Montana regulators may undo power deregulation

The Montana Public Service Commission told its staff Tuesday to enter into talks with NorthWestern Energy about rewriting or repealing the state’s nine-year-old deregulation law.

The move puts into motion a long process that supporters hope could lead to a "vertically integrated" utility that sells electricity to consumers at cost-based prices — like Montana once had with the old Montana Power Co.

"What we want to do is rewrite the statute so that it gives us the opportunity to move back to where we were, not that we’ll get there," said Public Service Commissioner Bob Raney.

NorthWestern, which has indicated an interest in acquiring power plants, said it looked forward to the talks.

Full Story: http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2006/03/09/news/regional/a89036a4251dd23c8725712b000302a4.txt