Utility companies in Montana must give state regulators a plan for how they’ll keep up with demands at the lowest cost for consumers. NorthWestern’s most recent plan, however, did not meet the Public Service Commission’s criteria.
This comes after the plan was lambasted by public comment for its focus on powering data centers, pivoting away from renewables and sticking consumers with bigger bills.
NorthWestern says the plan would meet Montana’s needs “reliably, safely and affordably.”
According to the PSC, the plan lacked information in five areas. Deficiencies included a lack of math or testing for different possibilities. The commission also thought NorthWestern didn’t include enough information about programs that pay customers to cut back on energy use.
The utility company has 30 days with an optional extension to return an edited plan.
