Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc
Cooperative electric utility · Montana · #1,393 of 3,199 U.S. utilities by customers · EIA utility #11272
Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc is a cooperative electric utility serving 6,416 customers in Montana, North Dakota. In 2025 it sold 534 gigawatt-hours of electricity for $54.66M in revenue, an average realized rate of 10.24¢ per kWh across all customer classes and 9.15¢ per kWh for residential customers. Its reported service territory covers 5 counties. EIA records its activities as: distribution.
Customers, sales and rates by customer class (2025)
| Class | Customers | Sales (GWh) | Revenue | Avg realized rate | Share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential | 3,927 | 56.4 | $5.16M | 9.15¢ | |
| Commercial | 1,288 | 48.0 | $4.69M | 9.76¢ | |
| Industrial | 1,201 | 430 | $44.81M | 10.43¢ | |
| Total | 6,416 | 534 | $54.66M | 10.24¢ |
Average realized rate = revenue divided by sales as reported on EIA Form 861. It blends fixed charges, demand charges and riders into one per-kWh figure; it is not the utility's tariff rate. Estimated residential bill assumes the average residential customer's actual 2025 usage (1,196 kWh/month).
Operations by state
| State | Customers | Sales (GWh) | Residential rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montana | 5,253 | 328 | 9.20¢ |
| North Dakota | 1,163 | 206 | 8.95¢ |
Five-year trend
| Year | Customers | Sales (GWh) | Revenue | Residential rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6,214 | 282 | $29.04M | 8.69¢ |
| 2022 | 6,247 | 323 | $33.06M | 8.61¢ |
| 2023 | 6,304 | 388 | $39.41M | 8.80¢ |
| 2024 | 6,386 | 455 | $45.26M | 8.86¢ |
| 2025 | 6,416 | 534 | $54.66M | 9.15¢ |
Reliability (2025)
Average outage time (SAIDI): 259 minutes per customer per year
Average outages (SAIFI): 1.31 per customer
Average restoration time (CAIDI): 198 minutes
As reported for Montana under the Other standard, with major event days included where the standard reports them. Lower is better; see the reliability rankings.
Energy supply (2025)
Net generation: — GWh
Wholesale power purchased: 552 GWh
Winter peak demand: 75 MW
Meters & rooftop solar (2025)
Smart (AMI) meters: 0.0% of 6,416 meters
Customer-sited generation (net metering): 5 installations, 0.0 MW of capacity
Counties served
Dawson, MTMcKenzie, NDRichland, MTRoosevelt, MTWilliams, ND
Other large utilities in Montana
- NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT) - 439,003 customers, residential 14.42¢
- Flathead Electric Coop Inc - 77,288 customers, residential 10.04¢
- Yellowstone Valley Elec Co-op - 23,683 customers, residential 14.22¢
- USBIA-Mission Valley Power - 23,250 customers, residential 9.39¢
- Missoula Electric Coop, Inc - 16,781 customers, residential 10.93¢
- Ravalli County Elec Coop, Inc - 12,194 customers, residential —
- Glacier Electric Coop, Inc - 7,964 customers, residential —
- Fergus Electric Coop, Inc - 7,157 customers, residential 15.91¢
All Montana utilities and rates
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861 2025 (filed by the utility; figures as published). Utility #11272 in the EIA frame.