NorthWestern Energy submits an Integrated Resource Plan to the Public Service Commission every three years.
Nick Fitzmaurice, an energy transition engineer at the Montana Environmental Information Center, is also part of the stakeholder group for the 2026 resource plan. He said the 332-page draft makes it clear NorthWestern Energy won't rely on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power.
"A lot of the reasons lie in how the modeling is structured, and not necessarily because those resources can't be cost-effective parts of their energy system to meet reliability requirements," he said. "And really, I think that those resources are really cost-effective and available."
NorthWestern Energy has said the resource plan is a long-term study, and not a final plan for decisions or construction. The utility will hold four public meetings on the draft plan starting next Tuesday in Great Falls, followed by Missoula, Helena and Bozeman in the following weeks. Ahead of the community meetings, the Montana Environmental Information Center is hosting a webinar about the plan at 4:30 p.m. today.
Fitzmaurice said the webinar will dive into the document and give it some context."
We want folks to have an idea of what's going on in the IRP, why the results might not be the whole picture, and give folks a better idea of if they want to show up and give public comment for NorthWestern's meetings," he said.
Details on the webinar and how to join it are on the organization's website at meic.org. If you can't attend one of NorthWestern Energy's public meetings, you can submit comments online.