Tester Secures $700 Million to Strengthen Montana’s Power Grid, Lower Energy Costs

Funding to construct the North Plains Connector project comes from the Senator’s bipartisan infrastructure law

As a part of his continued work to boost energy independence and strengthen Montana’s energy grid, U.S. Senator Jon Tester today secured $700,000,000 to construct the North Plains Connector project. This funding comes as a direct result of Tester’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).  

The North Plains Connector project represents a 415 mile transmission line connecting U.S. Eastern and Western electric grids in Montana and North Dakota. The project is anticipated to improve grid resiliency, mitigate the impact of extreme weather, and accommodate growing demand for electricity.

“Montana’s families and small businesses deserve a safe and reliable power grid that keeps pace with our state’s growing needs – and the North Plains Connector project represents a vital investment in our power grid that will benefit our state for years to come,” said Tester. “This project will create good-paying jobs in Eastern Montana, protect our energy grid from natural disaster, and expand our energy portfolio to lower energy costs for Montanans and ensure our economy remains competitive against foreign adversaries like China. I’m proud to have secured this funding, and I will keep working to ensure this project is completed effectively and efficiently.”

Tester has led the charge to bolster Montana’s robust energy portfolio and modernize the state’s power grids. Through his bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), he secured significant investments to improve and modernize Montana’s electrical grid to support the next generation of energy. His bipartisan infrastructure law also supports clean energy research and development in the Montana University System.

In October, Tester secured $26 million in funding to prevent and protect energy grids against wildfire from his IIJA. In September, he secured an additional $14 million to strengthen Montana’s energy grid against wildfires and extreme weather events from his IIJA.