Black Hills Power electricity rates
Investor-owned utility · Montana
Black Hills Power is a for-profit, investor-owned utility regulated by the state utility commission, serving 13 homes in Montana. Its residential customers pay an average of 7.02¢/kWh including fixed and delivery charges, 61% less than the U.S. average.
Rate basis: EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07.
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Black Hills Power bill estimates
| Monthly use | At average all-in rate | Base tariff charges* |
|---|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $35.10 | $76.78 |
| 1,000 kWh | $70.20 | $144.31 |
| 1,500 kWh | $105.30 | $211.84 |
| 2,000 kWh | $140.40 | $279.37 |
*Residential Service: R (effective 2017-12-01, $9.25/month customer charge), energy and fixed charges from the OpenEI Utility Rate Database. Riders, fuel adjustments and taxes are often billed separately, so real bills usually land closer to the all-in column. Calculate your bill.
Black Hills Power residential rate plans
| Plan | Effective | Customer charge | Energy charges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Service: R | 2017-12-01 | $9.25 | 13.51¢ |
| Total Electric Residential Service: RTE | 2017-12-01 | $12.00 | 11.05¢ |
| Residential Demand Service (Optional) | 2014-10-01 | $15.50 | 7.04¢ |
| Residential Service (R) | 2014-10-01 | $15.50 | 11.43¢ |
| Total Electric Residential Service (RTE) | 2014-10-01 | $15.50 | 11.33¢ |
| Utility Controlled Residential Service (UCR) | 2014-05-01 | $7.00 | 6.21¢ |
| Residential Demand Service (RD) | 2010-06-01 | $16.50 | 4.88¢ |
| Total Electric Residential Service | 1991-10-01 | $9.50 | 4.94¢ |
| Residential Service | 1991-10-01 | $7.00 | 6.13¢ |
Source: OpenEI U.S. Utility Rate Database. Rates change. Check the linked tariff or your bill for current figures.
Black Hills Power rate history
2015–2025: -18% change in the average residential rate (8.54¢ → 6.99¢). Annual EIA-861 data.
Outages & reliability
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Reliability history
| 2025 | Black Hills Power | Montana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outage minutes per customer (SAIDI) | 756 | 285 | 266 |
| Outages per customer (SAIFI) | 3.43 | 1.33 | 1.34 |
| Average restoration time (CAIDI) | 3 hr 40 min | — | — |
| Outage minutes excluding major storms | 673 | 136 | 121 |
Outages in counties served (2025)
From ORNL EAGLE-I, which tracks customers without power every 15 minutes. These counts cover every utility in each county. Weighted across Black Hills Power's counties, customers averaged 42 min without power.
| County | Outage min/customer | Days with outages | Peak customers out | Worst day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powder River | 78 | 1 | 59 | 2025-11-13 |
| Carter | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2025-11-13 |
Black Hills Power service area
Black Hills Power serves 2 counties in Montana and 5 ZIP codes.
Carter, Powder River
Programs, smart meters & solar
| Smart meters (AMI) for homes | 100% |
| Time-based rate programs | None reported |
| Net-metered solar homes | 0 reported |
Black Hills Power at a glance
| Ownership | Investor-owned utility |
| Services | — |
| Commercial rate | 10.73¢/kWh |
| Industrial rate | 6.89¢/kWh |
| Retail revenue (2025) | $10,338,100 |
| Electricity sold (2025) | 159,850 MWh |
| Balancing authority | WACM |
| EIA utility ID | 19545 |
Other utilities in Montana
Frequently asked questions
What is Black Hills Power's electricity rate?
Black Hills Power residential customers pay an average of 7.02¢ per kWh, all charges included (EIA-861M monthly utility data, 12 months ending 2026-07). That's 49% below the Montana average of 13.84¢ and 61% below the U.S. average.
What is the average Black Hills Power electric bill?
About $55 a month. The average Black Hills Power home uses 788 kWh a month. At 1,000 kWh the bill would be about $70.
How many customers does Black Hills Power have?
Black Hills Power serves 13 residential customers and 47 customers in total in Montana, across 2 counties.
How reliable is Black Hills Power?
In 2025, the average Black Hills Power customer was without power for 12 hr 36 min (SAIDI) over 3.43 interruptions (SAIFI), including major storms. Excluding major event days it was 11 hr 13 min. The Montana average was 4 hr 45 min and the U.S. average 4 hr 26 min.
Sources: EIA-861 2025 and EIA-861M (through July 2026), OpenEI URDB, ORNL EAGLE-I, U.S. Census. Methodology. Spot an error? Rates change often, so confirm with Black Hills Power before making decisions.