Montana PSC Greenlights NorthWestern's Electric Rate Hike

Montana regulators have approved a rate increase of up to 28% for residential and small business customers of NorthWestern Energy, the state's largest monopoly utility. The increase, which has been incrementally rising since August 2022, is attributed to infrastructure investments and taxes. The approval has sparked criticism from customers who argue that residential and small business customers are facing higher rate hikes compared to large businesses. The rate increase does not include the cost of NorthWestern's newly constructed gas-fired power plant, which will be billed separately next year. Other Montana utilities, such as Montana Dakota Utilities, have also recently increased rates.