Why Is Great Falls Known as the “Electric City”?

     The Missouri River’s cascading falls have long been more than a scenic backdrop. Growing since the 19th century, they have become the foundation of Great Falls’ identity as the “Electric City.” The city has harnessed the natural power of its unique series of waterfalls, making it one of the first places in Montana, and in the nation, to generate hydroelectric energy. Dams like Black Eagle, Rainbow, Ryan, Cochrane, and Morony have become the backbone of the city’s development and continue to hold the title to this day.

    Going back in time, the idea of transforming rushing water into a force capable of powering homes, industries, and innovation was unimaginable! The dams were originally built in Montana  specifically for its booming copper and zinc industries; the five hydroelectric dams energized lumber mills, railroads, and the city’s fast-growing population at the time. Thanks to business leaders like John D. Ryan of the Montana Power Company, the stage was set for a dam-building boom spanning from 1910 to 1930.

 How Did the Role of the Dams Change Over Time?

 Once industrial demand began to decline, the dams’ purposes began to shift. They were discovered to be an excellent source for clean, renewable energy and have been used for that purpose ever since. Additionally offering lovely views, hiking trails, fishing locations, and recreational activities. Today, NorthWestern Energy continues operating the hydrofacilities while also building on that foundation of natural beauty and engineering to give us the thing we all depend on in our everyday lives: electricity.

“Society would fall apart without electricity, we’re a huge part of all the communities that we serve,” Clotfelter said.

Who Powers Great Falls Today?

     With around 30 years of experience, Jeremy Clotfelter oversees the company’s 11 dams and hydroelectric plants as Northwestern Energy’s Power Generator Director. He manages all operations tied to hydro facilities, ensuring efficient and reliable energy delivery. This value, he said, is a priority that is essential to the company’s mission. Guided by NorthWestern Energy’s core values of SERVICE: Safety, Excellence, Respect, Value, Integrity, Community, and Environment. The team strives to provide dependable power every day while proudly keeping customer costs well below the national average.

“Our average customer ‘s daily bill is less than a cup of Starbucks coffee,” Clotfelter said.

    The company is ranked as the 9th lowest-cost energy provider in the U.S.. Which is a significant achievement, especially in a competitive and cost-sensitive region. Other impressive stats include their percentage on how clean their processes are, said Shane Etzweiler. For the last six years,  Etzweiler has served as the company’s community relations manager.

“We are 99.6% clean,” he said.

What Does It Take to Keep the Lights On?

Delivering clean energy to the homes of Great Falls is no simple task. It requires coordination, investment, and constant attention from NorthWestern Energy.

Step 1: Electricity is generated when turbines—powered by water, natural gas, wind, or other sources– which then turns a generator.
Step 2: That electricity flows into the transmission system, moving through high-voltage lines that carry large amounts of power across states and long distances.
Step 3: Finally, it enters the distribution system, where lower-voltage lines deliver electricity directly to homes, businesses, and communities.

In comparison, natural gas follows a similar path: It’s taken from a well, sent through transmission pipelines, moved into local distribution lines, and ultimately delivered into homes.

“Generation, transmission, and distribution—that’s the one-two-three of it,” Manager Etzwieler said.

While the steps sound straightforward, keeping the system balanced is anything but. NorthWestern monitors the grid every four seconds to ensure supply meets demand. Through storms, cold snaps, and sweltering heat alike.

“That’s something people often don’t realize—what it takes to balance the ins and outs all the time,” said Director Jeremy Clotfelter.

​​Unlike most industries, energy cannot be easily stored on a large scale. Every bit generated has to be used right away. Large hydro facilities with expansive reservoirs can store water and release it later, helping balance electricity supply and demand. In Great Falls, however, the hydro facilities are smaller, leaving far less room for that kind of flexibility.

“It’s not like a farmer who can put his crops in a bin and wait until spring because he thinks the market will go up,” Clotfelter said.

Finances also pose a challenge. As NorthWestern invests in cleaner energy, more than $2 billion in the past eight years, those costs must be recovered in ways that keep electricity both reliable and affordable. And when local generation falls short, such as during extreme weather, the company must purchase power off the open grid at higher prices: costs that ultimately affect customers.

“Our effort is always to go clean and be reliable, affordable, and sustainable,” Manager Etzwieler said.

Despite the hurdles, the team remains committed to modernizing and improving its systems while protecting both customers and workers.

“We have to continue to modernize, improve, strengthen, and ensure safety for our guys working on that,” Etzwieler said.

Most customers rarely stop to consider what it takes to flip on a light switch in the middle of the night or turn on a faucet without a second thought, he said. Behind the scenes, teams of workers remain on standby around the clock, ready to make critical decisions and respond quickly when disaster strikes.

A Real Life Outage Story

One Tuesday, Director Clotfelter described, after a heavy windstorm and snowfall hit Monarch and Neihart, transmission lines went down. NorthWestern ran to the rescue immediately. Helicopters were dispatched to survey the damage, and within three days a plane delivered a generator, a transformer, and 1,000 gallons of diesel to restore service. By Friday, full power was back on for customers, just days after the storm.

“That’s how quickly we want to ensure folks have sustainable power,” he said.

How Is the History of the Dams Preserved?

Another thing that Northwestern strives to sustain, is the history that is cemented within the structure of the dams. All hydro facilities are licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which enforces strict rules on historical and archaeological preservation. Because of this, the dams and powerhouses remain much as they looked a century ago. 

“When you think about it, over 100 years ago somebody turned a wrench. Did they even think that a century later, somebody would be carrying this on. And would we be doing the things we’re doing today?” Clotfelter said.

Additionally, records kept by the state’s historic preservation office further ensure that this history and its significance is never lost. Even the smallest modifications to the dam’s historic structures are limited.  

“We comply with every requirement and not only every letter of the law but the spirit and intentions behind it,” he said.

Replacing something as simple as a window or a door must match the original design as closely as possible. If a replacement is absolutely necessary, or if any historic element must be removed, it must be thoroughly documented through photos, videos, and written records. This process was followed in 2013 with the demolition of the old Rainbow Powerhouse, originally built in 1909. Though the building itself could not be saved, NorthWestern ensured its story was preserved in detail.

“We’ve got to be good stewards of what we have ownership of,” said Manager Ezweiler.

How Does NorthWestern Protect the Environment?

Being a good steward means caring not only for the dams but also for the environment that surrounds them, he said. The fish, the fishing areas, the docks, the river flow, and the people who rely on them. NorthWestern contributes $1 million annually to a recreation and conservation fund that supports projects such as the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, the River’s Edge Trail, historical sites, improved boat launches or even upgraded restrooms.

“Environment is one of our core values through our word S.E.R.V.I.C.E.— the ‘E’ is the environment,” said Ezweiler. 

Much of the company’s energy and passion goes into partnerships and community investments to help the environment, he said. NorthWestern regularly hosts public meetings to give residents a say in how their established funds are used. They have partnered with groups such as the Sun River Watershed Group and the Missouri River Watershed Coalition to fight erosion, remove trash, and fund monitoring tools. Staff also take part in paid volunteer work to support local environmental projects.

However, the landscape of Great Falls helps preserve the environment on its own too.The area is unique in that its natural waterfalls historically blocked fish migration, meaning the dams here have never created additional barriers. More broadly, hydropower presents fewer environmental challenges, in general, than coal or natural gas plants, particularly when it comes to carbon regulations.

 A Thank You To the Community

​​NorthWestern’s diverse team, including biologists, environmental specialists, and meteorologists,works to monitor conditions and protect natural resources. Even so, the company credits much of the strength behind these efforts to the support of the Great Falls community.

“We appreciate how much our community embraces the dams. I’m not sure why that is but it’s a good thing and we want to protect it, enhance it, and make it better. I don’t want to take it for granted,” Director Clotfelter said.