NrothWestern Energy has filed to include Mill Creek in the "rate base"

The full press release is available from NorthWestern Energy here.  The links are still broken for the filings, but except some analysis once they are available, as i know a lot of folks are watching these rates closely to see what the cost will be to regulate wind and load in Montana and how NorthWestern Energy plans to operate the facility.  

Here is how NorthWestern Energy is describing their request:

Butte, Mont. – Oct. 12, 2010 – NorthWestern Energy’s (NYSE:NWE) Mill Creek Generating Station will begin serving Montana electric customers by January 1, 2011, prompting the company to file an application to include it in energy supply rates on an interim basis until the actual revenue requirement is approved.     
 
The 150-megawatt natural gas fired plant is the first newly constructed facility to be approved under the law which allows public utilities to obtain “preapproval” of electric generation resources prior to acquisition, or in this case, construction.  The Montana Public Service Commission approved in part the preapproval application in May 2009 with the requirement that the company submit a compliance filing within 90 days after the plant is placed into commercial operation.  The compliance filing will be used to determine the plant’s final revenue requirement.  

Update: The AP is reporting that the request will increase rates for a consumer by $4.5 a month.