May 25, 2008

We now know that gas-plant project will be good deal

Northcentral Montanans have gone through a fairly steep learning curve in the world of electricity generation in the past few years.

If you asked a typical resident 10 years ago to define "peaking power," or "wind-firming," or "carbon capture," chances are you'd have been met with a blank stare and a "Say what?"

Before 1997, in fact, most people didn't think much about electricity generation at all. Electricity was inexpensive; it was regulated; and around here most of it came from the small hydroelectric dams on the Missouri River.

When you flipped the switch, lights came on.

The company that generated and sold us our power in those days, Montana Power, was respected and reliable — a prominent component in many retirement portfolios.

But as we've witnessed deregulation of electricity, the demolition of the power company, the creation of a giant wind farms and the permitting process for a proposed coal-fired plant near Great Falls, we've gotten an education — and higher rates.

In the middle of our learning curve, a proposed natural gas-fired plant north of the city — for which ground was broken more than six years ago — languished through a natural gas price spike, a regulatory and political tug-of-war, and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of its original owner, NorthWestern Energy.

In that atmosphere, folks five years ago couldn't be blamed for not knowing whether the plant would be good or bad. And because it was never built, it wasn't missed when it was mothballed.

Now Montana has one massive wind farm near Judith Gap and more on the way. A new power transmission line between Great Falls and Alberta is in the works, while the coal plant proposed for a site northeast of town is the project that's languishing.

In thatatmosphere, we canrecognize that it was good news this week that the new owner of the gas-fired plant site was not only proceeding with the project, but also was expanding it.

Montgomery Energy said it hoped to start construction at the site just north of the barley-malting plant on U.S. Highway 87 later this year or next spring.

In addition to the original plan's 275-megawatt baseload power plant, Montgomery plans a 125-megawatt peaking plant.

Between the two of them, it will form a perfect system to facilitate construction of more wind-generating complexes in the area — and quite a few of them are planned.

Wind power, while "clean and green" to most ways of thinking, also is somewhat inconsistent — when the wind doesn't blow, it needs supplemental power. That's where Montgomery's "Great Falls Energy Center" comes in — "firming" the wind power that's planned for the area.

Company officials say the Great Falls project is designed to incorporate more than 2,000 megawatts of wind-power generation.

For perspective, the Judith Gap wind farm, the biggest operating in the state at present, can crank out 135 megawatts; the larger Glacier Wind Project under construction near Ethridge, will add 210 megawatts.

For further perspective, PPL Montana's five dams near Great Falls generate 225 megawatts.

So make no mistake: The $400 million Great Falls Energy Center is a big deal and a potential source for many of Montana's future energy needs.

Peggy Beltrone, Cascade County commissioner and a longtime wind-power advocate, said the project "strengthens Montana's position as a national provider of clean energy and provides in-state solutions for NorthWestern Energy customers."

"It's been a long road," she said, "but it looks as if this flexible energy facility has finally found its path."