I suppose I’m not as educated as Greg Jergenson (Daily Inter Lake, Nov. 1) about the costs of electricity generated from different sources; after all, I didn’t spend my entire professional life in the Montana Senate and as a member of the Public Service Commission. But, wait a second, weren’t these the same guys that gave us deregulated electricity so rates could come down due to competition in a state where most of us have ONE CHOICE for our electric company provider!

Now Mr. Jergenson is telling Montanans that we don’t need coal, we have cheaper wind energy. Get rid of coal, we’ll all be healthier and the planet will heal. Are you serious, Mr. Jergenson? As a conservative, I believe in using all sources of energy and if renewables become cost efficient (probably not in my lifetime) they will win as the predominant, cost-efficient source of electricity.

Montana has one fourth of the available coal reserves in this country and generates over 50 percent of its electricity from coal. I’m not an economist, but seems to me if we eliminate coal as a source of generating electricity (by the way, something China won’t start to do until 2030, if ever, as they build new coal plants every day) that might be detrimental to both the cost of electricity and jobs in Montana.

But not to worry. We have wind turbines, which Mr. Jergenson claims is a much cheaper source of energy: “The least expensive power in the NorthWestern portfolio? The Judith Gap wind farm with half that of Colstrip 4. Half!”

He cites a study that, “suggests that clean energy standards actually have the potential [Don’t you just hate those pesky little qualifiers like “potential” — I had to point that out!] for less expensive electricity by 2030,” claiming any negative economic analysis by the evil Koch brothers is done by folks he’s never heard of. Well, if Mr. Jergenson has never heard of them, they must be worthless. Just like those persistent human-caused climate change deniers who keep presenting persuasive facts rather than ever-changing computer models to prove their views. Facts... don’t you libs just hate those messy things?

Funny, I can’t seem to figure out — with my lack of scientific knowledge — how those darn wind turbines are so cheap. They obviously don’t cost anything to put up or run — that’s why the mostly foreign companies that have built wind farms in the United States have received $30 BILLION in subsidies (was that in your cheapness estimate, Mr. Jergenson). And I suppose, where Mr. Jergenson lives the wind blows at a constant speed 24/7, so no need for coal or gas backup generation when there is no wind. We can all just have some candles available.

Not only is low wind a problem, but high wind is also. A typical wind facility produces about 40 percent of its electrical generation capacity. But because of limited transmission, at high wind times, capacity must be cut back. This loss of income means the time to recover up-front costs is longer meaning the generated electricity price must go up... unless of course We the People continue to bail the industry out with subsidies.

I’ve been questioning Flathead Electric’s presidents for several years as to why those inexpensive turbines along the Columbia River don’t all spin and have been told that they can’t store or transmit all the energy they produce when the wind is blowing. In fact, to give the owners a decent return on investment, Bonneville is ordered to spill our cheapest energy (the hydroelectric dams) and instead purchase the higher cost wind electricity. Sounds almost as good to me as a consumer as deregulating electricity in a state where consumers have no choice. I can’t wait for the next great liberal idea that will make my life better!

Myerowitz is a resident of Columbia Falls.