Letter: Let's develop solution to high energy costs

Published on Sunday, February 22, 2009.    http://billingsgazette.net/articles/2009/02/22/opinion/letters/34-lets.txt

 

 

Last week, on very short notice, I joined 250 members of our Beartooth Electric Cooperative to hear reasons for the last two months' large and unwelcome surcharges to our bills. The unplanned costs seem to arise from problems developing the Highwood Generating Station. This plant had been predicted to be the solution to maintaining a steady, low-cost supply of electricity for the cooperative's members. The original coal-fired plant plans have proved to be a dirty form of generation, and the natural-gas plant now proposed to take its place locks us into fluctuating gas prices for years. We need to look to renewable sources as well and implement energy efficiency programs.

 

We consumers need to be a part of the energy solution, and we want a co-op that helps us by investing in the cleanest technology available. Providing incentives to its members would provide us with choices of small-scale renewable-energy possibilities such as wind and solar. Providing information and sources of daily efficiency programs for home, office and schools might curb unnecessary surges and brownouts saving all of us unnecessary high bills for our energy.

 

Another meeting for members and the public is planned for March or April. If your last two bills were a wake-up call, please phone the co-op to find out where and when the next meetings will take place and become a part of the solution for Montana.

 

Sharlene McComas

Fox