1 new, 1 re-elected to Montana's regulatory board

BILLINGS, Mont. - Former state legislator Gail Gutsche, a Democrat from Missoula, defeated Republican incumbent Doug Mood of Seeley Lake Tuesday for a seat on the Montana Public Service Commission.

PSC incumbent Republican Brad Molnar captured another term on the commission, defeating Billings' Democratic Mayor Ron Tussing.

Topping the agenda for commissioners in coming months are additional regulatory responsibilities brought under a bill passed by the 2007 Legislature.

The bill allowed NorthWestern Energy to own power generation facilities — reversing one of the results of a 1997 industry deregulation in Montana. Much of the electricity produced by the state now comes from an out-of-state company, PPL, and falls outside the PSC's jurisdiction.

Commissioners also must deal with the increasing number of wind farms in the state. The PSC has recently debated how much utilities can charge wind energy producers to deliver their power to the market.

Also on the agenda are a proposed natural-gas fired power plant near Anaconda and a NorthWestern Energy rate case expected next year.

In the District 4 race, with 99 percent of precincts reporting, Gutsche had 52 percent of the vote to 48 percent for Mood. The unofficial totals showed Gutsche with 47,975 votes to 44,581 for incumbent Mood.

"It was a real grassroots campaign," Gutsche said Wednesday. "I promised folks that I would really try to keep an eye out for consumer concerns."

GOP incumbent Molnar won big in PSC District 2. With 100 percent of precincts counted, Molnar took 57 percent of the vote to 43 percent for Democrat Tussing. Unofficial totals showed Molnar with 51,966 votes, while Tussing had 38,715.

Molnar said that Tussing mounted a negative campaign that failed.

"We had a debate in Terry that was televised on 3 Rivers Cable," Molnar said. "It gave a very good snapshot of both candidates. A lot of people saw it said they liked my level of experience."

In District 3, the Bozeman area district that includes Butte, Dillon and Anaconda, former legislator John Vincent, a Democrat from Gallatin Gateway, led Republican state legislator Alan Olson of Roundup by a margin of about 2 percent with 95 percent of precincts reporting.

They are seeking election to the seat currently held by Bob Raney, a Democrat who did not seek re-election.

The chairman of the commission makes $82,169 annually and other commissioners make $81,299.

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