On July 31, Flathead Electric Cooperative had the honor of co-hosting the first-ever Western Montana Public Power Forum, held in Kalispell. This landmark event brought together more than 80 attendees — including legislators, regulators, utility leaders, and community stakeholders — for a focused discussion on the unique energy challenges facing our region.
From transmission capacity and wildfire risk to new power generation and data center demand, the forum was designed to spark meaningful conversation and collaboration across all levels of the energy landscape. We were especially grateful to welcome Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and Bonneville Power Administration Administrator John Hairston as spotlight guests, offering critical insights on the state and federal role in Montana’s energy future.
Key Takeaways and Themes
A live survey captured real-time input from attendees, highlighting the most pressing concerns:
- Top priorities: Load growth and wildfire risk led the list, followed by concerns about transmission bottlenecks, affordability, and reliability.
- Topics most discussed by attendees:
- New and distributed generation, including interest in small modular nuclear resource development
- Right-of-way acquisition and wildfire risk mitigation through forest management
- The impact of future data centers on generation needs and water usage
- Desire to engage the public and elevate western Montana’s energy perspectives in state-level conversations
One attendee shared:
“This was very beneficial. Numerous issues we all face, and strong support from everyone that attended.”
What’s Next?
Nearly every attendee recommended holding the forum again — with many suggesting it become an annual or biannual event. Event hosts are reviewing questions and ideas from the event and will follow up in the coming weeks with additional information and resources.
Thank you to all who attended, contributed, and helped make the inaugural Western Montana Public Power Forum a success. Together, we’re building momentum toward innovative, reliable, and community-driven energy solutions for western Montana.
Event Photo Gallery
The Western Montana Public Power Forum was hosted by Flathead Electric Cooperative, Missoula Electric Cooperative, Ravalli Electric Cooperative, Vigilante Electric Cooperative, Glacier Electric Cooperative, Lincoln Electric Cooperative, and the Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association.
