NorthWestern Energy Wants to Raise Your Rates by More than 25% – and you might not have a say

Jim Brown is leading efforts to keep the “public” out of the Public Service Commission

Helena, MT – NorthWestern Energy– the single largest energy provider in Montana– recently announced that they plan to hike rates by more than 25% this year, and because of shenanigans by leadership at the Public Service Commission (PSC), Montana consumers may have a particularly difficult time pushing back on monopoly behavior by utility companies. Jim Brown, president of the PSC has spent the greater part of a year trying to limit citizen engagement, or as he calls it, “tightening up participation.” 

“Who wins when the public is purposefully left out of the Public Service Commission decision making? It is the very utility companies that are planning on massive rate hikes,” says Sheila Hogan, executive director of the Montana Democratic Party.  “The decisions made by the PSC affect all of us– a 25% rate increase is going to be a huge burden on Montana families. Jim Brown and his PSC are trying to make decisions behind closed doors, favoring multimillion dollar utility companies over Montana consumers.” 

Montana citizens have the constitutionally-enshrined right to know what is going on in their government. That includes public participation in cases that determine how much Montana consumers pay for their energy. Jim Brown, a lawyer, would be well aware of this fact. 

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