Flathead Electric Co-op gets the majority of our electricity from the hydroelectric dams of the Bonneville Power Administration, and it’s very cost-effective. That’s what gives us some of the lowest rates in the nation. But, with our increasing population–up 1.5% in just the last year, that low-rate future could be in question.
And so, Flathead Electric is entering into an arrangement where a portion of that power will come from a natural gas generated facility in Northern Idaho, which is expected to be online in about 6-years. Co-op CEO Mark Johnson tells us there aren’t many cost-effective options, but the Co-op’s affiliation with PNGC Power, itself a co-operative, looks to be a great answer.
The co-op has long known that it had to find low-cost energy from other sources. Increased demand for electricity to power many devices, including electric vehicles coming online, is a future the co-op says we can’t ignore.
The gas-powered facility is expected to generate upwards of 600-megawatts when it goes online in 2032.
