewis and Clark County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Lewis and Clark County, Montana?
4 utilities have service territory in Lewis and Clark County in the EIA-861 2024 report: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), Sun River Electric Coop, Inc, Vigilante Electric Coop, Inc, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT), charged residential customers 14.23¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What county is Helena, MT in?
Helena is in Lewis and Clark County, Montana. About 35,138 people live there (2025 Census estimate).
What power plants are in Lewis and Clark County?
4 operating plants with 80 MW of capacity. The largest is Canyon Ferry (58 MW, hydro).
How much new power is planned in Lewis and Clark County?
7 MW across 2 units in the August 2026 EIA-860M inventory, 0 MW of it under construction or built. The largest owner is NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro).
Are there data centers in Lewis and Clark County?
Yes. The SAVRN Data Center Map lists 3 data centers in Lewis and Clark County.
Is Lewis and Clark County adding jobs?
Employers counted 39,657 jobs in 2025 against 36,317 in 2019 (+9.2%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 1,448 to 2,074.
Does Lewis and Clark County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Lewis and Clark County. Montana has 5 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.