Northern Lights, Inc electricity rates
Northern Lights, Inc charges an average of 12.52 cents per kilowatt-hour to residential customers, and the average household on its system paid $134 a month using 1,073 kilowatt-hours, according to its 2024 filing with the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Member-owned cooperative BPAT Montana
Where Northern Lights, Inc sits
It is a smaller system, serving 3,985 residential customers, which means its fixed costs are spread across a narrow base. At 12.52¢ per kilowatt-hour it is one of the cheaper places to buy electricity in Montana, 14.7% under the statewide average of 14.67¢.
Its customers use more electricity than the national norm, 1,073 kilowatt-hours a month against 871, which amplifies whatever the rate does.
Owned by the customers it serves, with directors elected by members. Co-ops are frequently outside state rate regulation. That matters because a bill is not only the cost of generating electricity: it also carries the cost of the network, and who owns that network changes how it is paid for.
| Rate | Monthly bill | Monthly kWh | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Lights, Inc | 12.52¢ | $134 | 1,073 |
| Montana average | 14.67¢ | $113 | 824 |
| United States average | 18.44¢ | $155 | 871 |
Utility figures: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024. State and national figures: Electric Power Monthly, May 2026. Methodology
Where Northern Lights, Inc delivers
Its service territory covers 2 Montana counties, either wholly or in part. Utility boundaries follow historic franchise agreements rather than county lines, so a county appearing here does not mean every address in it is served by Northern Lights, Inc.
- Lincoln
- Sanders
How often the power goes out
In 2024 the average Northern Lights, Inc customer went 352 minutes without electricity . The median across the 941 utilities that report this is 185 minutes.
That is worse than typical. Overhead lines through wooded or storm-exposed terrain are the usual explanation, and the fix is vegetation management and circuit automation, both of which are recovered through rates.
Other Montana utilities
| Utility | Rate | Bill | Customers |
|---|---|---|---|
| NorthWestern Energy LLC | 14.23¢ | $101 | 328,125 |
| Flathead Electric Coop Inc | 9.67¢ | $116 | 63,317 |
| Fergus Electric Coop, Inc | 15.52¢ | $124 | 6,682 |
| Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc | 8.83¢ | $104 | 3,499 |
| Fall River Rural Elec Coop Inc | 11.39¢ | $114 | 1,508 |
Northern Lights, Inc rates: common questions
How much does Northern Lights, Inc charge per kilowatt-hour?
An average of 12.52 cents per kilowatt-hour across its residential customers in 2024. That is -14.7% against the Montana average of 14.67¢ and -32.1% against the national average of 18.44¢. It is an all-in average across every residential rate schedule the utility offers, not a specific tariff.
What is the average Northern Lights, Inc bill?
$134 a month, based on total residential revenue divided by residential customers over the 2024 survey year, at an average of 1,073 kWh a month. The national average bill is $155 at 871 kWh.
Who owns Northern Lights, Inc?
It is classified by the EIA as a member-owned cooperative. Owned by the customers it serves, with directors elected by members. Co-ops are frequently outside state rate regulation.
Is Northern Lights, Inc expensive compared with other Montana utilities?
It ranks #5 of the 10 Montana utilities covered here, counting from the most expensive. Nationally it ranks #912 of 1369.