Missoula County, the City of Bozeman, and NorthWestern Energy are working to finalize agreements that would bring a voluntary clean-energy program to local residents and businesses, with the effort now requiring sign-off from the Montana Public Service Commission before it can take effect.
What the Program Does
The Green Power Program would let municipal governments, businesses, and industrial customers opt into non-carbon-based electricity directly through their utility bills. Participation is entirely voluntary, giving customers the choice to direct their payments toward cleaner energy sources without mandating any changes across the broader ratepayer base.
Svein Newman, Missoula County’s climate action program manager, described the arrangement as a straightforward mechanism for residents who want to act: “It’s an opportunity for people who want to support new clean energy to do so directly on their utility bill.”
NorthWestern Energy’s public relations specialist, Jo Dee Black, framed the initiative as coming from community interest rather than the utility itself. “This is a customer-driven program,” she said. “NorthWestern Energy is happy and excited to be partnering with these communities.”
Where NorthWestern Energy’s Power Comes From
NorthWestern Energy already draws 55.4 percent of its energy portfolio from carbon-free sources, with hydroelectric generation making up the bulk of that share. Montana’s river systems have long underpinned the utility’s relatively clean energy mix compared to coal-heavy regional peers — a factor that shapes the baseline against which any new green-power additions would be measured.
Hydropower has been a recurring topic across Montana’s energy landscape. PacifiCorp is currently seeking a buyer for the Bigfork Hydroelectric Dam and has warned of decommissioning if no purchaser emerges — a separate but related example of how the state’s water-based power infrastructure faces an uncertain future.
Where Things Stand
Negotiations between Missoula County and NorthWestern Energy are in the final stages, while Bozeman is also working toward a comparable agreement. The program has been in development for several years, reflecting the extended timeline that utility partnerships of this kind typically require given the regulatory and contracting complexity involved.
Before the program can launch, the Montana Public Service Commission must review and approve it. The PSC, which regulates investor-owned utilities in the state, would evaluate the program’s structure and its potential effects on NorthWestern’s broader ratepayer obligations.
Regulatory Hurdle Ahead
PSC approval is not a formality. The commission weighs rate fairness, cost allocation, and potential cross-subsidization concerns when reviewing voluntary programs of this type. Ratepayers who choose not to participate would need assurance that any cost premiums associated with procuring additional clean energy remain with program subscribers rather than spreading across the general customer base.
Montana’s energy policy landscape has grown more complex in recent years as municipalities push for cleaner procurement options while state regulators and the legislature have signaled differing priorities around utility oversight and energy mix mandates.
What’s Next
The immediate next step is completion of the formal agreements between the participating governments and NorthWestern Energy, followed by submission to the Public Service Commission. A timeline for PSC review has not been publicly specified. If approved, Missoula County and Bozeman would become among the first Montana municipalities to offer residents a formal opt-in pathway to utility-billed clean energy.
The partnership reflects a broader trend of local governments in Montana pursuing energy goals through negotiated utility arrangements rather than legislation — an approach that sidesteps the political friction of statewide energy mandates while still moving incrementally toward cleaner procurement targets. Whether the PSC views the program favorably could signal how receptive Montana’s regulatory environment will be to similar municipal efforts down the line.
