PPL Montana ended 2004 with a number of safety and production records, including a company milestone by which all of the generation facilities — fossil, hydro and natural gas — operated a full year without a lost time accident.

“PPL Montana’s performance is crucial to the success of PPL Generation and PPL Corporation,” said Brad Spencer, vice president and chief operating officer for PPL Montana. “I truly appreciate the work employees have done and their work every day to contribute to that success.”

Spencer said the company has a number of safety and production initiatives in progress throughout all of its generating facilities “that should keep us on the path of continual improvement and excellence.”

The Colstrip power plant in eastern Montana, among the largest coal-fired plants west of the Mississippi River, has operated for two consecutive years without a lost time accident, surpassing the 1 million-hour mark in 2004.

On the production side of the plant, Units 1 and 2 achieved an all-time generation record in 2004, producing a combined 4,863,649 megawatt-hours and beating the old record of 4,686,568 megawatt-hours set in 2001.

“Coupling this record with our ongoing safety performance demonstrates the tremendous capability of the Colstrip staff,” said Neil Dennehy, plant manager. “Achieving a generation record on 30-year-old plants is an achievement to be proud of, and, most important of all, this accomplishment was achieved in a safe manner.”

At the Corette power plant in Billings, employees worked throughout 2004 to satisfy the requirements for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program. Corette has been recommended for VPP Star status, the highest safety recognition given within the program.