Montana-Dakota Utilities, sisters plan cuts

BISMARCK (AP) — Montana-Dakota Utilities and three sister utilities say they will consolidate five call centers into two, sell an office building in Seattle and cut about 130 jobs in eight states over the next nine months.

The changes were announced by Dave Goodin, the president and chief executive officer of Montana-Dakota Utilities Co., Great Plains Natural Gas Co., Cascade Natural Gas Corp., and Intermountain Gas Company.

A statement said the utility group seeks to prepare for the future while dealing with ``the current economic uncertainties' that affect the business.

The utility group says it will sell the Cascade office building in Seattle and relocate the Cascade general office to a community within its service territory. It also plans to eliminate customer walk-in traffic at all offices for Montana-Dakota, Great Plains and Intermountain.

The companies are owned by Bismarck-based MDU Resources Group, Inc.

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