A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

7 April 2016

Election year politics and Colstrip lead to cloud cuckoo land

Let’s start with the facts. The coal fired electricity generating plants at Colstrip are 40 years old and nearing the end of their economic lives. They’re also dirty, one of the nation’s top 20 sources of greenhouse gases.

In fact, their being dirty is why they were built in Montana. The electricity they generate goes mostly to the Pacific Northwest’s west of the Cascades energy consumption corridor, while the carbon dioxide, particulates, and noxious gases go into the Big Sky, not into the atmosphere over Puget Sound.

Northwestern Energy, which sells electricity in Montana, owns a small share of Colstrip. Northwestern could easily replace its share of baseload power from Colstrip, and meet contemporary emissions standards, with a combined cycle gas turbine fueled by natural gas.

The other partners in Colstrip could replace their shares of its output from a variety of sources, including combined cycle gas turbines.

Replacing the power isn’t the problem with shutting down Colstrip. The problem is replacing the jobs in Montana that would be lost at the power plants and the coal mines that feed them. Those jobs pay well — and there’s not likely to be a soft landing for workers who lose them.

Therefore, politicians of both major political parties in Montana have two objectives: (1) not being held responsible for the loss of several thousand jobs, and (2) being credited as the political party that preserves the Colstrip plants and the jobs associated with them.

That’s why Gov. Steve Bullock just sent a letter to Northwestern’s CEO, Bob Rowe, saying “…we must make every effort to explore alternative ownership of Colstrip Units 1, 2 and 3. I know you share my concern for a responsible made-in-Montana energy future.”

Bullock’s therefore convening a working group to “…support the possible interest of Northwestern (or another party) and associated efforts to review whether a transfer of ownership of Colstrip Units 1, 2 and 3 is workable.”

Bullock recognizes the importance of getting going on this now — and of the importance of doing the job the right way even if that requires working past election day before issuing a report.

Thus the unspoken message: cut him some slack. He’s working on the problem. Trust him.

Actually, Democrats might consider doing that. He’s between a rock and a hard place. Workers and unions want to keep the Colstrip jobs. Environmentalists want to shut down the polluting plants. There are no win-win solutions, the rhetoric from both sides not withstanding. If these two vital Democratic constituencies can’t collaborate in kicking the can down the road until after the election, they could end up kicking themselves for helping Greg Gianforte win the election.

Gianforte’s no friend of labor. And whether Montana’s next governor is Bullock or Gianforte, the economics of Colstrip will continue pointing in the same direction: to closing down the old polluters. Anyone who thinks otherwise is living in Cloud Cuckoo Land.