Great Falls to leave co-op building plant
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA - The city of Great Falls is asking to leave a Billings-based electric cooperative that is building a natural gas-fired power plant north of Great Falls.
The Great Falls Tribune reports the city sent a letter to the Southern Montana Electric Generation & Transmission Cooperative requesting "to be relieved of any and all obligations that exist with Southern." Electric City Power, the city's utility arm, hopes to reach an agreement by March 18 and avoid litigation.
City attorney James Santoro says SME has closed portions of its board meetings and won't let the city see a contract that would help it set appropriate rates for its customers. ECP has lost money for years.
The largest member of the six-member co-op, Yellowstone Valley Electric, has filed a lawsuit to leave SME.
Related News
Why an energy crisis and $5 gas aren't spurring a green revolution
WASHINGTON - Big solar projects are facing major delays. Plans to adapt the grid to clean energy are confronting mountains of red tape. Affordable electric vehicles are in short supply.
The United States is struggling to squeeze opportunity out of an energy crisis that should have been a catalyst for cleaner, domestically produced power. After decades of putting the climate on the back burner, the country is finding itself unprepared to seize the moment and at risk of emerging from the crisis even more reliant on fossil fuels.
10 steps you can take to lower your carbon footprint
The problem is not…
