The commission that regulates utilities in Montana has a new executive director. The Public Service Commission selected David Sanders for the role.
The commission is made up of five elected commissioners. The executive director position was created after a 2021 legislative audit found the commission was falling short in administrative matters.
Former legislator Brad Tschida was the previous holder of the position. He stepped down in September.
Announcing the new hire, the commission said Sanders held previous positions in the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. House of Representatives.
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A district court has blocked the governor from intervening in an escalating dispute among state Public Service Commission (PSC) members over claims of sexual harassment. The PSC is the oversight board charged with regulating Montana’s utilities -
State utility regulators have rejected part of a petition to consider climate change in their decision-making; State regulators deny petition to for higher selenium standard in Lake Koocanusa; A Missoula homeless shelter closed last week as pandemic funding ends. -
Montana’s largest electric utility has temporarily pulled back on increasing customer bills. NorthWestern Energy raised customer rates by 17% in May but has now agreed to apply a smaller increase for at least the next few billing cycles. -
Senate Bill 188 would have established a voluntary, subscription-style option for businesses or individual homeowners to purchase shares of a solar array. They could then be credited on their monthly bill for the electricity generated by the solar panels. -
Montanans could see their power bills spike this year, but by how much is still up for debate. Utility regulators Tuesday heard public comment on NorthWestern Energy's latest request to hike electricity rates. The hearings are scheduled to run through June 20. -
The state's largest utility company is now charging customers 17 percent more for electricity. It made that price bump without the approval of state regulators. Montana Free Press' Amanda Eggert sat down with MTPR's Ellis Juhlin to talk about her reporting on the change.
