Montanans continue expressing their concerns about data centers across the state.
During public meetings in recent weeks, residents have asked about the power needs of proposed data centers and if residential customers will foot the bill.
Molly Bell, political director for Montana Conservation Voters, said her group has teamed with other environmental advocates to hold public panels in areas near proposed data centers. She added hundreds of people have shown up for the information sessions, including the most recent one last week in Broadview in eastern Montana, which is near the site of a proposed 5,000-acre data center.
Bell explained it could need 500 to 1,000 megawatts of power each year.
"NorthWestern's existing customer base in Montana uses 760 megawatts annually," Bell reported. "This one facility could use as much power as the entire state of Montana."
NorthWestern Energy is proposing a Large Load Tariff to address concerns about rates, which would require new high-demand customers to pay their fair share for new infrastructure and energy generation. Those companies would also have to pay if they leave the state before those costs are paid back.
NorthWestern Energy is holding a third public meeting Feb. 3 in Helena on its 20-year plan to provide service to customers, which includes proposed data centers. The fourth and final meeting is Feb. 4 in Bozeman.
Bell wants to see more details on NorthWestern Energy's agreements with companies wanting to build data centers in Montana, which are not currently available to the public. She said the state has a chance to get in front of problems other parts of the country have already seen.
"We don't want residential customers to have to subsidize the data center development, to subsidize Big Tech," Bell asserted. "In other places where these data centers have proliferated, we've seen a big increase in electricity rates."
Bell added Montana Conservation Voters plans to mobilize its members to keep up public pressure on elected officials.
"We don't currently have a lot of regulations in place for these data centers," Bell emphasized. "We need transparency on how this will affect energy ratepayers, the impacts on water and local communities and the impacts on human health and wildlife."
PNS - Tuesday, February 3, 2026
