PacifiCorp Receives Multiple Buyer Proposals for Bigfork Dam Ahead of Sale Deadline
The power company is pursuing a sale of the FERC-licensed hydroelectric facility, which includes 277 acres of land that would remain open to public access. A final decision isn't expected until early 2027.
By Maggie DresserAs PacifiCorp pursues the sale of the Bigfork Hydroelectric Project on the Swan River, officials confirmed that multiple buyer proposals were submitted by the Sept. 4 request-for-interest deadline, according to spokesperson Drew Marine.
Marine told the Beacon that officials will review the proposals before entering discussions with “one or multiple” parties. A final decision likely won’t come until early 2027.
PacifiCorp is not yet releasing details about the proposals, Marine said.
Marine clarified the deadline was part of the sales process and unrelated to any filing with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding decommissioning.
“Our hope remains to find a new owner that will take over the existing FERC license and continue to operate the project as it does today, including maintaining existing public recreation access and opportunities for the community,” Marine said.
Under the current license, recreation access would stay in place if the project sells to a new operator, according to PacifiCorp. That includes 277 acres of public land, such as the 2.5-mile Swan River Trail, Powerhouse, Pacific and Sliter parks, and the Kearney Rapids Boat Launch.
The license also requires PacifiCorp to releases water flows supporting whitewater boating on the Swan River’s Class IV “Wild Mile” section from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in July and August.
PacifiCorp began pursuing a sale of the dam, also known as the Bigfork Hydroelectric Project, earlier this year, citing tightening federal dam-safety standards and rising investment costs.
If a sale falls through, the project will undergo a years-long process of decommissioning process, though there would be no immediate changes to the dam operations or public access.
The hydroelectric project has been embedded in Bigfork’s identity since the townsite was platted in 1901. Construction began in 1902, and by 1910 crews had built a concrete diversion dam, flume and a brick powerhouse. The infrastructure remains largely intact since the 1930s.
Today, the facility features a 12-foot-high, 300-foot-long concrete diversion dam with a 235-foot spillway, generating 4.15 megawatts (MW) from its 1900s-era turbine and generator sets. As a run-of-river facility, it diverts water from the Swan River rather than impounding it into a reservoir, creating a one-mile-long bypassed reach.
According to a Bigfork Hydroelectric Project Disposition FAQ on PacifiCorp’s website, the company began exploring removal of the project from its generation portfolio as safety standards tightened and costs became prohibitive.
The request for interest, launched earlier this year, sought potential buyers for the FERC-licensed project and its 277 surrounding acres.
“PacifiCorp anticipates it will take some time to first explore selling the project,” Marine said in a June email to the Beacon. “If a sale is not attainable or appropriate for our customers, the company can then consider decommissioning the project.”
A decommissioning process would follow FERC criteria, including public input, and take at least five years to complete, Marine said
Disposition of the property would occur only after federal regulators approve a decommissioning plan, PacifiCorp completes site restoration, and FERC signs off on completed work.
