The Montana Environmental Information Center is questioning a recent press release issued by the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) regarding refunds for NorthWestern Energy customers, saying the situation remains unclear despite public claims of finality.
Nick Fitzmaurice, energy transition engineer at the Montana Environmental Information Center, said his role involves working across several environmental issues to advance clean air, clean water and clean energy solutions for the state. Fitzmaurice said while NorthWestern filed for a rate increase in July 2024, the process at the PSC has unfolded over several months with crucial decisions still pending.
Fitzmaurice explained that NorthWestern implemented an interim rate increase in May 2025, which customers have been paying since.
“If the final decision by the PSC means that they’re able to charge less than what they charge in the interim, there is a refund to customers to make up the difference,” he said.
However, Fitzmaurice cautioned that the commission recently voted to delay issuing its official order for up to a month, leaving questions about how much customers will ultimately pay and the timing of any refunds.
“It seemed like they were talking through a lot of issues and then they made a vote that they were going to just extend their deadline for issuing a final order for a month,” he said. “So then it was like, ‘Okay, that’s that. We’ll see in a month what all this really shakes out to be,’ and then at the end of the day, this press release came out, which we were surprised to see it. It did feel like they jumped the gun.”
Fitzmaurice described the press release as misleading, given the lack of finalized details on the commission’s actions and their real effect on customer bills.
According to PSC’s statement, the commission disallowed part of NorthWestern’s request related to the $246 million Yellowstone County Generating Station, ultimately reducing the utility’s proposal by $43 million. Fitzmaurice said despite some cost reductions, most Montana ratepayers will see an overall increase in power bills from July 2024, largely due to the construction costs associated with the new gas-fired power plant in Laurel.
“Under the Montana Administrative Procedure Act (MAPA), the Public Service Commission has 90 days from the time a contested case is submitted to issue its final decision, with an option to extend that period by an additional 30 days for good cause. The Commission’s vote at Wednesday’s business meeting was to utilize that authorized 30-day extension,” said Alana Lake, the PSC executive director, in an email to NBC Montana. “The final order will still be issued within the timeframe permitted under MAPA. The complexity of the case, the Commission’s modifications to the staff recommendation, and the need for a thorough review of the final order before issuance made use of the extension appropriate and necessary.”
“There’s still uncertainty about which customer classes will bear those costs and how those charges will be allocated,” he said.
Fitzmaurice added that while PSC staff identified issues in NorthWestern’s proposal and the commission appears to have accepted those findings, critical details remain unsettled until the final written order is issued.
“The core message Montanans need to understand is that electricity rates are going up, and the final impact on bills will only become clear when the PSC completes its process and releases the final order next month,” Fitzmaurice said.
He encouraged state residents to keep an eye out for future announcements.
“It is your electricity bill and that’s something that’s real and impacts all folks,” Fitzmaurice said.
The Public Service Commission’s decision followed a 16-month review involving extensive public comment and scrutiny of NorthWestern Energy’s request. While commissioners highlighted $43 million in customer savings and increased safeguards for transparency, environmental advocates say consumers should wait for the official order before expecting refunds or lower bills.
