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Keila Szpaller

PSC leadership tried to ‘scrub’ email, ‘destroy evidence,’ court document says

Montana Public Service Commission leadership tried to “scrub” an email that could be evidence in a lawsuit against it and fired the agency’s human resources director in retaliation, a federal court document says. A PSC spokesperson said the agency was still reviewing the document and did not have comment

Montana’s primary election is Tuesday; here’s how to vote

Drop off your ballots to be sure they get to your county elections office on time — don’t pop them in the mail anymore. That’s advice from the Montana Secretary of State’s Office. The primary election in Montana is Tuesday, June 2, and Montana Secretary of State Christi

More Republican leaders say state party is ‘purging.’ GOP says it’s ‘vetting.’

More Republican legislators are finding themselves on the outs with the Montana Republican Party ahead of the 2026 election — even those long considered hard-liners. Last year, the state GOP disowned a group that party leaders called the “Nasty Nine,” moderate Republican senators who worked with Democrats on significant legislation

Labor, conservation groups use merger to advance energy, union goals

Energy conservation groups see significant risk with the proposed merger between NorthWestern Energy and Black Hills Corp — so some are using the deal to advance their own priorities. Lawyer Meridian Wappett, with Western Environmental Law Center, said “mergers of this magnitude are rare in Montana,” and the groups her team

Data centers part of rationale to investors for power merger, record shows

NorthWestern Energy officials have said data centers aren’t relevant to the utility’s proposed merger with Black Hills Corp — but data centers are part of their discussions with investors and a rationale for a merger. Data centers have been controversial in Montana, with proponents pushing for potential economic development

Businesses urge power merger, while consumers cite cost, reliability concerns

If NorthWestern Energy and Black Hills Corp merge, the deal could mean as much as $16 million for CEO Brian Bird, and a total of nearly $30 million for the top five executives of the Montana utility. Bird is CEO of NorthWestern, and if the Montana Public Service Commission approves

Federal judge says PSC’s Brad Molnar can attend NorthWestern merger hearing in person

A federal judge said Monday the Montana Public Service Commission can’t prohibit Commissioner Brad Molnar from participating in the controversial NorthWestern Energy merger hearing in person. Last week on a 3-2 vote, the PSC voted to adopt a report that found Molnar had committed professional misconduct along with