Black Eagle — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 2181
- Capacity
- 26.7 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Hydro
- Technology
- Conventional Hydroelectric
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Cascade, MT
- Operating Since
- 1927
- Generators
- 3
- Operator
- NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro)
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 127,466 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 54.4%
- Balancing Authority
- NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
Black Eagle
OperatingHydro
Ranked #15 of 23 Hydro plants in MT#427 of 1454 nationally
26.7 MW Hydro operating in Cascade, MT — NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
EIAWD
26.7 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Conventional Hydroelectric
Technology
1927
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
47.5213, -111.2614
County
Cascade, MT
Nearby Plants
- Black Eagle Solar, LLCSolar3 MW · 3.1 km
- Rainbow (MT)Hydro59 MW · 4.5 km
- CochraneHydro60.4 MW · 5.4 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | — | — |
| Owner(s) | NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) | — | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Ownership Chain
No GEM tracker match for this plant — ownership chain unavailable.
About
The Black Eagle hydroelectric plant is located in Cascade County, Montana. The plant has a total capacity of 26.7 MW across three generators and began operating in 1927. It is owned and operated by NorthWestern Energy (MT Hydro) and utilizes conventional hydroelectric technology with water (WAT) as its primary fuel source. Black Eagle operates within the NorthWestern Energy (NWMT) balancing authority in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
Black Eagle's latest annual generation was 127,466 MWh, resulting in a capacity factor of 54.4%. The plant is ranked 15th out of 23 power plants in Montana and 432nd out of 1464 plants nationally. Financial data indicates an installed cost of $761,496.06 per kW.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
Grid Voltage
100 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
8.5K MWh
Latest Month
127.5K MWh
Annual Generation
54.4%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2022 – Dec 2024
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1HIGH
$1,103/kW
Installed Cost
$6.6/MWh
Operating Cost
NorthWestern Corporation
Reporting Utility
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
This plant is outside organized wholesale electricity markets (ISOs/RTOs). Nodal pricing data is not available.
News & Articles (10)Beta
Regulatory·permitting
The vote remains out if Eagle Mountain is ready for nuclear
Eagle Mountain community leaders deferred approval or rejection of an alternative energy zone that could allow small modular nuclear...
Eagle Mountain (other)
Deseret News·3 months ago
General
Trying to avoid ‘death by numbers’
The MT Lowdown is a weekly digest that showcases a more personal side of Montana Free Press' high-quality reporting while keeping you up to...
Montana Free Press·3 months ago
Regulatory·permitting
Eagle Mountain takes first steps toward possible nuclear energy future
Eagle Mountain City is paving the way for future growth, including transportation, water and energy needs with a revised annexation...
Eagle Mountain City (other)
KSLTV.com·3 months ago
General
Mule buck deer shot, left to waste in Black Eagle Park, Wardens ask for help
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks asked the public for information about a mule deer buck that was shot and left to...
Nonstop Local News Montana·4 months ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 10 articles