Public Service Commission seeks about $1M increase, 2.5 staff and $200,000 one‑time contract in HB2 request

The Montana Public Service Commission told the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday that it is seeking roughly $1,000,000 more in its House Bill 2 budget for the 2027 biennium, including funding for 2.5 new positions and a $200,000 one‑time contract to support review and implementation work on integrated resource plans, Legislative Fiscal Division and commission officials said.

“The house bill 2 budget that is being requested by the public service commission for this upcoming 20 27 biennium is about $1,000,000 higher than it is for the current biennium,” said Mr. Walker, Legislative Fiscal Division analyst, summarizing the LFD’s budget analysis. He said about half of the requested increase is attributable to statewide present‑law adjustments for personal services and fixed costs.

The LFD analysis breaks out the agency’s request as including approximately $316,000 to fund 2.5 budgeted positions (one accounting technician 2 and 1.5 administrative assistant FTE) and a $200,000 one‑time request for a technical contract to review integrated resource plans (IRPs) that investor‑owned utilities submit every three years. “There is a request…