Puget Sound Energy is starting construction on a 130-megawatt solar facility in south-central Montana. The Battle Butte Solar Project sits on about 1,400 acres of flat ranch land near Rapelje, in Stillwater County. The Washington utility announced the groundbreaking on Oct. 15.
The build will need roughly 250 skilled workers at its peak, according to PSE. Once the site is running, a small permanent crew will stay on to handle operations. Construction starts this fall, with completion targeted for mid-2028.
Built next to existing transmission
The site was picked for what's already in the ground nearby. Battle Butte is close to PSE's Beaver Creek wind facility, a 248 MW project the utility recently finished in the same county. That lets the solar farm tie into transmission infrastructure that already exists instead of waiting on new lines.
PSE says the finished project should produce enough power for about 20,000 homes a year. The utility has full control of the site.
What the county expects
Stillwater County officials are counting on construction jobs, new tax revenue, and spending at local businesses. PSE says project spending, impact fees, and property taxes will fund benefits and services in the surrounding area.
County Commissioner Roger Webb credited PSE with "working with our county and investing in Montana" through both the Beaver Creek and Battle Butte projects. PSE held a public open house in Rapelje in January to take questions from residents.
Craig Pospisil, PSE's chief development officer, called the project a key part of the utility's clean energy plan. He said it builds on the relationships PSE formed in the county during the Beaver Creek build.
Why a Washington utility is building in Montana
Washington's Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA), passed in 2019, requires utilities to move off fossil fuels. PSE dropped coal from its portfolio at the end of 2025. Since 2019 it has added 22 long-term clean energy resources totaling more than 4,000 MW.
Montana is a big part of that shift. Besides Beaver Creek, PSE buys hydropower from Energy Keepers, Inc., which is owned by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. It also buys wind power from NextEra's Clearwater Wind, the state's largest wind farm, and from Clearway Energy Group's Haymaker Wind Farm.
PSE serves about 1.2 million electric customers and 900,000 natural gas customers across 10 Washington counties.
What it means for contractors
A 250-worker, multi-year solar build in rural Montana means steady demand for electricians, equipment operators, civil and earthwork crews, and lodging and support services nearby. PSE's announcement did not name a general or EPC contractor or give a project cost. Subcontractors in Montana and neighboring states should watch for bid packages and hiring announcements as the work ramps up this fall.