NorthWestern Energy is updating its long-term energy resource supply plan as required by regulation every two years. The plan will be submitted to the Montana Public Service Commission in December, 2018. The utility expects to use natural gas-fired generators to make up for the current and forecast deficit in its ability to generate electricity for Montana customers over the next 20 years.

Little reliance is placed upon Montana’s abundant renewable resources wind and solar. Geothermal potential is similarly ignored in the utility’s planning. NorthWestern does not consider a primary reliance upon wind and solar to be appropriate because high electricity demand occurs when the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing. The utility does not acknowledge the feasibility of negating these deficiencies by utilizing increasingly available equipment and facilities for large capacity electrical storage.

We believe that Northwestern should establish time-specific goals to phase out fossil fuel generation and replace it with renewable resources. The utility already enjoys a large, renewable hydropower resource from its dams. It will be reasonable to add other renewable generation adequate to supply all electrical demand at some point in the future.

The utility must make a strong commitment to maximize its renewable electrical generation, establish an aggressive research and development program, and set specific goals enabling minimal reliance upon fossil fuels in the future.

Send your comment by mail or email to:
Todd Johnson
NorthWestern Energy
11 E Park Street
Butte, MT 59701
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Check here for some talking points, Gary Matson letter to Northwestern:

NorthWestern Energy
11 E Park Street
Butte, MT 59701

April 19, 2018

Re: Gary Matson comment for the record of the public meeting held at NorthWestern offices and regarding the 2018 Electric Supply Resource Procurement Plan.

Recommendation: I urge Northwestern to establish specific goals for incorporating renewable energy in its energy supply. For example, 70% renewable by the year 2030; 90% by 2040. This type of commitment is currently feasible within the present context of renewable energy technologies but will require a new and aggressive approach by the utility aimed at maximizing the renewable component.
Rationale:
• At the public meeting April 18th at Northwestern offices, the utility’s presenters made abundantly clear the intricacies of dealing with the minute-by-minute changes in electrical demand that vary greatly with the season.
• The disadvantage of two “primary” renewables, solar and wind, centers upon the lack of storage. With adequate storage these renewables can become reliable electrical generators around the clock and around the calendar.
• The scale of renewable installations can be equivalent to those of the gas-fired generators Northwestern currently envisions as important components of its future energy supply.
• The feasibility of a major shift to renewables will require a strong commitment by NorthWestern to research and development. These capabilities are, I expect, within reach by the utility’s staff, supplemented by appropriate expert consultation from other existing sources. NorthWestern has the human and financial resources to make this commitment.
• The costs of building and operating solar and wind generators can be less than the costs of building and operating fossil fuel generators.
Why shift from fossil fuel electrical resources to renewables?
• Energy supply utilities, their regulators, and government at all levels have a profound responsibility to give appropriate attention to science and avoid leaving a legacy of a degraded planet to future generations. All sectors of energy supply and regulation must act together in making the shift to renewables and at the same time preserving the financial and operational health of energy suppliers.
• Valuable natural gas resources should be conserved for the smaller scale residential, commercial, and industrial uses instead of large scale expenditures for electric generation.
• The current rate of greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel electrical generators is not sustainable. Atmospheric warming caused by CO2 and methane is changing climate towards an undefined tipping point beyond which life on earth will be profoundly and negatively affected.
• There is an overwhelming scientific consensus that human activities are causing unacceptable degrees of climate change. Quoting from the recently published Fourth National Climate Assessment1, authored by scientists within multiple agencies of our federal government:
“This assessment concludes, based on extensive evidence, that it is extremely likely that human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases, are the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century.”
“The last few years have also seen record-breaking, climate-related weather extremes…”
“These trends are expected to continue over climate timescales.”
A recommendation for Colstrip:
• Northwestern should accelerate depreciation of the Colstrip generators to match those of other utilities, with a closure date of 2027.
• Northwestern should apply $14 million it collected from customers, now greater than the utility’s anticipated tax liability because of federal tax cut legislation, to a Colstrip community transition fund for environmental cleanup and the mitigation of other impacts upon Colstrip residents.

Gary Matson
PO Box 308
Milltown MT 59851
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1. USGCRP, 2017: Climate Science Special Report: Fourth National Climate Assessment, Volume I [Wuebbles, D.J., D.W. Fahey, K.A. Hibbard, D.J. Dokken, B.C. Stewart, and T.K. Maycock (eds.)]. U.S. Global Change Research Program, Washington, DC, USA, 470 pp, doi: 10.7930/J0J964J6.