Dave Gates Generating Station — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 56908
- Capacity
- 203.1 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Natural Gas
- Technology
- Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Deer Lodge, MT
- Operating Since
- 2011
- Generators
- 3
- Operator
- NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal)
- Parent Company
- —
- Annual Generation
- 502,651 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 28.3%
- Balancing Authority
- NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
- ISO/RTO
- —
- NERC Region
- WECC
Dave Gates Generating Station
OperatingNatural Gas
Ranked #2 of 7 Natural Gas plants in MT#746 of 2009 nationally
203.1 MW Natural Gas operating in Deer Lodge, MT — NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
EIAWD
203.1 MW
Nameplate Capacity
3
Generators
units
Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine
Technology
2011
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
46.1047, -112.8766
County
Deer Lodge, MT
Nearby Plants
- Oportunity Solar Generation and BESSBESS400 MW · 5.2 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal) | — | — |
| Owner(s) | NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal) | — | — |
| Status | Operating | — | — |
Ownership Chain
No GEM tracker match for this plant — ownership chain unavailable.
About
The Dave Gates Generating Station is a 203.1 MW natural gas-fired power plant located in Deer Lodge County, Montana. The plant began operating in 2011 and consists of three natural gas-fired combustion turbine generators. It is owned and operated by NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal). The plant is within the NorthWestern Energy (NWMT) balancing authority and the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) NERC region.
In the most recent year of reported data, the Dave Gates Generating Station produced 502,651 MWh of electricity, operating at a capacity factor of 28.3%. The plant ranks second out of three thermal plants in Montana based on capacity, and ranks 745th nationally out of 945 plants.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
WECC
Balancing Authority
NorthWestern Energy (NWMT)
Grid Voltage
230 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Electric Utility
Generation
23.6K MWh
Latest Month
502.7K MWh
Annual Generation
28.3%
Capacity Factor
Jan 2023 – Dec 2025
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
General
Four things to know about NorthWestern Energy’s newest rate hike request
If you struggle to understand the charges and formulas incorporated into power companies' electricity and natural gas rates,...
Montana Free Press·1 years ago
Regulatory·rate case
Four things to know about NorthWestern Energy’s newest rate hike request
If you struggle to understand the charges and formulas incorporated into power companies' electricity and natural gas rates,...
NorthWestern Energy (other)
Montana Free Press·1 years ago
General
PSC to investigate NorthWestern Energy’s decisions during January cold spell
The Montana Public Service Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to investigate how NorthWestern Energy and another utility planned and...
Daily Montanan·2 years ago
Regulatory·state puc
PSC to investigate NorthWestern Energy’s decisions during January cold spell
The Montana Public Service Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to investigate how NorthWestern Energy and another utility planned and...
NorthWestern Energy (operator)Montana Public Service Commission (regulator)
Daily Montanan·2 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-26
View all 10 articles