Public Meetings: Montana’s 2026 Integrated Resource Plan
Help Shape Montana’s Energy Future
NorthWestern Energy invites customers, community members and stakeholders to attend public meetings on the 2026 Montana Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). The IRP is a long-term planning study that looks at how Montana’s electric system can continue to deliver reliable, affordable, and sustainable power under a variety of future possibilities.
What Is an Integrated Resource Plan (IRP)?
An Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is a long-term planning study that evaluates how NorthWestern Energy can meet customer electricity needs over the next 20 years under a variety of future scenarios while balancing reliability, affordability, and risk. The IRP is not a construction plan or a final decision document. Instead, it establishes a transparent analysis of possible scenarios to guide future actions.
Attend an in-person community meeting
A 20-minute presentation will be followed by time for public comments on the Draft IRP. Each meeting will last 2 hours.
| Community | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Falls | Jan. 27, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. | Great Falls Public Library, 301 2nd Ave. N. |
| Missoula | Jan. 28, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. | Missoula College, 1205 E. Broadway St. |
| Helena | Feb. 3, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. | Lewis & Clark Library, Large Community Room, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch |
| Bozeman | Feb. 4, 2026 | 5:30 p.m. | Bozeman Library, Community Room 626 E Main St. |
What we’ll cover:
How does NorthWestern assess reliability?
What inputs and assumptions go into the 20-year planning process?
What is trying to be solved?
What types of power resources are being evaluated?
Key findings from the Draft 2026 IRP
Why Attend?
Learn how NorthWestern plans to meet future energy needs.
Understand how reliability and cost are evaluated.
Ask questions and share feedback.
Participate in a transparent, public process.
How to provide public comments on the Draft IRP:
- Download and read the Draft IRP
- Attend a public community meeting
- Submit comments and questions via our online form
- Submit comments and questions via email to IRP@northwestern.com
Where does your energy come from?
See, in real time, the resources being used to produce your electricity.