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<p class="gmail-BasicParagraph" style="text-align:center;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black" align="center"><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:120%;font-family:"Arial Black""><span>350 </span>Montana</span><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:120%;font-family:Papyrus"><span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-BasicParagraph" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black" align="center"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial Black"">P.O.
Box 7006<span></span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-BasicParagraph" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black" align="center"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial Black"">Missoula,
MT 59807<span></span></span></p>
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<p class="gmail-BasicParagraph" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:MinionPro-Regular;color:black" align="center"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Arial Black""><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="gmail-Normal1" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><b><u>For Immediate
Release</u>:<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><u>For
more info</u>:<span></span></b></p>
<p class="gmail-Normal1" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Thursday, December 5, 2019<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>Jeff Smith, <br></p><p class="gmail-Normal1" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"> (406) <strong><span style="font-family:Arial">880-8320</span></strong></p>
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<p class="gmail-Normal1" style="text-align:center;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:black" align="center"><b><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:115%">Ratepayer Rebellion
Rally!<span></span></span></b></p>
<p class="gmail-Normal1" style="text-align:center;margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;line-height:115%;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:black" align="center"><b><i>Ratepayers to tell the MT Public
Service Commission, ‘Montana Can Lead’<span></span></i></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><i>Missoula, MT.</i> On
Monday, December 9, at noon, outside the Public Service Commission (PSC) office
in Helena (1701 Prospect Ave) 350 Montana, with citizens <a name="_GoBack">and
a</a>llies, will hold a Ratepayer Rebellion Rally emphasizing that, <i>“Montana Can Lead.”</i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">Speakers from around the state, including some 2020 PSC candidates
running for open seats, will ask the PSC to listen to ratepayers’ public
comments regarding NorthWestern Energy’s Resource Procurement Plan, currently
in front of the PSC for their comments and input. The PSC is open for comments
on NorthWestern Energy’s 20-year Procurement Plan until January 3, but will
hold the only mandated Public Hearings following the Rally at 1:30pm and 5:00pm.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><b><i>“</i></b>It is the job of the Public Service Commission to provide
Montanans with affordable and reliable energy at a just rate. To do so, the
company must model Montana's real world conditions,” said Jeff Smith, Co-Chair
of 350 Montana. “Even NorthWestern's vice president, Michael Cushell, says
Colstrip will be closing within the decade. The company's procurement plan must
be a complete work of fiction because it says the company will rely on Colstrip
through 2042. I don't see how the PSC could authorize any new acquisitions paid
for by the ratepayers without an accurate Colstrip shutdown date and
comprehensive modeling of lower-cost wind and solar energy backed by battery
storage.”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">NorthWestern Energy (NWE) wants to build a fleet of
expensive fracked gas power plants, continue using a filthy coal-fired
power plant for 20 years, and force Montana families and small businesses
to pay for all of it. No significant renewable energy advances are being
proposed.</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">350 Montana members see stark insufficiencies on multiple
levels of this procurement plan and will urge the PSC to work with the utility
to remedy the following:</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span>•
NWE does not give a cost analysis of their existing resources, which leaves
ratepayers in <span></span>the
dark on whether or not what they are paying for is an undue burden. <i>Request that <span></span>NorthWestern
Energy model cost-effectiveness for all their generating assets to determine <span></span>if
customers are getting a fair shake.<span></span></i></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span>• NWE
proposes building 800 MW of new gas peaker plants that will only hypothetically <span></span>be
used during a few hours of ultra-high demand. This is a gross waste of
ratepayer dollars <span></span>and
is not as cost-effective as wind, solar, storage, and demand-side management
when <span></span>evaluated
together in a system. It is unwise to spend money on carbon-intensive purchases<span> </span>when
other utilities around the west are accounting for a renewable energy
transition. <span></span><i>Request that NWE consider opportunities like
pumped hydro storage to address peak <span></span>demand
and/or new solar projects coupled with battery storage, not more gas plants
that <span></span>will
cost ratepayers and line the pockets of shareholders.</i><span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span>Deficiencies 350
Montana members will ask the PSC to request NWE to add to their plan include:<span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span>• <span>Failing to identify, manage, and mitigate
the risk that the Colstrip power plant will go <span></span>offline
within the 20-year planning horizon. <i>Request NWE add it to the plan.</i><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span>• <span>Failing to include the cost of gas pipelines
in the cost assumption for building and <span> </span>operating
gas-fired power plants. NWE has previously stated new gas pipelines would be <span> </span>necessary
to operate any significant new gas power plants on its system, however these <span> </span>costs
were not included in the plan. <i>Request NWE add it to the plan.</i><span></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span>•
Failing to include costs for a </span><span>Colstrip
decommissioning and cleanup plan </span><span style="font-size:11pt">for
NWE’s <span></span>current
and future responsibilities of the coal ash ponds clean-up after Colstrip shuts
down, <span></span>to
remediate these wastes for the citizens of Colstrip. A recent editorial in the <i>Billing Gazette </i>mentioned that estimated $20 million in repairs is needed to Colstrip Power Plant Unit 4
because the super-heated portion of the boiler is showing signs of
metallurgical wear and degradation. <i>Request NWE add it to
the plan.</i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="font-size:11pt"><span> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="color:black">“Montana can lead the global
transition to clean energy. We are blessed with amazing resources for
harnessing renewables: wind, sun, water, and elevation—all of which add up to a
strong energy future,” said Winona Bateman, founder of Families for a Livable
Climate. “We can create jobs and income for rural Montanans, lower costs for
ratepayers, and keep our water, land, and big sky country safe from fossil fuel
spills and pollution to ensure a livable future for all families. We can lead,
and if we lead, the world will be watching.”<span></span></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"">350 Montana works to reduce atmospheric CO2 concentrations
to 350 ppm by implementing strategic actions and advocating policies to end
fossil fuel burning with the greatest urgency. </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Times New Roman""><span>For more information
on 350 Montana, or to make a comment on the NWE Procurement Plan visit: <b><i><a href="http://www.350montana.org">www.350montana.org</a>.</i></b></span><b><i><span></span></i></b></p>
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