City, county of Missoula, with Bozeman, adopt green power agreement

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) Calling it the start of a cleaner future, the city and county of Missoula on Monday night officially adopted an agreement with Northwestern Energy, setting the foundation for the state's first option to purchase green power from a new renewable energy source.

The agreement, now years in the making, will now go before the Montana Public Service Commission for approval. The partners, which include the city of Bozeman, would then begin recruiting subscribers on a voluntary basis.

With heavy smoke lingering in the air for yet another summer night, supporters urged expediency and questioned why it took so long to achieve the program's details. The effort began in 2019 but could now come to fruition within the next two years.

Bozeman approved the agreement last week. The city and county of Missoula followed with a unanimous vote on Monday.

“I'm very excited about where we are at this point, where we're collectively approving the Lead Agreement,” said Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis. “These three communities have been working diligently together for years to get to the end goal.”

The program would let Northwestern Energy customers in Missoula and Bozeman subscribe to a special utility rate that purchases electricity from a new renewable energy source. It aims to give utility customers a choice on whether to support renewable energy or one that's typically provided by the state's monopoly utility.

The program would establish a utility-scale renewable energy plant, though the location and type haven't been determined. The platform would initially be capped at 50 megawatts.

Shannon Anderson, the city's energy specialist, said the program is voluntary and won't impact the rates of those who choose not to participate.

“The Green Power Program is an opportunity for utility customers who subscribe to renewable energy through a special rate, or a tariff, on their electrical bill,” she said. “It's not a tax and it's not a new concept. Programs like this exist across the county.”

The Lead agreement outlines the roles and responsibilities of the program's three leading partners as they now prepare to bring the program to the PSC for approval.

Charles Lane, director of regulatory affairs for Northwestern, said the utility backed the effort, saying it's about giving customers options. Lane was present when the city and county adopted the tariff sheet two years ago.

“This program responds directly to customer interest in such a program,” said Lane. “It creates a voluntary program that is intended for interested customers to support their sustainability goals for renewable energy resources located here in Montana while letting communities pursue their environmental priorities. We believe it's a practical, customer-driven approach that reflects the evolving needs of our communities and our customers.”

In 2019, the city and county of Missoula both set a goal of achieving 100% clean electricity by 2030. While they've taken steps toward that aim, progress has been challenging given the lack of energy options needed to reach their goal.

Former City Council member Brian von Lossberg helped spearhead the effort at the start, along with Commission Dave Strohmeier.

“This brings on a new renewable resource. It's a market-driven program and a voluntary program, where people opt in,” said von Lossberg. “It's been a long, drawn-out process. It can try your patience. But at the end of the day, there's an aspect of these programs where the outcome I hope is more durable than going through the process. That's a demonstration of commitment.”

Despite that commitment and the program's ability to curb greenhouse gas emissions – and bring the city and county closer to their energy goals – some remained opposed to the program.

Failed two-time Missoula mayor candidate Brandi Atanisoff criticized the effort. She cited figures that haven't been presented by any official and failed to cite her source.

“Thank you for finding a way to tie the community's property taxes to yet another project that doesn't generate revenue,” she said. “Most likely this will become another deficit to the community along with all the other projects these leaders have embarked on.”

Still nearly all other comments offered throughout the process have supported the effort.

“This would enable clean energy in our communities and contribute significantly to achieve city and county goals for 100% clean electricity for the Missoula urban area,” said Judy Matson on behalf of her husband, Gary. “Renewable energy – wind and solar – is widely recognized as the least expensive electricity generation resource. The Green Power Program is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the feasibility of large-scale renewable energy generation in Montana.”