Puget Sound Energy

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In Legislature’s aftermath, few answers for Colstrip

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When Montana’s 2017 Legislature adjourned on April 28, Sen. Duane Ankney, R-Colstrip, found himself in much the same position as when the session began. At the session’s beginning, he helped draw up several bills that would help his community, which is facing the impending closure of two out of four units at its massive coal-fired electrical plant. By the time lawmakers left the Capitol, many of the bills—aimed at easing impacts on jobs, tax revenues and real estate—were dead. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Montana, News, Colstrip, Duane Ankney, Montana Environmental Information Center, Montana Legislature, Puget Sound Energy, Talen Energy

Opinion: Colstrip bill could derail clean energy future

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Colstrip

Colstrip’s old coal-fired power units are losing money and that means their days are numbered. Units 1 and 2 are closing by 2022 at the latest and maybe sooner.  We need to make sure Colstrip’s operators fulfill their responsibilities in helping the state deal with the economic loss to workers, the community and the environment.  But, we have another problem. Legislation has been proposed that doesn’t just hold Colstrip’s operators accountable—it punishes them.  And, as good as retribution may feel, the problem is that it will also scare away developers and companies whose investments we want and need. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Opinion, Colstrip, Duane Ankeny, Puget Sound Energy, Talen Energy

Opinion: Economics, not politics, changing coal industry

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Plant

A recent spate of political ads on TV show the Montana Republican party blaming potential job losses at Colstrip and a downturn in coal production in Montana on Gov. Steve Bullock and the Democratic Party in general. Since we have spent an inordinate amount of time looking at coal issues over the past decade and more, we feel some responsibility to try to respond to this issue so that others will not be misled by blatant coal industry propaganda. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Colstrip, NorthWestern Energy, Puget Sound Energy, Republican Party, Steve Bullock, Talen Energy

Guest edit: Analyst says Colstrip plants are terminally ill

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In the weeks that have passed since we published “A Bleak Future for Colstrip Units 1 and 2,” the outlook for the these two coal-fired electric generators in Eastern Montana has only gotten worse. Our report assumed, based on market expectations, that natural gas prices and energy prices would remain low for the next 10 years. That’s still the case, but forward-looking market indicators today are for natural gas and energy market prices to drop even further than we assumed in June. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Montana, Colstrip 1 and 2, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, Puget Sound Energy, Talen Montana