The cities, Bozeman, Helena and Missoula, had all set goals to get off fossil fuel power by 2035. The local governments, concerned about climate change, wanted to be powered entirely by renewable energy within 15 years or less. To that end, they signed a memorandum of understanding with Montana’s largest monopoly utility. Not a contract, but a set of expectations that the utility would work to attain the cities’ goals.

New renewable projects would be developed, from which the cities and their residents could opt to buy power for a rate outside of the utility’s normal customer charges. All of this was dependent on the Montana Public Service Commission approving a special rate. That was February’s news.