Keeping the grid balanced, and the lights on, requires having enough electricity, and the wires to move it, exactly when and where it's needed.
Our region is growing, and the way we get our power is changing, too. More homes and businesses are connecting to our system every day. The demand for electricity continues to increase, but availability is tightening.
At Flathead Electric Cooperative, we aren’t waiting to see how these changes will affect our members. We are proactively planning to ensure we control our own destiny. By planning ahead now, we can secure the resources needed to keep your power reliable and your rates affordable, rather than leaving our future up to a volatile energy market.
Co-op members continue to benefit from low-cost federal hydropower through the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). However, we have reached a critical ceiling: our full allocation of that affordable “preference power” is being used, and our electric demand continues to grow. BPA cannot simply build new infrastructure, so any additional electricity needed for our growing community must be sourced elsewhere.
New power we need to buy in the future could come from the open market, where prices are often significantly higher and can fluctuate wildly. To avoid these unpredictable costs, your Board of Trustees is evaluating a diverse “all-of-the-above” strategy. This includes evaluating new generation and transmission resources as they are needed. Trustees are currently evaluating multiple new regional resources to meet future power needs, including potential investments in natural gas, biomass, solar, and wind projects.
Building energy infrastructure isn’t like a home renovation; it typically takes at least 5 years to bring new projects online due to regulatory, supply chain, and construction requirements. By planning now, your Co-op avoids being forced into expensive, last-minute market purchases during regional energy crunches. Proactive planning ensures local control, cost certainty, and reliability.
At its core, this planning is about “resource adequacy.” Keeping the grid balanced, and the lights on, requires having enough electricity, and the wires to move it, exactly when and where it’s needed. Just as we mitigate wildfire risks to keep the system safe, we must mitigate market supply risks to keep the system affordable. We don’t just hope for the best; we use data-driven modeling and risk analysis to ensure our system remains safe, reliable, and ready for anything.
As a member-owned Co-op, transparency is central to our mission. We are committed to clearly explaining the challenges, sharing the options being evaluated, and providing opportunities for member questions and feedback throughout the planning process.
Learn more about the plan and view frequently asked questions.
