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Montana politics, elections and legislative news

The PSC has a big impact on your pocketbook. Three seats are up for election this year

In the coming days, Montanans will elect a new majority to the Public Service Commission. Those three new commissioners will regulate utility companies that provide homes with electricity, gas, and trash services.

And this year’s PSC elections are unique — this is the only time the current district map will be used, since a judge earlier this year found it to be unfairly drawn. Montana Public Radio’s Elinor Smith sat down with reporter Ellis Juhlin to discuss.

Elinor: So Ellis, you cover the Public Service Commission quite a bit here at MTPR. For listeners who may not know, can you explain what the group does?

Ellis: That’s a great question Elinor. If listeners want to know more about the specific candidates you can check out our election guide where we have questionnaires filled out by most candidates.

So the short answer is that the PSC is powerful. It’s responsible for keeping monopoly utility companies in check.

Basically, unless you live off the grid or in an area with a small rural co-op, the PSC regulates some or many of the utilities you rely on! And their decisions directly affect peoples' pocketbooks. When monopoly utilities want to charge customers more, the PSC staff analyzes those requests and commissioners ultimately vote on whether or not to approve it.

Elinor: Okay, so most Montanans are impacted one way or another by the work the PSC does. Let's talk about what makes this race unique. The state is divided into five districts and each district elects a representative to the Public Service Commission. That map of five districts was redrawn last legislative session. Ellis, I know you’ve been covering some litigation surrounding those new districts, can you explain what’s going on?

Ellis: Last session, a new PSC district map was passed. Most Republicans voted for it while all Democrats voted against it.

Not long after it was signed into law, an environmental advocacy group along with individual voters, and a former Secretary of State, challenged the new districts. They said the districts were drawn unfairly, in a way that favors Republicans, by splitting major cities between districts.

And the judge agreed with them, for the most part. But redistricting is not a quick, or easy process, and since there wasn't really time to redraw the maps before this election, those gerrymandered maps are still in place, but they’ll change before the next PSC elections, in 2026.

Elinor: So voters are picking candidates to represent them in districts that a judge found to be unconstitutional?

Ellis: Yes

Elinor: Okay. Let’s get back to how the Public Service Commission impacts Montanans’ day-to-day lives. What are some of the recent decisions they’ve made?

Ellis: The Commission has received some public criticism for allowing rate increases recently. Last year, commissioners approved a 28% rate increase for NorthWestern customers, and a 9% rate increase for Montana-Dakota Utilities customers in 2023.

And the Commission faces similar scrutiny since this year. They’re reviewing proposals from both utilities to potentially raise rates again.

Now, it’s worth mentioning that rate cases take a long time to play out, so even though the companies have submitted their requests, the PSC will be deliberating, hearing testimony and analyzing data well into the new year and next spring.

With a majority of the seats up for election, these new commissioners will play an important role in those decisions.

Elinor: So we have these proposed utility rate increases, what else will the newly elected officials have on their plates?

Ellis: The PSC, like many state agencies, is also navigating conversations around climate change. Earlier this year a coalition of businesses, nonprofits and individuals petitioned the commission for a rulemaking change regarding how the PSC considers climate change.

That’s basically bureaucrat-speak for requiring the PSC to look at how a utility’s decisions affect climate change.

That could include a lot of things for example, where a utility’s power comes from. With the change the PSC could look at how the utility’s energy generation may increase planet warming emissions if it’s from burning fossil fuels, or be more environmentally friendly like using wind or solar power. Those petitioners argue that the PSC is partially responsible for upholding Montana’s constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment, and it must do that by considering climate impacts.

Others have argued that only the Legislature has the authority to make that kind of change.

It’s unclear if, or when, the PSC will make a decision on this.

Elinor: Well I’m sure you’ll keep following that, and all the other things the Commission’s reviewing following the election. Thanks!

Ellis: Of course!

Ellis Juhlin is MTPR's Environmental Reporter. She covers wildlife, natural resources, climate change and agriculture stories. She worked at Utah Public Radio and Yellowstone Public Radio prior to joining MTPR, and in wildlife conservation before becoming a journalist. She has a Master's Degree in Ecology from Utah State University and is an average birder who wants you to keep your cat indoors. Her life is run by her three dogs, one of which is afraid of birds.

ellis.juhlin@mso.umt.edu
406-272-2568
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Elinor is a reporter and the host of evening news on Montana Public Radio.
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