Montana-based utility major NorthWestern Energy, which is actively considering to acquire or build power-generation plants in the state, is seen as the potential buyer for PPL’s assets.
NorthWestern, which had sold the power plants to PPL Montana in 1999, is now reforming itself as a company that owns power-production plants or contracts to supply its customers, reported billingsgazette.com.
A unit of Pennsylvania-based PPL Corporation, PPL Montana purchased 11 hydroelectric plants from Montana Power.
PPL Montana also bought the Corette coal-fired power plant in Billings and shares of the four coal-fired plants in Colstrip.
According to PPL Montana spokesman David Hoffman, the company’s coal-fired plants at Colstrip and Billings were closed periodically in 2012, after failing to sell power at a profit due to low prices.
