Newsmakers: PSC Chair Phil Montgomery
For 12 years, Phil Montgomery wrote or helped write energy and deregulation laws as a Republican member of the state Assembly. But, in April, Montgomery was appointed chairman of the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities. In a Newsmakers interview on May 18, Montgomery talked about now having to implement policy decisions made by the Legislature. He also predicted that no new nuclear power plants will be built in Wisconsin over the next 20 years, largely because the state has more electricity than it needs and natural gas prices have fallen by half. He also said the PSC will implement whatever setback standards the governor and Legislature agree on for new electricity-generating windmills and said the current standard for renewable energy — 15% by 2015 — should not be changed.
