Montana Joins 10 Other Western States In A Major Grid Expansion Push

Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Montana is joining a multi-state effort aimed at strengthening and expanding electric transmission across the West as demand for power continues to climb.

The state is now part of the Western Transmission Expansion Coalition, known as WestTEC, a partnership that includes 10 other western states working together to study transmission needs and improve coordination. As part of the agreement, participating governors also established the Permitting Alignment and Coordination Task Force, or PACT, focused on streamlining how large transmission projects are reviewed and approved.

“With increasing demand on our energy grid, we must meet the challenge head-on to ensure affordable, reliable power for Montanans now and into the future,” Gianforte said. “Building on the ongoing work of our Energy Task Force and investments to increase the supply of affordable and reliable energy, Montana is proud to join this regional agreement to improve transmission.”

Montana joins Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, Utah, Oregon, Washington, New Mexico and Wyoming in the coalition.

WestTEC includes more than 70 participants, including utility providers, state agencies and Tribal governments. The group is expected to examine gaps in the current grid and identify ways to move projects forward more efficiently, particularly as permitting timelines have become a concern in recent years.

A recent report from the Western Electricity Coordinating Council found electricity demand in the region could rise by about 20% over the next decade, a sharp increase from projections made just a few years ago.

The governor’s Energy Task Force, co-chaired by Sonja Nowakowski of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, has been reviewing ways to expand energy supply while improving reliability and regulatory certainty.

Get our free mobile app

“Governor Gianforte’s commitment to the WestTEC effort is an important step forward for Montana,” Nowakowski said. “The Governor’s Energy Task Force has identified a need for more regional coordination to address transmission development. This PACT shows the state is committed to being at the table for this important work.”