Northwestern Energy’s Montana Procurement Plan Includes Strategies For Wind Power

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NorthWestern Corp., doing business as NorthWestern Energy, has submitted its biennial electricity supply resource procurement plan to the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC).

The company has adjusted resource acquisition planning to reflect current and forecast conditions, including market forecasts, to ascertain options and actions available to NorthWestern and to retail customers.

NorthWestern is pursuing the rebuilding of a vertically integrated electric utility through asset development and/or purchase as authorized under the Electric Utility Industry Generation Reintegration Act.


Owned assets would provide generating resources that would allow customers, regulators and NorthWestern to exercise greater control over future long-term energy costs while ensuring reliable delivery at known rates, according to the company.

NorthWestern's three-year plan includes the following:

  • Identify, consider and procure – if available – electric generation assets that meet acceptable levels of portfolio energy, cost and risk;
  • Replace the existing electricity supply contracts set to expire in the 2012-2014 time frame with new, three- to five-year staged market-based supply contracts and/or utility-owned generation assets;
  • Improve the strategies and methods associated with integrating intermittent resources including wind power;
  • Meet renewable portfolio standards consistent with Montana statutes; and
  • Acquire cost-effective demand-side management.

Click here to view the 2011 Electricity Supply Resource Procurement Plan

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