Industry Executives Dominate Gianforte’s Energy Task Force Appointments

HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte has appointed 20 members to his Unleashing American-Made Energy Task Force, with utility executives and energy company officials comprising the majority of the panel charged with developing Montana’s energy future.

The appointments, announced Monday, include representatives from major utilities like NorthWestern Energy, Montana-Dakota Utilities, and Talen Energy, alongside officials from data center companies, transmission developers, and energy associations. The composition raises questions about how consumer interests will be represented as the task force develops recommendations for the 2025 legislature.

“Montana’s future and the prosperity of our people require access to affordable and reliable energy,” Gianforte said in announcing the appointments. “Just as important, our nation’s security requires us to be not only energy independent, but also energy dominant.”

The task force will be chaired by Department of Environmental Quality Director Sonja Nowakowski, with Department of Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio serving as vice chair. State agency leaders and local officials round out the government representation on the panel.

In a notable bipartisan move, Gianforte appointed both Republican Rep. Gary Parry of Colstrip, chair of the House Energy, Technology & Federal Relations Committee, and Democratic Sen. Chris Pope of Bozeman, vice chair of the Senate Energy committee, to provide legislative leadership on the task force.

The industry-heavy composition includes executives from companies directly involved in Montana’s energy development and transmission. Mike Cashell, NorthWestern Energy’s vice president of transmission, will serve alongside Travis Kavulla, a former Montana Public Service Commission member who now works in regulatory affairs for NRG Energy.

Data center and technology companies, which represent some of the fastest-growing sources of electricity demand, are represented through Rob Corbin of Sabey Data Centers and Sean Farrell of TeraWulf Inc., a cryptocurrency mining company.

The task force formation comes as electricity demand projections have doubled in just two years, with the Western Electricity Coordinating Council now projecting 20 percent growth over the next decade.

When creating the task force last week through executive order, Gianforte specified that serving new energy-intensive industries “should not adversely impact Montanans, and should be pursued as a path to new good-paying jobs, growing Montana’s tax base, and attracting innovation.”

Other industry representatives include Shannon Brown from Talen Energy, which operates the Colstrip Power Plant; Ryan Fitzpatrick from NextEra Energy Resources; and Mark Lambrecht, CEO of Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association.

The task force also includes Spencer Gray, executive director of the Northwest & Intermountain Power Producers Coalition, and Kate Wilson, Montana’s liaison for the Bonneville Power Administration.

Academic representation comes through Bob Morris, who holds the Lance Energy Chair at Montana Technological University.

The panel is charged with providing recommendations the legislature could consider and the governor could sign into law to “unleash American-made energy in Montana.” The executive order specifically tasks the group with recommending ways to provide greater market certainty, stable electricity delivery, efficient permitting, and an end to litigation that delays energy development.

“I’m grateful to each member of our Unleashing American-Made Energy Task Force for their willingness to step forward and develop solutions to chart Montana’s energy future,” Gianforte said. “I appreciate each member’s unique perspective, and I look forward to what they’ll accomplish together.”

The task force will hold its first meeting September 22 and must produce a written report with recommendations and strategies by September 15, 2026.

Montana’s energy portfolio includes coal, oil, natural gas, hydropower, wind, and solar resources. The state ranks 10th nationally for renewable energy generation, producing about 57 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, while coal represents 37 percent of in-state generation.

“We must take steps today to ensure a brighter, more certain future for our state and our nation,” Gianforte said. “With our abundant energy resources and outstanding potential, Montana can and should play a key role in unleashing our American-made energy.”