NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Montana Public Service Commission (Commission) will conduct a public hearing in the matter of the Petition of Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU) for Certification Of Eligible Renewable Resources and Community Renewable Energy Resources (Petition). The hearing will commence Friday, November 9, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. in the Glendive Medical Center, Carney Conference Center, 107 Dilworth, Glendive, Montana.  

The Commission will conduct the hearing as a contested case pursuant to the Montana Administrative Procedures Act. See Mont. Code Ann. §§ 2-4-601 et seq. (2011); see also Admin. R. Mont. 38.2.301 et seq. (2012) (setting forth the Commission's procedural rules). The purpose of the hearing is to receive evidence with respect to MDU’s request to certify the Diamond Willow 1 and Diamond Willow 2 wind farms as Community Renewable Energy Projects ("CREPs"). At the discretion of the Commission, members of the public may offer comment at the hearing. Parties to a contested case may jointly waive a formal proceeding in writing. Mont. Code Ann. § 2-4-603(2). 

The Commission has full power of supervision, regulation, and control of public utilities, and has established “a system by which renewable resources become certified as eligible renewable resources” pursuant to statutory authority. Id. at § 69-3-2006(2)(b); see Admin. R. Mont. 38.5.8301(3) (2012). A CREP includes an “eligible renewable resource” that “is owned by a public utility and has less than or equal to 25 megawatts in total nameplate capacity.” Mont. Code Ann. § 69-3-2003(4).

A copy of the Petition is available for inspection at the Commission's business offices at 1701 Prospect Avenue, P.O. Box 202601, Helena, Montana 59620-2601 and on its website at http://psc.mt.gov under Docket D2012.3.24. The Montana Consumer Counsel, at 111 North Last Chance Gulch, P.O. Box 201703, Helena, Montana 59620-1703, telephone (406) 444-2771, is available to represent the interests of the consuming public in this matter.  

Anyone needing an accommodation for a physical, hearing, or sight impairment in order to attend or participate in the hearing should contact the Commission at (406) 444-6199 at least one week prior to the hearing. The Commission will make every effort to accommodate individual impairments. 

BY THE MONTANA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 

TRAVIS KAVULLA, Chairman

GAIL GUTSCHE, Vice Chair

W. A. (BILL) GALLAGHER, Commissioner

BRAD MOLNAR, Commissioner

JOHN VINCENT, Commissioner

(Published Oct. 24, 2012)