HELENA — The Montana Public Service Commission has voted down a proposal from its president to reopen hearings on NorthWestern Energy’s ongoing rate case.

NorthWestern, the state’s largest utility, is proposing increased gas and electric rates. In April, the utility announced a settlement. In it, the sides reached agreement on many of the issues involved with the case, but they left a few for the PSC to resolve – including how much of the cost of the Yellowstone County Generating Station, a natural gas plant near Laurel, should be passed on to ratepayers.

On Tuesday, PSC President Brad Molnar made a motion to reject the settlement and hold additional hearings on issues including YCGS and the Colstrip coal-powered plant. He argued that the settlement was a “black box” that obscured too mu

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