An Infrastructure Closure May Have Significant Effects in Richland County

Sidney, MT (KEYZ) The Lewis and Clark Station in Sidney will be retiring on March 31 as a part of the Montana-Dakota Utilities' Integrated Resource Plan.

The closure of the facility may potentially also cause the Westmoreland Coal Mine in Savage to close as well as have other far reaching economic impacts to the communities involved.

Having been in operation since 1958, the 50-megawat facility employs 30 workers, and the Westmoreland Mine has 10 full-time employees currently.

The decision comes as MDU's IRP looks to transition to natural gas and wind power as more economical options to provide energy to the region.

660 KEYZ News Radio will have comments from Montana Representative for District 35 Brandon Ler and MDU's Senior Public Relations Representative Mark Hanson, this afternoon, Thursday, March 25th on the Mondak Afternoon News with Mike Reuter.