All About the PSC

No. Montana's 25 rural electric cooperatives are governed by their own member-elected boards and set their own rates independently. The PSC only regulates investor-owned utilities like NorthWestern Energy and Montana-Dakota Utilities. If you're unsure whether your utility is PSC-regulated, call (800) 646-6150.

No. The PSC's telecom jurisdiction is limited to legacy landline telephone service. Wireless carriers, internet service providers, and cable/satellite TV companies fall outside PSC authority. For complaints about those services, contact the FCC or the Montana Attorney General's consumer protection office at (800) 481-6896.

Generally, no. Montana experimented with electricity deregulation in 1997 but re-regulated in 2007 after the Montana Power Company collapse. Today, your electricity provider is determined by where you live. However, NorthWestern Energy and Energy West natural gas customers do have the option to choose their natural gas supplier.

Regulated utilities must get PSC approval before disconnecting service between November 1 and April 1. If your income is at or below the federal poverty level, you receive public assistance, or someone in your household is 62 or older or has a disability, the PSC will not approve disconnection. You must notify your utility company of these circumstances. Financial assistance programs like LIHEAP and Energy Share can also help — call 211 for referrals.

Start by contacting your utility company directly to try resolving the issue. If that doesn't work, call the PSC's Consumer Assistance Program at (800) 646-6150, email pschelp@mt.gov, or file online at psc.mt.gov/Consumers/Request-Assistance. PSC staff will investigate and work to mediate a resolution at no cost to you.

No. The Montana Legislature sets energy policy through state law. The PSC is a regulatory body that implements those policies — primarily by setting utility rates, reviewing utility investments, and enforcing service quality standards. Think of the Legislature as writing the rules and the PSC as the referee enforcing them.

Not exactly. The PSC doesn't issue construction permits or environmental approvals — that's the DEQ's role. But the PSC determines whether a utility can recover the costs of a power plant from customers through rates. A utility can technically build a plant without PSC approval, but risks not being allowed to charge ratepayers for it — a powerful form of economic oversight.

No. There are no professional, educational, or experience requirements. Commissioners must be qualified voters residing in the district they represent. Commissioners have included ranchers, physicians, state senators, and attorneys. Montana is one of only 11 states where utility commissioners are elected rather than appointed by the governor.

The Montana Consumer Counsel (MCC) is a constitutionally established, legislatively appointed office whose sole job is to represent consumer interests before the PSC. The MCC employs attorneys and analysts who argue for lower rates and challenge utility spending on behalf of all Montana ratepayers. Contact: (406) 444-2771.

Several factors drive rate increases: utility companies investing in new power plants and infrastructure, rising fuel and wholesale electricity costs, aging grid maintenance needs, and inflation. The PSC reviews each rate request to ensure costs are justified. Advocacy groups report that Montana residential electricity rates have risen approximately 87% since 2009, making PSC decisions an increasingly high-stakes matter for household budgets.

You can submit written public comments by mail, email, or through the REDDI portal (reddi.mt.gov) at any time during an open proceeding. You can also attend commission meetings and speak during the public comment period. While public comments aren't treated as sworn evidence, commissioners do consider them and they can bring new issues to light. For more formal involvement, you can apply for intervenor status.