by John Grant, Hamilton
How many more times will Montana residential and commercial customers get hosed down over the lack of regulatory oversight by the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) that allows NorthWestern Energy to run amok with its latest schemes and questionable business acumen?
NorthWestern announced its intent to supply an AI server center to be developed by Quantica Infrastructure, out of Texas, a developer of AI “server centers,” with electricity in an amount of power that exceeds 100% of its present generating capacity and a good bit of its “purchased power” sources. Gee, that’s a big bet on the future.
So, who will be paying to increase NorthWestern’s generating capacity? Existing residential and commercial customers? Sounds like it. What will be the method of generating this added capacity? Green energy? Not likely in the Trumpian era of “drill baby drill.”
Ahh, let’s connect the dots here. NorthWestern is constantly seeking greater profitability of its coal mine investments. With some “expedited permitting,” perhaps the Montana PSC will give NorthWestern a green light for coal generated megawatts to serve this new facility, consistent with the PSC’s long standing commitment to fossil fuels as the engine of economic growth in Montana. That is not intended to be funny. And it isn’t.
How much longer can we sit still for being hosed down in the name of a few construction phase jobs that will generate enormous profits for companies who do not care a whit for Montana’s environmental future or Montanans?
Tell NorthWestern, the PSC AND the Texas based Quantica Infrastructure to build the damn thing in Texas where “Dinosaur Wine” is plentiful and profits reign supreme.
We have too much to lose to subsidize anything with as murky a future as AI just to make a few oligarchs even richer.
Consider too, the best recent news in Montana’s favor is that the production company of the soap opera “Yellowstone “ moved its entire production capacity to Texas, thus ending the false promise of durable “economic opportunity” for Montanans. Thank goodness. Let’s keep Quantica Infrastructure out of here and demand NorthWestern serve us with reliable power rather than chase the next short term “sure thing.”