MEIC is incredibly disappointed by NorthWestern Energy’s lack of foresight to incorporate more renewable energy into its portfolio. We are extremely concerned about NorthWestern’s investment in a new gas plant in Laurel, Montana, after a legislative session in which NorthWestern lobbied for many bills that would increase its profits at customers’ expense. If NorthWestern is confident that gas is the only option for its energy needs, then it needs to be transparent and provide data about the energy projects that were rejected, including the costs, the ability to provide power on demand, and the carbon footprint of each option. If NorthWestern Energy hides this information, we should all be wary about whether this is an investment in the future, or if it’s an investment in last century’s technology in order to make company shareholders more money at the ratepayers’ expense.
