NorthWestern Energy customers across the Helena area are opening their August bills and doing double-takes. Helena resident Michelle Sexton said her electrical bill tripled from July to August, and she wasn't alone — hundreds of customers took to social media in recent days to ask neighbors whether they were seeing the same thing.
The spike has caught many households off guard during what has been a hot summer, when air conditioning use typically pushes consumption higher. But customers say the increases feel disproportionate even accounting for the heat, and some are questioning whether the jump reflects actual usage or something else in how the utility calculates and bills its customers.
NorthWestern Energy, which serves most of Helena and much of rural Lewis and Clark County, has not yet issued a public explanation addressing the scale of the increases customers are reporting. The utility is regulated by the Montana Public Service Commission, which oversees rate structures and has the authority to investigate billing complaints.
Residents who believe their bills are inaccurate can file a complaint directly with NorthWestern Energy or contact the Montana Public Service Commission's consumer counsel office. The PSC, which meets regularly in Helena, has historically taken up residential billing concerns when complaints reach a significant volume.