Montana committee hears wide debate on bill to limit PSC authority over large electric customers

Representative John Fitzpatrick opened the House Energy, Technology and Federal Relations Committee hearing on HB 877 by saying the bill “simply says no” to the Public Service Commission (PSC) having authority to prevent a regulated utility from serving a new large customer.

The bill, presented as the Montana Data Center and Industrial Development Act, would clarify that the PSC cannot prohibit a public utility from providing service to large customers and would reaffirm the PSC’s role in setting rates and tariffs for those customers. The sponsor said the measure is meant to promote economic development while leaving rate-setting authority with the PSC.

Why it matters: committee members heard that the proposal affects who can take large industrial loads and how the costs of integrating those loads would be allocated. Supporters said the measure would let…