YVEC in Litigation Over Exit from Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative
Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative (YVEC) is headed to trial in November in effort to leave Southern Montana Electric Generation and Transmission Cooperative (Southern). YVEC, four other coops and the city of Great Falls, Montana, formed Southern in 2004 for the purpose of developing and owning a coal-fired power plant near Great Falls. However, with time, the cost of the plant more than doubled and the project encountered regulatory and environmental issues. The plant then became natural gas-fired , which is currently under construction. YVEC is suing to leave Southern due to the unexpected increase in costs. Read the story for more on this litigation.