CUT BANK — BHE Montana hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for their new Glacier Battery System located between Cut Bank and Shelby on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in order to support Montana's wind and solar generation.
While Montana is one of the windiest states, it ranks only 21st in the nation for wind energy production. BHE Montana broke ground on the first of three upcoming projects to support renewable energy generation and bring economic growth to the region.
Roughly 7.6% of energy in Montana is wind-generated. While most energy produced by the wind farms is sent out of state, the investment will improve the grid reliably throughout the region.
The 75-megawatt Glacier Battery System will have two hours of energy storage, to fulfill demand for days when the wind isn’t as strong and less power is being generated. It will store excess wind on particularly windy days.
The construction will bring in around 70 contracted workers to Cut Bank and the surrounding communities. To support BHE Montana’s operations, they will also open a new office and control center in Great Falls later this year, supporting 15 employees.
“Power is a commodity that is scarce right now. And so for Berkshire Hathaway to come in and make these investments in the North Central Montana region, we couldn't be more excited. Investing significantly in energy, infrastructure, and resources and in that growth and development, this leads to additional opportunities for manufacturing, additional opportunities for data, additional opportunities for all of Montana residents," Great Falls Development Alliance vice president Jolene Schalper says.
In addition to BHE Montana’s three wind farms, they will begin construction next year on a 1,000-acre solar park at the same site as the battery system, between Cut Bank and Shelby. This project will bring in even more contracted workers to the area and generate 100 megawatts of solar energy. It is projected to be complete by 2026.
“For all intents and purposes, we're not done growing. The community has been so supportive of us. If you look around here from the tent to the guests who have come, it just feels like a community, like a family. So, BHE, we appreciate that. And we just want to continue to support that and grow here," BHE Montana Energy Services and Technology vice president Dwayne Howard explains.
Construction on the Glacier Battery System will begin now, and is projected to be completed next year.
