Electric Cities Need Rural Input!

Several Montana cities are attempting to buy the state’s largest utility, NorthWestern Energy. I am concerned that consumers in rural areas should be paying more attention to this. Missoula, Helena, Butte, Great Falls, and Bozeman are proposing a $2 billion leveraged buy out of NorthWestern. Because they would form a private nonprofit entity to manage the utility, the Public Service Commission would practically have limited authority to oversee the rates and operating decisions they make.

I am concerned that the interests of rural Montana could be overlooked. The Missoulian in a recent editorial referred to this as a “faith based” approach to corporate governance rooted in the belief that local governments will always serve the public interest. Rural Montana may not be as sure of that as the cities are.We are all going to pay for this experiment through the rates we pay for power. I think that we should have an opportunity to vote on something this momentous. I urge the cities to submit this issue to an advisory vote in the counties served by North Western.

Sen. Dave Lewis
State Senate District 42