Colstrip Energy LP — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 10784
- Capacity
- 46.1 MW
- Primary Fuel
- WC
- Technology
- Conventional Steam Coal
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Rosebud, MT
- Operating Since
- 1990
- Generators
- 1
- Operator
- Colstrip Energy LP
- Parent Company
- Rosebud Energy
- Annual Generation
- 287,519 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 71.0%
- Balancing Authority
- NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
Colstrip Energy LP
OperatingWaste Coal
Ranked #1 of 1 Waste Coal plants in MT#13 of 14 nationally
46.1 MW Waste Coal operating in Rosebud, MT — NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
EIAWD
46.1 MW
Nameplate Capacity
1
Generators
unit
Conventional Steam Coal
Technology
1990
Operating Since
Location
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Colstrip Energy LP | Colstrip Energy | — |
| Owner(s) | Colstrip Energy LP | Rosebud Energy | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Ownership Chain
About
Colstrip Energy LP is a 46.1 MW coal-fired power plant located in Rosebud County, Montana. The plant began operating in 1990 and has one generator utilizing conventional steam coal technology. It is owned by Rosebud Energy and operated by Colstrip Energy LP. The plant is the largest of its kind in Montana, and ranks 13th out of 14 similar plants nationally.
The plant operates within the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region and is under the balancing authority of NorthWestern Energy (NWMT). In the most recent year with available data, Colstrip Energy LP generated 287,519 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 71.0%.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
Grid Voltage
115 kV
Regulatory Status
NR
Entity Type
Independent Power Producer
Sector
IPP Non-CHP
Generation
21.4K MWh
Latest Month
287.5K MWh
Annual Generation
71.0%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial Data
No financial data available for this plant.
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (10)Beta
Deals·m and a
NorthWestern Energy now owns an extra 592 megawatts of Colstrip. What’s its plan for doubling down on coal?
What we know about data centers, electricity costs and the future of Montana's largest power plant following NorthWestern's acquisition of...
NorthWestern Energy (buyer)Colstrip (seller)
Montana Free Press·2 months ago
Industry·earnings
NorthWestern anticipates spending $18 million annually on operation and maintenance for Avista’s share of Colstrip
Two-and-a-half years after NorthWestern Energy announced plans to increase its share of Montana's largest power plant, Montana's biggest...
NorthWestern Energy (other)Avista (other)
Montana Free Press·6 months ago
Industry·technology
Details Emerge on Coal-Fired, Electricity-Powered Data Centers
NorthWestern Energy has responded to an inquiry from Montana regulatory officials about its plan to supply enormous amounts of coal-fired electricity to two...
NorthWestern Energy (other)Montana (regulator)
GovTech·1 years ago
Deals·m and a
NorthWestern to acquire more of Colstrip while other utilities unload coal
NorthWestern Energy announced this week it plans to acquire more shares of the coal-fired plant at Colstrip — at no cost.
NorthWestern Energy (buyer)Colstrip (seller)
Washington State Standard·1 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 10 articles