Dave Gates Generating Station
Natural gas power plant in Deer Lodge County, Montana. 203.1 MW of nameplate capacity across 3 generators, operated by NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal).
Also known as Dave Gates Mill Creek Generating Station · EIA plant 56908
Analyst: free account, 1 question a day.
Key facts
- Capacity
- 203.1 MWNameplate
- Generators
- 3 operatingEIA-860M, August 2026
- Operating since
- January 2011First generator online
- Operator
- NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal)EIA operator ID 56815
- Grid
- NWMTBalancing authority NWMT
- Price nodes
- None linkedNo verified ISO node
- Location
- Deer Lodge County, MT46.1047, −112.8766
- EIA plant ID
- 56908EIA plant page
Data as of EIA-860M August 2026 (published 2026-09-24). Capacity is nameplate, not live output.
How much power Dave Gates produces
Free · EIA-923Net generation, 2025
503 GWh
502,651 MWh, final
Capacity factor, 2025
28.3%
2024: 26.6%
January to July 2026
140 GWh
Provisional
Range, 2015 to 2025
179.3–547.5
GWh a year. Low 2020, high 2023
| Year | Net generation, MWh | Capacity factor | Months reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2001 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2002 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2003 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2004 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2005 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2006 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2007 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2008 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2009 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2010 | Not reported | Not reported | 0 of 12 |
| 2011 | 329,366 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2012 | 361,770 | 27.5% | 12 of 12 |
| 2013 | 447,309 | Not reported | 12 of 12 |
| 2014 | 412,387 | 23.2% | 12 of 12 |
| 2015 | 427,708 | 24.0% | 12 of 12 |
| 2016 | 262,921 | 14.7% | 12 of 12 |
| 2017 | 251,273 | 14.1% | 12 of 12 |
| 2018 | 220,857 | 12.4% | 12 of 12 |
| 2019 | 226,742 | 12.7% | 12 of 12 |
| 2020 | 179,322 | 10.1% | 12 of 12 |
| 2021 | 263,656 | 14.8% | 12 of 12 |
| 2022 | 406,019 | 22.8% | 12 of 12 |
| 2023 | 547,467 | 30.8% | 12 of 12 |
| 2024 | 474,696 | 26.6% | 12 of 12 |
| 2025 | 502,651 | 28.3% | 12 of 12 |
| 2026 (provisional, partial year) | 140,163 | 13.6% | 7 of 7 |
* 2026 covers January to July and is provisional. Capacity factor is net generation divided by nameplate capacity times the hours of each reported month.
Power prices and basis
Free accountNo verified ISO price node is linked to this plant, or its price history could not load.
Emissions
Free · EPA CAMPDCO₂, 2025
328,640
US short tons. 2024: 316,303
SO₂, 2025
2
US short tons
NOx, 2025
52
US short tons
CO₂ per MWh, calculated
0.65 t
About 1,308 lb per MWh
6 of 6 EPA units reported CO₂ in 2025 (1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B), matched to EIA plant 56908 through the EPA–EIA crosswalk. The per-MWh rate is EPA CO₂ divided by EIA-923 net generation. The two reporting boundaries can differ.
Water use
Free · EIA-923 cooling, USGSNo EIA cooling-water record for this plant in 2024.
Generators
Free · EIA-860M| Generator | Technology | Nameplate MW | Online since |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 67.7 | January 2011 |
| 2 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 67.7 | January 2011 |
| 3 | Natural Gas Fired Combustion Turbine | 67.7 | January 2011 |
Ownership and offtake
ProOwnership and offtake are part of Pro
Owners and their shares, parent companies, and power purchase agreements with their buyers. EIA-860M lists NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal) as the operator, which is not always the owner.
Modeled data
ProPro adds modeled values for this plant. Everything above stays free.
Generation potential vs reported
Monthly potential at seasonal net capability, next to EIA-923 output. Shows how much of the plant's capability was used.
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Power plants near Dave Gates
More plants operated by NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal)
Questions about Dave Gates
How much power does Dave Gates Generating Station produce?
Dave Gates Generating Station reported 502,651 MWh (503 GWh) of net generation in 2025, a 28.3% capacity factor on 203.1 MW of nameplate capacity. From January to July 2026 it reported 140 GWh, which is provisional.
Where is Dave Gates Generating Station?
Dave Gates Generating Station is in Deer Lodge County, Montana, at 46.1047, −112.8766. It is in the NorthWestern Energy (NWMT) balancing area (NWMT).
Who operates Dave Gates Generating Station?
EIA-860M for August 2026 lists NorthWestern Energy (MT wind/thermal) as the operator (EIA operator ID 56815). The operator is not always the owner.
When did Dave Gates Generating Station start operating?
Its first generator began operating in January 2011, according to EIA-860M.
Sources
- EIA-860 2025 (final) and EIA-860M August 2026: plant, generators, capacity, operator and location
- EIA-923 monthly net generation, 2000 to July 2026 (2026 provisional)
- EPA CAMPD annual emissions through the EPA–EIA crosswalk, 1995 to 2025
- Plant names from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Page updated 2026-10-04 from the InfraMap data build. Methodology · Data sources · EIA plant page