ACTION ALERT: Advocate for Clean energy at the Consumer Counsel Meeting
Tell the MT Consumer Counsel to protect consumers from NWE and expensive fossil fuels in person (Helena) or via zoom (pre-reg required)
MONDAY OCTOBER 7 AT 1PM
Reach out (email: winonarachel@livableclimate.org) if you plan to attend in person as we may have some carpooling opportunities!
The Consumer Counsel just announced its next meeting for Monday October 7 at 1 pm. You can request remote participation here or you can attend in person at the State Capitol, Room 152.
BACKGROUND:
This is an opportunity to tell the Consumer Counsel to protect consumers from NWE and expensive fossil fuels. There will be two opportunities for public comment. The first will be in second substantive item on the agenda. The last will be at the end of the meeting under the general public comment agenda item.
We've included some talking points below from our good friends at MEIC if you are willing to submit public comment.
Talking points:
NorthWestern's last rate case allowed a 28% increase in residential electric rates. It is now asking for a 26% increase in base rates. Montanans' income hasn't increased that dramatically yet housing prices, cost of living and now unaffordable electric rates are stifling consumers and driving out businesses (eg, Pyramid lumber and REC Silicon). NorthWestern is only interested in making more money. It is the Consumer Counsel's job to protect us from this monopoly utility, not settle for dramatic rate increases that drive away business and cripple Montana families.
Discuss how do rising energy prices impact you, your family, your friends and/or low-income Montanans.
NorthWestern has done nothing to prevent rising costs and in fact has no intention of doing so. The only time consumer's see decreases in bills are due to market forces, yet NorthWestern is trying to avoid the use of energy markets and instead is planning for a gross oversupply of fossil fuel resources – something that will continue to increase rates. NorthWestern's resource plans (IRPs) have been extremely deficient, ignoring the realities of the changing energy market, and emphasizing increased reliance on expensive and dangerous fossil fuel resources.
NorthWestern's upcoming plan will be even more flawed because NorthWestern kicked off all unbiased interests and interests concerned about rising costs, low-income, and changing energy markets. This utility's next plan is certain to be even worse than the first. We need the Consumer Counsel to step up and protect us from this out-of-control utility.
NorthWestern's only answer to rising energy costs is acquiring more of the antiquated Colstrip plant. It has not disclosed how rising costs at the plant may impact rates. Fuel costs are rising and will under a new coal contract that must be reached next year. Compliance with long overdue public health protections like MATS are not mentioned by NorthWestern yet it is trying to hide the fact that it intends to force consumers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars for upgrades that should have been done decades ago like was done by other utilities with coal plants - when these pollution controls cost less. Now NorthWestern is trying to hide the ball and put consumers on the hook for its poor planning and mismanagement of the Colstrip plant.
The Laurel Gas plant is a gold-plated boondoggle for its shareholders and the Consumer Counsel should be objecting to forcing consumers to pay when there were better, cleaner and cheaper options available.