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59.4 MW Hydro operating in Cascade, MT — NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
59.4 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1958
Operating Since
Coordinates
47.5397, -111.1947
County
Cascade, MT
Nearby Plants
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | NorthWestern Energy | — |
| Owner(s) | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | NorthWestern Energy Group | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Cochrane Dam is a run-of-the river hydroelectric dam on the Missouri River, about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Great Falls in the U.S. state of Montana. The dam has a concrete gravity design and is 59 feet (18 m) high and 753 feet (230 m) long. Its power station has two generators capable of producing 64 megawatts. Construction of the dam was finished in 1958. Montana Power Company originally built the dam, PPL Corporation purchased it in 1997 and sold it to NorthWestern Corporation in 2014.
Read more on WikipediaThe Cochrane hydroelectric plant is located in Cascade County, Montana. It is owned and operated by NorthWestern Energy Group, with NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) listed as the EIA operator. The plant has a total capacity of 60.4 MW consisting of two generators and utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology with water (WAT) as its primary fuel source. Cochrane began operating in 1958.
Cochrane's latest annual generation was 228,009 MWh, resulting in a capacity factor of 43.0%. The plant operates within the NorthWestern Energy (NWMT) balancing authority and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region. Cochrane ranks as the 9th largest power plant out of 23 in Montana, and 269th out of 1464 nationally. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $436,413.59 per kW.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Grid Region
Mountain West
Market
WEIM Participant
NERC Region
WECC — Western Electricity Coordinating Council
Balancing Authority
NorthWestern Energy (NWMT) (NWMT)
Grid Voltage
100.0 kV
Regulatory Status
RE — Regulated
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
16.8K MWh
Latest Month
228.0K MWh
Annual Generation
43.0%
Capacity Factor
Run-of-river hydro · NorthWestern Corporation · Data from 2015–2024
$1,039/kW
Installed Cost
$3.9/MWh
Operating Cost
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
This plant's balancing authority participates in CAISO's Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM). Direct nodal pricing data is not yet available.
Last updated 2026-03-26
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