northwestern energy

On a 5-0 vote, the all-Republican commission approved a settlement this fall that translates into a 24% electricity rate hike for residential customers and 25% jump for small businesses compared to rates in August 2022.

Mike Garrity writes, "As the technology for wind and solar energy has improved and prices have dropped for solar panels, the cost for renewable sources of electricity that have come online in the last decade are far cheaper, cleaner, and more efficient than NWE's carbon-based electricity generation such as Colstrip or its methane plants."

The Public Service Commission needs to reconsider its recent rate hike for NorthWestern Energy because its order invents a “magical” new standard to evaluate costs and sends shareholders $3.4 million that belongs to Montanas.

Monica Tranel writes, "As the first snow is falling, and freezing temperatures hit, we are getting pummeled with another huge energy rate increase, thanks to the five Republicans on the Montana Public Service Commission."

This agreement will mean a 28% increase in residential energy rates since August 2022.

Invoking a recent Montana climate court case, many western Montana residents are calling for NorthWestern Energy to redo its energy management proposal for the next 20 years.

Montana regulators are taking public input on a new plan from NorthWestern Energy, laying out how the utility plans to meet the state’s energy needs over the next 20 years.

While households work to cover a 19% rate increase from NorthWestern Energy, the City of Missoula also is facing rising electrical costs, and a portion of that will be passed on to residents within the city's 52 street lighting districts.

John Hines writes, "Energy companies across the West face risks to energy supply during the next decade. Energy resource concerns aren’t unique to NorthWestern Energy’s Montana customers, but rolling blackouts in the middle of extreme winter cold could be."

The state’s largest utility provider and the owner of the Laurel Generation Station announced it was appealing the decision to the Montana Supreme Court, asking the high court to stay the order.