A citizen's guide to Montana energy law

2011·7.1 MB·English

KFM A citizen’s Guide to Montana Energy Law
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A Citizen's Guide to
Veantana Energy Law
An Overview of Laws Related to
Energy Generation, Transmission, and Consumption in Montana
2014
Montana Legislative Reference Center
Capitol Building Room 10
406-444-3598
[email protected]
Members and Staff
Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee
2013-2014
Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee Members
Before the close of each legislative session, the House and Senate leadership appoint lawmakers to interim
committees. The members of the ETIC, like most other interim committees, serve one 20-month term. Members who
are reelected to the Legislature, subject to overall term limits and if appointed, may serve again on an interim
committee.*
Senate Members House Members
Senator Cliff Larsen, Chair Representative Keith Regier, Vice Chair
8925 Lavalle Creek Rd. 1078 Stillwater Road
Missoula, MT 59808-9324 Kalispell, MT 59901
Ph: 728-1601 Ph: 756-6141
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Senator Ed Buttrey Representative Mike Lang
27 Granite Hill Lane P.O. Box 109
Great Falls, MT 59405 Malta, MT 59538
Ph: 750-6798 Ph: 654-7357
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Senator Robyn Driscoll Representative Mary McNally
404 Houle Drive P.O. Box 20584
Billings, MT 59102-4861 Billings, MT 59104
Ph: 534-4874 Ph: 671-1376
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Senator Alan Olson, Chair Representative Tom Steenberg
18 Halfbreed Creek Rd. 4802 Aspen Drive
Roundup, MT 59072-6524 Missoula, MT 59802
Ph: 323-3341 Ph: 721-5869
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
* This information is included in order to comply with 2-15-155, MCA.
Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee Staff
Todd Everts, Attorney; Sonja Nowakowski, Legislative Research Analyst; Dawn Field,
Secretary
Legislative Services Division
Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee
State Capitol
PO Box 201706
Helena, MT 59620-1706
[phone]
http://leg.mt.gov/etic
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Table of Contents
AcknowledomentsSamyete... 2... PP Ee
DISCIAIITICN® See Oe ee ern are |
FOrewOrd: Wit eis Ee a a Ae ill
MThOCUCLION Mir ee ee Aor oe Re oe kgs hela ries cna vee 1
Chapter 1: Montana's Electric Industry Restructuring and
Reintegration Laws ..................... 8
Chapter 2: Montana's Energy Policy................ 12
Chapter 3: Generating Electricity in Montana ........ 14
LANES Oe]A INE RR ce ALN OU A OR ee 14
FASE SISNET G6 ed oar ete lila i kc Ml. iva a pal 16
AXON Oe eee eee ee Pre ee ee et: 20
Imeentives a.’ COT Ry hits, PEE Cee eet ye 23
Chapter 4: Transmission and Distribution ........... 26
PaVvslCalepire (cra tumceint le Lathan s2 S, citece rte oa cae 26
REC AUOL eon teet ee iietne eiV erein os alls tean Maes) ital 29
TK ALONI MEi er nic) aeeceiice ogee ey ete els tg ares eed a cncvehy 35
WiGestURVG epee er ere Merten met ereceeO so ey en eee seis nto e 36
Ghanterss s USAGG wes. awit chests wie vse agua ee bes 38
FeLi weat remes creer Tele eg yds Ge Wat ooh eha e oh 38
PROGHIATION pale clits wets lanes Ge POP NRE! ea ep ap 40
INCERLVES. teed dd Sate pet teu dibvis tet eyeyt ugha 43
Chapter 6: Customer Protection and Assistance ..... 48
CONSUMCE COLINSC IO ect sesctets cere els arec ata ere ays coth 48
fow-income Assistarice™ 199 fen EPP ene 49
Appendices
Appendix A: Laws that Regulate, Tax, and Provide Incentives
BY FUE OOUIGGS etrhae ftaceres cans weal wins nese D2
Appendix B: State Energy Information Resources ...... 74
Glossary of Electricity Terms ...................... 76
Figures and Tables
Table 1: Electricity Players in Montana ................. 2
Table 2: Residential Average Monthly Bill .............. 39
Figure 1: Air Quality Permitting Process ................ 19
Figure 2clectrical Energy [axe 2 x2. i. os 205 = <i 21
Fiqureis:'vVholesale Energy ax 202.) i. 2at Ag. wae 22
Figure 4: Distribution Areas Served by Montana Electric
COODSIAUVES: Rel Se tae ee ee eS 5 a, aa al 28
Figure 5: Electricity Distribution Utilities Regulated by PSC . 29
Figure 6: Western Interconnection Transmission System .. 30
Figure 7: Typical Wattages for Various Household Appliances
DOAN Siac i tiie aR Me Od ie ee ew ee 38
Acknowledgments
An Electricity Law Handbook was first developed by the
legislative Environmental Quality Council in 2002 and has been
revised every 2 years. The Energy and Telecommunications
Interim Committee oversees regular updates to the document in
an effort to help Montana citizens better understand our
electricity laws and the most recent changes to those laws.
During the 2011-2012 interim, the ETIC oversaw a
reorganization of the Electricity Law Handbook and during the
2013-2014 interim, the committee updated and revised the
publication. The result is A Citizen's Guide to Montana Energy
Law. The information contained in this guide is much the same
as that contained in An Electricity Law Handbook. However, it
has been updated, reorganized, and redesigned. It is the result
of input and review from legislators, consumers, public interest
groups, industry representatives, state regulators, and
interested citizens.
Disclaimer
A Citizen's Guide to Montana Energy Law should not be used
as a legal reference. This guide was developed to serve solely
as an educational tool. When in doubt, always refer to the
applicable statutes, case law, or the agency's administrative
rules.
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Foreword
Electricity. Shockingly, we can't do without it. It has become a
necessity in our daily lives. We take it for granted until we
receive our monthly power bill. Most of us don't think about
where our electricity comes from or who delivers it to us unless
the power goes out. However, Montana's electricity laws,
especially those concerning deregulation and partial
reregulation of our energy supply and environmental
considerations regarding electricity generation, have evoked a
lot of public attention and scrutiny over the past decade.
The morass of laws governing electricity generation,
transmission, distribution, conservation, price, and consumption
is complicated, sometimes conflicting, very voluminous, full of
technical jargon, and downright tough to understand. We
continually receive countless inquiries from Montana
legislators, citizens, and businesses seeking understandable
and usable information on our electricity laws.
The purpose of this guide is to explain in a straightforward,
easy-to-understand manner how electricity law works in
Montana and, more important, how those laws impact
Montana's consumers. Our goal is to encourage thoughtful,
effective involvement in Montana's electricity law development
and implementation.
Energy and Telecommunications Interim Committee, 2014
Sonja Nowakowski and Todd Everts
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