energy

After years of work, the city and county of Missoula may be closing in on a program that would let customers of NorthWestern Energy purchase power from new sources of renewable energy.

The federal government awarded a coalition that includes nuclear industry stakeholders in Idaho and Wyoming around $31 million to facilitate the growth of nuclear energy.

On Monday, the national average for a gallon of gasoline rose to $4 while the average in Montana increased to $4.11. A week ago, the Montana average had fallen to $3.91.

NorthWestern, PSC argue other commissioners can continue executing duties

Gunnison River hydropower under stress as data center development creates increasing demand for electricity generation.

The pause, which will last up to a year, is the nation’s first statewide ban on data centers, which have drawn increasing concern from lawmakers and citizens based on their impact on electricity prices and the energy grid.

Consumers are unlikely to see any relief in gas and electric bills as utilities proposed more than $18 billion in rate hikes across the country over the first half of the year.

Across Montana, concerns about data centers are spurring questions about what kind of oversight citizens and local governments have over large-scale projects.

The vote on the moratorium, which is now in effect immediately, comes shortly after the community rallied against a proposed AI data center in Bonner, which ultimately failed to get off the ground.

The property owner behind a proposed data center in Bonner has withdrawn his signature from a special exception application, though Missoula County will move forward with an interim ban on new facilities until it can develop a policy guiding future endeavors.