Montana's clean energy future should not be financed on the backs of ratepayers

Imagine that you were forced to sign a 25 year contract for gas for your car at three to four times the market price. That’s the exact situation NorthWestern Energy customers were facing without the Montana Public Service Commission’s recent action to reduce the contract length and rate available to small renewable projects known as Qualifying Facilities — QFs.

As usual with actions that put ratepayers first, those who would have us promote renewables at any cost are hopping mad.

The federal law that the Commission must follow, PURPA, clearly states that ratepayers shouldn’t pay...