Latest Information on Fire at Fort Peck Powerhouse
A fire late Thursday night at the Fort Peck Powerhouses knocked power out for thousands of Montana residents on the hi-line. Witnesses told Kltz/Mix-93 they heard a loud explosion around 10pm Thursday evening and then a fire was visible next to the Fort Peck Powerhouses.
Power was restored to the Glasgow area early Friday morning.
Statement from Army Corps of Engineers:
Generating units at the Fort Peck Powerhouse have returned to service following an incident and localized fire late Thursday evening.
At approximately 10:30 p.m. MDT, an incident involving a large grass fire occurred outside the powerhouse facility. All on-duty personnel were safely evacuated and accounted for, with zero injuries reported.
Emergency containment operations were initiated immediately. Numerous local mutual-aid fire and emergency response agencies responded to the scene, working in coordination with project personnel to suppress and fully contain the fire.
Western Area Power Administration line crews also responded to the incident, helping secure the area and safeguard the public and electrical equipment.
As a safety and grid-protection measure, all three currently operating hydroelectric generating units were temporarily taken offline for about four hours during the incident. Following initial safety inspections and grid stability verifications, all three units have been restored to operational status and are actively generating power.
The incident, which occurred outside the powerhouse, is under investigation, and there have been no immediate impacts on internal operations. A comprehensive technical and structural damage assessment is underway to determine necessary repairs and ensure long-term operational integrity.
Due to the ongoing investigation, all powerhouse tours have been cancelled, and recreational visitors are asked to avoid the powerhouse facilities throughout the Labor Day holiday weekend. The Fort Peck Interpretive Center will remain open for visitors throughout the holiday weekend, Friday-Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
No injuries were reported.
