Winter is a difficult time when you’re struggling to pay high heating bills. To help, PPL Montana is donating $50,000 to Energy Share to assist low-income Montanans.
In addition, $66,929 in Universal System Benefits funds from the Colstrip power plant was donated earlier to Energy Share by PPL Montana and the other Colstrip power plant owners.
“Donating these funds to Energy Share will make more than $116,000 available to those Montanans who most need extra help this winter,” said Brad Spencer, vice president and chief operating officer for PPL Montana.
Energy Share is a nonprofit group that offers emergency home-heating assistance for consumers who don’t qualify for other programs. USB funds are state-mandated contributions that companies can choose to designate for energy conservation, renewable resource projects and applications, or low-income energy assistance.
“Energy Share helps people who don’t necessarily qualify for government programs but still need a ‘hand up’ at times,” said Dennis Lopach, president of Energy Share’s board of directors. “PPL Montana’s generous support of the program not only this year, but in the past as well, ensures that Energy Share is able to help more people stay warm.”
“PPL Montana is committed to supporting Montana communities and families,” Spencer said. “We are pleased to be able to assist those in our communities who can’t afford their energy bills and can’t get other help.”
Through its Community Fund, PPL Montana also has contributed $400,000 since 2005 to groups across the state to help improve education, enhance the environment and encourage economic development in the state.
PPL has 500 employees in Montana who generate and sell electricity. PPL Montana operates coal-fired power plants at Colstrip and Billings, as well as 11 hydroelectric plants along West Rosebud Creek and the Missouri, Madison, Clark Fork and Flathead rivers. It has a combined generating capacity of more than 1,200 megawatts and has offices in Billings, Butte and Helena. PPL EnergyPlus operates a trading floor in Butte that markets and sells power in the wholesale and retail energy market. PPL Montana and PPL EnergyPlus are subsidiaries of PPL Corporation (NYSE: PPL).