Cooperative Montana

Flathead Electric Coop Inc

160min
SAIDI 2023
1.62
SAIFI 2023
74,239
Customers

What This Utility Data Tells You

Flathead Electric Coop Inc is a member-owned electric cooperative operating in Montana under EIA identifier 6395. It reports service to approximately 74,239 customer accounts and generated about $0.13 billion in annual electric revenue, with a service footprint spanning 21 ZIP codes. As a cooperative, its governance is accountable to its ratepayer-members rather than shareholders, which often shapes rate-setting and reinvestment priorities.

In 2023, the average Flathead Electric Coop Inc customer experienced 160.5 minutes of power interruptions — a metric called SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index). That sits within the 120–180 minute national benchmark range, indicating performance typical of U.S. distribution utilities. SAIFI — the average number of outage events per customer — was 1.62 for the same period, so customers statistically faced roughly 2 distinct interruptions that year. Excluding major event days (hurricanes, ice storms), SAIDI drops to 160.5 minutes — the gap between that figure and the headline 160.5 reveals how much weather, not day-to-day infrastructure, drove outages.

The EIA dataset includes 4 years of continuous reporting (2020–2023) for Flathead Electric Coop Inc, which lets you see whether reliability is trending up or down rather than judging from a single snapshot. SAIDI has improved from 870.2 to 160.5 minutes over that window — a meaningful direction for prospective customers and regulators watching capital investment outcomes. All figures on this page come directly from EIA Form 861, the federal annual electric power industry survey, with service territory ZIPs sourced from OpenEI — you can cross-reference them with your own utility bill or use them when comparing providers before relocating.

SAIDI

160 min per year

Average outage minutes (2023)

SAIFI

1.62 interruptions/yr

Outage frequency (2023)

Customers

74,239

Served in Montana

SAIDI vs. National Average (180 min) 40.1%

160 minutes per customer per year

Flathead Electric Coop Inc SAIDI

Minutes without power per year (2023)

160 SAIDI160 SAIDINat. avg 120120SAIDI160SAIDI

Average

Reliability Trend (2020–2023)

Year SAIDI (min) SAIDI nMED SAIFI Customers
2020 870.2 173.4 2.380 67,628
2021 670.9 164.6 2.619 69,430
2022 692.2 222.9 2.720 71,693
2023 160.5 160.5 1.620 75,881

SAIDI nMED = SAIDI without major event days. Source: EIA Form 861.

Service Area

Flathead Electric Coop Inc serves 21 ZIP codes in Montana.

598455984859873599015990359911599125991359916599195992059921599225992359925599265992859932599355993659937

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is Flathead Electric Coop Inc?

Flathead Electric Coop Inc had a SAIDI of 160.5 minutes in 2023, meaning the average customer experienced about 160 minutes of outages that year. This is near the national average.

What type of utility is Flathead Electric Coop Inc?

Flathead Electric Coop Inc is classified as a Cooperative serving Montana. Electric cooperatives are member-owned nonprofit utilities, typically serving rural areas.

What does SAIDI mean for Flathead Electric Coop Inc?

SAIDI (System Average Interruption Duration Index) measures the average total minutes per year that a customer of Flathead Electric Coop Inc experiences power outages. A lower SAIDI indicates better reliability. The national average is roughly 120-180 minutes per year, so comparing Flathead Electric Coop Inc's SAIDI to that benchmark shows whether this utility is above or below average.

How many customers does Flathead Electric Coop Inc serve?

Flathead Electric Coop Inc serves approximately 74,239 customers in Montana. Customer count can affect reliability metrics because larger utilities may face different infrastructure challenges compared to smaller ones.

How has Flathead Electric Coop Inc's reliability changed over time?

Flathead Electric Coop Inc has 4 years of reliability data (2020-2023). SAIDI has remained relatively stable over this period. Review the trend table above for year-by-year detail.

What is SAIDI without major event days?

SAIDI "without major event days" (SAIDI nMED) excludes outages caused by hurricanes, ice storms, and other catastrophic weather events. It better reflects day-to-day infrastructure reliability rather than vulnerability to extreme weather. Both standard SAIDI and SAIDI nMED are shown in the reliability trend table above.

Utility Profile

Type
Cooperative
State
Montana
Customers
74,239
Annual Revenue
$0.13B
EIA ID
6395
Data Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Form 861 annual electric power industry survey. ZIP service territory from OpenEI.

Related

Data sourced from official EIA reliability statistics and OpenEI utility rate database. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainUtility Editorial

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form 861. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.