FORT PECK, Mont. — A fire was reported at the Fort Peck Dam powerhouses after witnesses reportedly heard a loud explosion at approximately 10 p.m., followed by reports of a fire near the facility. The situation prompted an emergency response and resulted in a notable power outage affecting thousands of neighbors in the surrounding area.
The Valley County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that there had been “a handful of kind of explosion” at one of the powerhouses. Even so, officials had not determined what caused the indicated explosion or fire, and details about the full extent of the event remained limited at the time of the initial reports.
The outage affected the Glasgow area and other surrounding communities, raising concerns about the potential impact on the region’s electricity supply. Power was later restored to the Glasgow area early Friday morning, although authorities had not immediately provided detailed information about the condition of the affected powerhouse.
Fort Peck Dam is a major piece of energy infrastructure in the region. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the facility has two hydroelectric powerhouses containing five Francis-type turbines and generators. Together, the powerhouses have a generating capacity of approximately 185 megawatts and produce an average of about 1.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year.
Emergency personnel and authorities were expected to assess the scene as efforts continued to determine what happened at the powerhouse. At the time of the initial reports, officials had not released validated information about injuries or casualties, and the extent of any structural or equipment damage had not been established.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Western Area Power Administration had not right away released detailed information about the reported fire. NorthWestern Energy was also being contacted for additional information regarding the widespread power outage and restoration efforts.
Authorities are expected to release additional information as the inquiry continues and crews determine the condition of the Fort Peck powerhouses. Residents in the surrounding area are encouraged to rely on official announcements for updates and to follow any safety instructions issued by emergency officials.