Montana Public Service Commission, Utility Division records
Scope and Contents
This collection is a subgroup (Division) of the Montana Public Service Commission records, RS 501. The Utility Division is now, as of 2025, named the Regulatory Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more
Montana Public Service Commission records.
These records consist predominantly of annual reports (1914-1986) made by electric utility companies, gas companies, heating utility companies, water companies, telegraph companies, telephone companies, and pipeline companies to the Montana Public Service Commission. The reports include a vast amount of data on the history, financing, corporate ownership, physical plants, and production. Many of the reports are accompanied by rate schedules and regulations. Some of the reports are copies of the reports made to the Federal Power Commission and do not directly reflect their Montana operations.
In addition there are accident reports (1957-1966) for electric, gas, and telephone utilities; appraisal reports (1919-1927) for several electric utilities; and other reports (1922-1953) for several water companies.
Dates
- Creation: 1913-1986
Language of Materials
English
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Montana Historical Society is the owner of the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. Written permission must be obtained from the Research Library before any reproduction use. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all of the materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from the copyright owners.
Biographical / Historical
The Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners was established by the Montana legislature in 1907. In 1913 the Board of Railroad Commissioners was made ex officio the newly created Montana Public Service Commission. As such, it was given the authority to regulate a variety of public utilities. In 1971 the Montana Board of Railroad Commissioners was abolished and its work was taken over directly by the Public Service Commission.
Extent
31.5 linear feet
Abstract
This collection is a subgroup (Division) of the Montana Public Service Commission records, RS 501. The Utility Division is now, as of 2025, named the Regulatory Division. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Public Service Commission records. These records consist primarily of annual reports (1914-1986) made by electric utility companies, gas companies, heating utility companies, water companies, telegraph companies, telephone companies, and pipeline companies to the Montana Public Service Commission. There are also accident reports (1957-1966) for electric and gas utilities.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by subgroup and then by series.
Physical Location
33:1-2
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquisition information available upon request.
Processing Information
In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Public Service Commission were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 501, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives catalog, and to follow best archival practices.
Collections from Montana Public Service Commission's various Divisions and Predecessor Agencies that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 501. Rather than reprocessing over 80 linear feet of PSC materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those collections/finding aids and provide access to them via links in the primary finding aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if this subgroup pertains to your research needs.
- Title
- Guide to Montana Public Service Commission, Utility Division records, 1913-1986.
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Ellie Arguimbau, 2007
- Date
- 2007
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Repository Details
Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)
mhslibrary@mt.gov