MISSOULA — When a severe storm swept through Missoula on July 24, 2024, it tested the limits of power management for Northwestern Energy.
Watch to learn more about NorthWestern Energy's response to the windstorm:
Strong winds, some of the highest ever recorded in the area, caused extensive damage to power infrastructure, leaving 44,000 residents without electricity within just 11 minutes.
Daniel Laasch, the operations manager for NorthWestern Energy in Missoula, had only been on the job for a month when the storm struck. He was in Florence when the power went out.
"The winds were pretty severe," he recalled. "I jumped in my truck to come to the office to see what was going on. When I pulled into Missoula, I just couldn't believe what I was seeing."
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Upon reaching the office, Laasch texted his wife, describing the situation as "the worst nightmare imaginable for an operations manager."
With no communications, internet, or power, NorthWestern Energy mobilized teams to address the chaos, dispatching crews to untangle downed lines and prepare for replacements.
NorthWestern Energy Community Relations Manager Todd Rahr noted that the rapid response was crucial.
"In 20 to 30 minutes, we had six crews at the door of the office, ready to get things cleaned up as quickly as possible," he said.
By 5 a.m., half of those affected had their power restored.
WATCH related coverage: NorthWestern Energy official discusses recent Missoula storm, cleanup efforts
Linemen from across the state joined the effort to tackle the aftermath of the storm. Rahr reported that around 250 personnel were deployed to respond to the extensive damage, including 115 broken power poles and thousands of feet of damaged powerlines.
The total cost of the recovery effort was estimated to exceed $4 million.
"The incident command system we put together worked effectively," Rahr added. "We practice for situations like this, so when it came through, we were ready for it."
Laasch expressed a sense of pride in how the team responded to the disaster.
"As an operations manager, you never want to experience something like this," he said. "But in a way, you do want to test your team. Looking back, it's a very proud moment to see how everyone came together."
However, Rahr cautioned that such events are rare.
"This was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and hopefully, we don’t see anything like this anytime soon," he said.
