PSE IN MONTANA:
BEAVER CREEK WIND PROJECT
Construction is now underway on Puget Sound Energy (PSE)’s new Beaver Creek wind farm, a utility-scale wind project that will be located on the high plains in Stillwater County, Montana. PSE is continuing to invest in Montana’s energy economy as PSE works to add more clean energy to its portfolio.
The wind farm will have an expected initial nameplate capacity of 248 megawatts (MW), enough energy to power about 83,000 homes a year. Additionally, there will be an opportunity to add wind turbines in neighboring Sweet Grass County as well as a lithium-ion battery energy storage system to shape Beaver Creek’s variable wind output and better match PSE’s customer energy needs. Montana wind has a high production rate that is especially valuable during extremely cold weather in the Pacific Northwest, when high pressure systems mean that Washington wind farms do not produce much energy.
Learn more about the Beaver Creek Wind Project here.
As PSE works to meet statutory clean energy obligations outlined in Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act and aspires to be a Beyond Net Zero carbon company by 2045, Montana can continue to play a strategic role by providing a diverse supply of clean, reliable and renewable energy. To meet the anticipated energy needs of the region in the coming years, PSE will continue to acquire new sources of energy.
As part of this clean energy transition, PSE has invested funds to partner with Montana energy producers and continues to seek additional opportunities to acquire clean energy resources to supply demand.
In December 2021, we submitted our first Clean Energy Implementation Plan (CEIP) that seeks to move PSE to 63 percent clean electricity by end of 2025 (up from 34 percent in 2020). To deliver this increase over the next four years, our CEIP must be approved by our regulator, the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC). Learn more about PSE’s clean energy planning and resource procurement efforts here and here.
POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS
Haymaker Wind Project PPA
“We are proud to be a partner in developing Montana’s wind resources—this project is another milestone in our continued investment in the state’s energy economy. This agreement with Clearway helps us meet some of the most ambitious clean energy laws in the nation while delivering on our customer’s expectations for energy that is safe, reliable and affordable. ”
-Ron Roberts, PSE Senior Vice President of Energy Resources
In July of 2024, Puget Sound Energy announced that as part of its continued efforts to procure clean energy, it signed a 25-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Clearway Energy Group (“Clearway”) for a 315 MW wind farm under development in Wheatland and Meagher County in Montana.
Once operational, the Haymaker Wind Farm will contribute approximately 15% toward PSE’s remaining need to meet its 2030 clean energy targets. 315 MW translates into enough energy to power about 116,000 average homes in PSE’s service territory.
The wind project will create numerous construction jobs, permanent jobs, and will generate millions of dollars of spending in the local community, including, for the full size of the project, millions in landowner payments and over $100 million in property tax revenue over the life of the project.
Wind energy from Haymaker will be delivered to PSE’s customers using existing PSE transmission. Learn more about the Haymaker Wind Project here.
Clearwater Wind Project PPA
“We’ve been saying Montana has great wind resources and this agreement demonstrates PSE’s continued investment in Montana’s energy economy.”
-Ron Roberts, PSE vice president of Energy Supply.
Learn more here >>>
“This is an important step forward in diversifying our regional economy, creating new jobs and bolstering local tax revenues for our schools, roads and county services. This is a Made in Montana solution.”
-Bob Lee, Rosebud County Commissioner
In 2021, PSE signed a 20-year power purchase agreement to add 350 MW of wind energy from the Clearwater Wind Project, based in Rosebud, Custer, and Garfield Counties.
From the middle of November 2022 through the end of March 2023 the Clearwater Wind project operated at an average capacity factor of over 50%, delivering valuable energy to PSE’s system and customers. This production coincided with a period of cold winter temperatures, increased electricity demand, relatively low production from PSE’s wind facilities in Washington, and extraordinarily high market power prices. Energy delivered from Clearwater Wind during this period reduced PSE’s power supply costs for our customers by approximately $51 million dollars.
This power purchase agreement is one example of PSE’s ability to provide a long-term commitment and investment into Montana’s innovative energy economy. As PSE works to meet our aspirational goals of being a Beyond Net Zero Carbon company and the requirements of Washington State’s Clean Energy Transformation Act, Montana can continue to play a strategic role in supplying a diverse supply of clean, reliable, and renewable energy.
About Clearwater Wind Project:
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Phase 1, which is operational now, consists of 365 MW of renewable energy. The entire wind project will be capable of generating up to 750 MW of clean energy – enough to power approximately 140,000 households a year.
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The wind project spans three counties: Rosebud, Garfield and Custer.
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Clearwater Wind is creating local employment opportunities – including up to 350 construction jobs and approximately 20 full-time operational jobs.
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The full project is also expected to deliver substantial economic benefits to the region, providing more than $400 million in support through jobs, additional tax revenue and landowner payments.
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Please visit www.clearwaterwind.com to learn more about the project and NextEra Energy.
Energy Keepers, Inc. Hydroelectric PPA
“We are happy to partner with PSE in this historic agreement. This agreement will assist Energy Keepers in the development of additional zero carbon resources and thus enable increased partnerships as the region moves towards a cleaner future.”
- Daniel Howlett, Energy Keepers, Inc.
In 2020, Puget Sound Energy signed a hydroelectric PPA with Energy Keepers, Inc. the tribally owned corporation of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana. The Selis Ksanka Qlispe hydroelectric project, located at Flathead Lake in Montana, is the first tribally owned hydroelectric dam in the U.S. Through this agreement, PSE is set to purchase 40 megawatts of zero carbon energy produced by the Selis Ksanka Qlispe hydroelectric project.
This historic agreement runs through 2035, significantly supporting Montana's workforce and energy economy while fostering new partnerships and resource innovations.
PSE’s mission is deep decarbonization, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transforming its business to deliver on the objectives of Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act and its Beyond Net Zero Carbon aspirations. PSE will be coal free by 2025 and its electric system will be carbon neutral by 2030. Learn more here >>>
NextEra Clearwater Wind Project
Rosebud County, Montana