< back		 William Drummond, Western Montana Electric Generating & Transmission Cooperative, Inc.

Drummond is the manager of Western Montana Electric Generating and Transmission Co-op, Inc. in Missoula, Montana. The Cooperative provides power planning and conservation services for its seven members: six rural cooperatives and one tribal utility. Prior to joining the Cooperative in 1994, Drummond was the manager of the Public Power Council in Portland, an association of 115 publicly and cooperatively owned electric utilities in the Northwest. His educational background includes degrees in forestry from the University of Montana and economics from the University of Arizona.
1. What is the best thing about the recommendations? We have developed a structure that will retain the benefits of the Northwest’s energy system for its citizens. The draft plan maintains a long-term perspective and it is indeed comprehensive. It allows people to make choices; if you believe there will be long-term benefits from remaining with the federal system, you can choose that path, but you are not obligated to it. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the draft plan will educate people about the changes that are occurring and about the choices they can make to decide their own energy future rather than simply letting it happen to them.
2. What is the most challenging thing about the recommendations? There are two challenging elements for me. First, convincing people that the status quo is not sustainable and that our plan is a better option than simply letting the future happen. A wise friend once told me, “The only things that happen by accident are accidents.” It would be a mistake to let our energy future happen by accident. Second, some elements of the draft plan are totally unrealistic, both economically and politically. These elements will have to be radically altered, or the final plan will lack credibility.
3. Why should people care about the recommendations? The electrical energy business is in the midst of a radical change. Yet, we have a rare opportunity to make decisions about our energy future that shift the changes in the direction we want. This opportunity allows us to educate people and in turn allows them to make informed decisions and the tradeoffs necessary to reach that future. Whether you are most concerned about where our energy is going to come from, how much it is going to cost, what the impact will be on our natural environment, how energy availability will affect our economic base, or simply whether the lights will stay on, you should care about the recommendations.