Kalispell, Mont. — Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) has announced plans to participate in a new advanced natural gas generation facility, marking an important step toward maintaining a reliable and affordable power supply for its members into the future as regional demand for electricity continues to rise.
The facility is being developed in Northern Idaho by PNGC Power and Kindle Energy to provide a dispatchable resource that can generate power when needed to help meet growing demand across the Pacific Northwest.
Planned as a state-of-the-art combined-cycle facility, the project is expected to be among the most efficient and lowest-emitting gas-fired generation resources in the United States. By using advanced generation technology, the plant is intended to produce more electricity with less fuel and water than older thermal resources, lowering emissions intensity while providing the dependable power needed to support a modern grid. Purchasing a portion of the power generated by this facility is part of FEC’s long-term power supply strategy.
“Reliable electricity is essential to our members’ daily lives and to the economic vitality of our region,” said FEC CEO & General Manager Mark Johnson. “This agreement helps position us to have the resources needed to keep the lights on, especially during periods of high demand or when other generation sources are unavailable.”
The Pacific Northwest is facing a widening gap between electricity supply and demand driven by population growth, increased electrification, and reduced availability or retirement of existing power resources. This has created increasing pressure on the regional electric grid, particularly during extreme weather events. The addition of new, on-demand generation will help address these challenges.
FEC is one of several regional cooperatives participating in the project through PNGC Power. This partnership allows FEC to share costs and risks with other member cooperatives while securing access to critical energy resources.
“Utilities across the region recognize that additional resources are needed to maintain reliability,” said Jason Williams, FEC’s Chief Operating Officer and incoming CEO & General Manager. “By participating in this project, we are taking a proactive role in our energy future rather than relying heavily on an increasingly uncertain market.”
As a not-for-profit electric Cooperative, FEC is fortunate to have preference rights to hydropower produced by the Federal Columbia River Power System, purchased from the Bonneville Power Administration. This essential resource remains one of the least carbon-intensive and most affordable in the country and will continue to serve as the Co-op’s primary power supply. However, the amount of low-cost federal hydropower the Co-op can access is not enough to meet the current demand of their members. Once operational, the new facility will provide additional power resources to meet the area’s growing demand and the Co-op’s future reliability requirements. It will also provide greater certainty when hydro conditions or environmental regulations limit hydro generation or when weather events cause power markets to tighten and prices to spike.
“This project is about serving Northwest communities with the reliable and affordable energy they will need in the years ahead,” said Jessica Matlock, Chief Executive Officer of PNGC Power. “Supporting this project will help ensure our members have power they can count on at prices they can afford.”
Natural gas generation plays a critical role in maintaining grid reliability by providing flexible, around-the-clock power. It also supports the integration of renewable resources, such as wind and solar, by filling gaps when those resources are not producing electricity.
“This is about balance,” said FEC Board of Trustees President Stacey Schnebel. “We are committed to a diverse energy portfolio that includes renewables, conservation, and firm generation resources to serve our members reliably and affordably.”
The project is expected to come online in 2032 pending permitting and development timelines, helping strengthen the regional power supply and reduce reliance on volatile wholesale energy markets.
“Our responsibility is to plan for the future, and this project helps us do exactly that,” Johnson said. “This is one part of a broader strategy to help ensure we can continue delivering safe and reliable power and provide our members with rate stability in an uncertain energy future.”
For more information about FEC’s long-range power supply planning process, or to read FAQs about the project, visit flatheadelectric.com/
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About Flathead Electric Cooperative
Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) is the largest member-owned electric cooperative in Montana, serving over 59,000 members across the northwest region of the state. Founded in 1937 to bring power to rural areas of the Flathead Valley, FEC remains committed to providing affordable and reliable energy. As a member-owned, not-for-profit organization, the Co-op prioritizes community support, innovative energy solutions, and local reliability. For more information, visit https://www.flatheadelectric.
