Puget Sound Energy, part owner of Colstrip Units 1 and 2, entered into a legal settlement last year to shut down the coal-fired generating plants in July 2022.
Colstrip was the focus of discussions yesterday by officials from the Department of Energy, Governor Steve Bullock and Colstrip leaders discussed a suggested $1 billion fix to keep the coal-fired plants open.
New Colstrip owners and Sierra Club and the Montana Environmental Information Center announced earlier this week the shutdown of Colstrip units one and two on or before 2022. Reactions varied, but Montana Gov. Steve Bullock joined Sen. Steve Daines and others who were devastated by the news.
Federal coal leasing contributes approximately $50 million per biennium to the state coffers, and Jewell's moratorium on federal coal leasing will leave Montana with not only fewer jobs, but a large budget hole to fill.