Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee grills sponsor as Montana bill would limit PSC authority over large customers; HB 877 tabled
Summary
Sponsor John Fitzpatrick said HB 877 would protect economic development by preventing the Public Service Commission from blocking utilities from serving large industrial loads; opponents said the measure amounts to deregulation and risks shifting costs to residential customers. The committee tabled HB 877, 8–6.
John Fitzpatrick, sponsor and representative for House District 76, introduced House Bill 877 as the "Montana Data Center Development Act," saying the measure would stop the Public Service Commission from "playing king" and would prevent the PSC from prohibiting a regulated utility from serving new large customers so long as service would not harm existing customers. "This bill simply says no," Fitzpatrick said about PSC authority to bar utilities from taking on large loads.
Opponents warned of wide consequences if oversight is reduced. Brad Molnar, president of the Montana Public Service Commission, called the proposal a deregulation bill and said it "strips away PSC oversight," citing…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
