Wind power, good for Montana’s economy and Washington’s energy system

State representative, Denise Hayman, encourages Washington investor-owned utilities to replace power from Colstrip with Montana wind

The Rim Rock wind farm near Cut Bank, Montana (AP Photo / Matthew Brown)

Observing that two major Washington utilities — Puget Sound Energy and Avista — are currently weighing options for how to replace energy from the large, coal-fired power plant in Colstrip, Montana, state representative Denise Hayman, from Billings, makes a compelling pitch for Montana wind to play a major role.  Citing the low and still declining cost of power from wind and the availability for existing power lines to transport energy from a region where capacity peaks in concert with peak demand in Washington, Hayman sees a “win-win” for Washingtonians who want clean energy and for Montana’s economy and workers.

Read Denise Hayman’s Seattle Times Op-ed