Montanans for Affordable Energy
Keeping costs low for Montana families.
About Us
Our goal is to support Montanans by advocating for affordable, reliable and efficient energy.
Times are tough. Many Montanans live paycheck-to-paycheck, being forced to choose between childcare, healthcare, paying bills, and buying groceries. Escalating costs for electricity, gas, and transportation are forcing many in our state to tighten their belts even further. Families shouldn’t have to choose between heating their homes, driving their kids to school, and putting food on the table.
Now more than ever, Montana consumers need a voice to propose and push for common-sense energy solutions when decisions about electricity generation and utility billing are being made. Montanans for Affordable Energy supports smart energy resource and transportation choices that lower the cost burden on Montana consumers.
Energy markets are undergoing a dramatic shift across the country. Many utilities have shifted to focus on renewable electricity generation and storage, opting for free fuel costs over increasingly expensive resources like coal, methane gas, and uranium. States are pushing for interconnected transmission lines to better buy and sell energy across state lines, passing on the savings and reliability to consumers. In addition, many other states are building out infrastructure for high-efficiency hybrid and electric vehicles, which can save drivers hundreds in fuel costs each year.
Montanans for Affordable Electricity was established in 2015 to help ensure that average Montanans benefit from these landscape changes, and now Montanans for Affordable Energy continues that legacy.
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Our Mission
To secure affordable, reliable and efficient electricity to benefit Montana families and businesses.
Our Goal
Advocate for consumers and support policies that result in affordable, clean, and reliable electricity options for Montana’s energy future.
Steering Committee
Karin Kirk
Karin Kirk is a geologist, science journalist, and ski instructor living in Bozeman, MT. She’s a contributing writer for Yale Climate Connections where she uses energy data to help explain various energy topics. For example, she tracks data about energy jobs, clean energy investments, energy production, EVs, efficiency, and energy prices. She also writes about public opinion, based on research that measures what people think about energy and public policy.
Karin regularly writes op-eds and engages with policymakers and voters about energy and pollution. Her interactions with the public are the most important part of her work, because it helps her learn how and why these issues are important to Montanans.
Karin holds a B.A. in geology from Skidmore College and an M.S. in geology from Montana State University.
Jim Morton
Jim Morton was the long-time Executive Director of District XI Human Resource Council (HRC) that offers services to lower income households in the counties of Mineral, Missoula and Ravalli. As Executive Director he was involved in a variety of services HRC provides including installation of energy conservation measures in residential homes, workforce training, fuel bill assistance, home buyer down payment loans, and rent assistance. Since 1977 Jim has been part of the HRC team that has been advocating on behalf of residential customers in proceedings before the Montana Public Service Commission (MPSC). Throughout the MPSC proceedings the HRC team addressed utility issues that affect lower income customers and customer service, including unaffordability of energy costs for lower income customers. Jim is a dogged advocate for policies that encourage energy conservation and that advance the use of renewable energy sources.
Upon retiring from HRC, Jim became the CEO of HRC Cottages that owns and develops affordable housing, both with new construction and preservation and rehabilitation of existing residential properties.
After graduation from Hardin High School, Jim’s educational path included studies at Miles Community College, the University of Montana, University of Oklahoma, Tulane University and Bay Path University where he earned a Doctor of Education degree. As a licensed behavioral health professional, he is a staunch supporter of increasing access to behavioral health services and primary healthcare.
Advisory Committee
Tom Schneider
Former PSC Commissioner, Helena
Tom Schneider served 12 years (1977-84; 2003-06) as an elected Commissioner and Chair (’83-84) on the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC). Schneider was recognized as an aggressive leader on consumer rates, energy conservation and renewable energy. Most recently, Schneider served as a senior manager with The Western Electricity Coordinating Council focused on the reliability and future expansion of the high voltage transmission grid throughout the west. Schneider also operated a national consulting practice focused on utility rates, public policy issues, consumer protection, conservation, renewable energy, and environmental protection for nearly 17 years. As his final term on the PSC ended in 2006, Schneider received the Bob Olsen Memorial Conservation Eagle Award from the Northwest Energy Coalition “In Recognition of his leadership for a clean and affordable energy future.”
Tyler Cross
Electrician, Missoula
Born and raised in Missoula, Tyler Cross graduated from Sentinel High School. Tyler left for seven years to have a grand, single man’s adventure, after which time he came home to attend college at the University of Montana. He graduated with a degree in English, majoring in Creative Writing. Tyler’s working life was primarily in the food service industry until after he graduated college when he worked on a farm, for Lowe’s, and finally as an electrician. Tyler applied for the IBEW apprenticeship program in 2018 and have been training and working as an electrician ever since. He is married with three kids and a cat.
Learn More
The transition to new energy sources is already underway in Montana. Fortunately, clean energy can save Montanans money on their electric bills. The focus of Montanans for Affordable Electricity is to ensure that Montana designs and implements energy plans and policies that incorporate the principles of affordability, reliability, and resource costs. Renewable energy is increasingly affordable, with wind and solar costs continuing to decline at breakneck speed. We are missing an opportunity to lower costs and strengthen energy reliability for Montanans.
- Poor planning and failure to invest in low-cost energy efficiency and renewable energy combined with storage have left Montanans with the fourth-highest energy costs in the nation and the 2nd highest electricity rates in the region.
- Montana has substantial renewable energy potential, ranking 2nd in the nation for wind energy potential and 4th for solar energy potential, yet it currently ranks only 20th for installed wind capacity and 41st for installed solar capacity.
- The US Energy Information Administration maintains this dashboard that tracks electricity generation by source within Northwestern’s balancing authority area.
Resources
Energy Efficiency
ACEEE Fact Sheet: Energy Efficiency and Economic Opportunity.
White House paper. April 2022. Accelerating and Smoothing the Clean Energy Transition
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Energy Efficiency Projects at the EPA
Renewable Energy
National Renewable Energy Lab report on wind and solar energy potential by state
The US Energy Information Administration Renewable Electricity and Infrastructure Dashboard
Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2022
RMI Study on Energy Reinvestments in the Intermountain West
Affordability & Low Income
Lazards Levelized Cost of Energy 2024 Report
Strategies for Affordable and Fair Clean Energy Transitions
Reliability and Transmission
RMI Fact Sheet on Understanding FERC’s Order 1920
Americans for a Clean Energy Grid Fact Sheet
Transmission and Markets Engagement Guide