Missoula city and county leaders will vote Monday on a key agreement that could eventually give local households, businesses and governments a new way to support electricity from a newly built renewable energy project in Montana.
The Missoula City Council and Missoula County commissioners will hold a joint public hearing at 6 p.m. Monday, July 27, to consider the Lead Community Agreement for the proposed Green Power Program.
The program has been developed by the City of Missoula, Missoula County and the City of Bozeman with NorthWestern Energy. It is intended to help the communities advance their goals of reaching 100% clean electricity by 2030.
Monday’s vote would not approve or build a wind or solar project. Instead, it would establish how the participating communities and NorthWestern Energy would work together to bring the program before the Montana Public Service Commission.
What would the Green Power Program do?
The proposed program would allow participating NorthWestern Energy customers to subscribe to electricity associated with a new renewable energy resource built in Montana, such as a wind or solar project.
Unlike programs based primarily on renewable energy credits from existing resources, the Green Power Program is designed to help support development of new renewable generation.
Local governments and commercial and industrial customers could participate directly. Residential customers could also potentially participate through allocations made by participating local governments.
Enrollment would be voluntary.
What happens after Monday’s vote?
If Missoula and the other participating communities approve the agreement, they would work with NorthWestern Energy to submit the Green Power Program to the Montana Public Service Commission for review.
The PSC would need to approve the program before it could move forward.
Later steps could include soliciting proposals for a renewable energy project, selecting a project, establishing subscription pricing and securing commitments from customers.
Specific costs are not yet known. The proposed structure is intended to prevent customers who do not participate from paying the costs of the Green Power Program.
“This is an important step toward giving more communities, businesses and households the opportunity to choose clean energy,” Missoula County Climate Action Program Manager Svein Newman said. “The Green Power Program would be a direct way for customers to subscribe to a new renewable resource, built here in Montana.”
Mayor Andrea Davis called the agreement an important milestone after years of work among Missoula, Missoula County, Bozeman and NorthWestern Energy.
NorthWestern Energy Regulatory Affairs Director Charlie Lane said the proposal grew from requests by the communities and was developed with the goal of meeting those needs while protecting reliable and affordable service for other customers.
How to participate
The joint public hearing begins at 6 p.m. Monday, July 27, in Missoula City Council Chambers at 140 W. Pine St.
Residents can attend in person or participate virtually through Microsoft Teams. The agenda, meeting materials and online participation instructions will be posted through the City of Missoula’s agendas and webcasts page.
If approved locally, the agreement would move the Green Power Program one step closer to state regulatory review. A specific renewable energy project, final pricing and customer enrollment would all come later.
