Cooperative Montana

Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc

260min
SAIDI 2023
1.36
SAIFI 2023
5,171
Customers

What This Utility Data Tells You

Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc is a member-owned electric cooperative operating in Montana under EIA identifier 11272. It reports service to approximately 5,171 customer accounts and generated about $0.03 billion in annual electric revenue, with a service footprint spanning 18 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 Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc customer experienced 260.2 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 1.36 for the same period, so customers statistically faced roughly 1 distinct interruption that year. Excluding major event days (hurricanes, ice storms), SAIDI drops to 192.7 minutes — the gap between that figure and the headline 260.2 reveals how much weather, not day-to-day infrastructure, drove outages.

The EIA dataset includes 4 years of continuous reporting (2020–2023) for Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc, which lets you see whether reliability is trending up or down rather than judging from a single snapshot. SAIDI has increased from 254.6 to 260.2 minutes, which may reflect either worsening weather exposure or delayed grid modernization. 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

260 min per year

Average outage minutes (2023)

SAIFI

1.36 interruptions/yr

Outage frequency (2023)

Customers

5,171

Served in Montana

SAIDI vs. National Average (180 min) 65.0%

260 minutes per customer per year

Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc SAIDI

Minutes without power per year (2023)

260 SAIDI260 SAIDINat. avg 120120SAIDI260SAIDI

Below Average

Reliability Trend (2020–2023)

Year SAIDI (min) SAIDI nMED SAIFI Customers
2020 254.6 201.4 1.400
2021 2989.6 34.1 1.618
2022 541.6 214.2 0.394
2023 260.2 192.7 1.360

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

Service Area

Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc serves 18 ZIP codes in Montana.

586215880158831588385885359212592175921859221592435925559259592625927059274593155933059353

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc?

Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc had a SAIDI of 260.2 minutes in 2023, meaning the average customer experienced about 260 minutes of outages that year. This is near the national average.

What type of utility is Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc?

Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc is classified as a Cooperative serving Montana. Electric cooperatives are member-owned nonprofit utilities, typically serving rural areas.

What does SAIDI mean for Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc?

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

How many customers does Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc serve?

Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc serves approximately 5,171 customers in Montana. Customer count can affect reliability metrics because larger utilities may face different infrastructure challenges compared to smaller ones.

How has Lower Yellowstone R E A, Inc's reliability changed over time?

Lower Yellowstone R E A, 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
5,171
Annual Revenue
$0.03B
EIA ID
11272
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.