The importance of coal to the nation’s energy portfolio was emphasized late last week as Montana Senator Steve Daines gave a tour of the Rosebud Mine and the Colstrip power plants to U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette.
The Majority Leader of the Montana House of Representatives is working to help a bill pass the legislature that he says will provide a stable source of energy for Montana into the future.
Environment Montana, based in Missoula, released a report on Wednesday claiming that Montana is lagging behind adjacent western states when it comes to solar and wind energy production.
Montana Senator Steve Daines will be hosting his second Montana Energy Summit in Billings, set for May 30 and 31, where attendees will discuss Montanan’s energy infrastructure and the good paying jobs that the industry creates.
Puget Sound Energy, part owner of Colstrip Units 1 and 2, entered into a legal settlement last year to shut down the coal-fired generating plants in July 2022.
Colstrip was the focus of discussions yesterday by officials from the Department of Energy, Governor Steve Bullock and Colstrip leaders discussed a suggested $1 billion fix to keep the coal-fired plants open.
Today, August 31st, representatives from the U.S. Department of Energy were in Colstrip, Montana along with Governor Steve Bullock and the owners of the Colstrip Power Plants to discuss possible new technology that could keep the plants running.