Montana (MT) data center power coverage
Real, sourced large-load tariff and interconnection research on file for Montana — never inferred, never scraped, never implied beyond what's actually been checked.
Large-load tariffs
NorthWestern Energy (Montana)
Threshold5 MW or greater of new electric service
StatusFiled with the Montana Public Service Commission on March 31, 2026 as a proposed 'Large New Load Tariff,' establishing requirements and contract terms for customers seeking new electric service of 5 MW or more. Pending PSC approval as of this research -- not yet adopted. As described in company and news coverage (tariff text not read): loads of 5 to 49 MW follow a standardized process with mandatory protections and no case-by-case approval; for loads of 50 MW or more NorthWestern would file the executed service agreement with the PSC for approval before service starts, with longer minimum terms; provisions cover minimum service periods, minimum demand and energy billing, performance assurance and collateral, and termination costs. A five-year agreement with an early-exit penalty was reported for the smaller tier. Intervention requests were being reviewed in June 2026. Separately, an existing Schedule GSEDS-2 serves transmission-level customers (EEI).
SourceDaily Montanan and S&P Global Market Intelligence coverage (dailymontanan.com, spglobal.com) of the PSC filing; Montana Free Press (June 30, 2026); NorthWestern Energy's own public statements (northwesternenergy.com). Primary PSC docket text not independently read during this research.
Flathead Electric Cooperative (Montana), Administrative Policy E&O 337 High Density Loads
ThresholdNo MW trigger: any load with an energy use intensity of 250 kWh per square foot per year or more, regardless of size
StatusIN EFFECT since November 25, 2024 (a cooperative board policy, not a PUC-approved tariff). A high-density load pays a one-time per-kW Upfront Capacity Charge on its total designed load before construction starts (the dollar rate is in the cooperative's service-fee schedule, not read), plus all line extension costs and upgrades back to the distribution substation. Loads over 1,000 kW also fall under the industrial line extension policy. Unauthorized use above the designed load is charged a fee. Multiple locations are not aggregated unless a power sales contract provides for it.
SourceFlathead Electric Cooperative Administrative Policy E&O 337, version 2024.1 (flatheadelectric.com, read in full).
Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Dakotas and Montana), Large Load Commercial Program
ThresholdNot published in the sources found; applies to non-traditional large loads requesting service from member systems
StatusLOWER CONFIDENCE. Basin adopted a Large Load Commercial Program in June 2025 so that new large loads bear the generation and transmission cost and risk of serving them and existing members are shielded. Basin reports 26 applications since June 13, 2025, 17 active. A multi-gigawatt data center campus with a NextEra gas plant in Mercer County, North Dakota is being developed under the program. Contract terms and rates were not found.
SourceBasin Electric news releases (basinelectric.com); program documents not read.
Interconnection & regulatory guidance
Utility-specific — no statewide guidance resolves without naming a utility, but real tariff research exists above for NorthWestern Energy (Montana) and Flathead Electric Cooperative (Montana), Administrative Policy E&O 337 High Density Loads and Basin Electric Power Cooperative (Dakotas and Montana), Large Load Commercial Program. Interconnection process for a specific utility can be confirmed directly once that utility is identified for your site.
Land-constraint screening
Every Kill Test automatically screens against 6 nationwide land-constraint layers, Montana included — no state-by-state gaps here.
FEMA Flood ZoneNearby WetlandsProtected / Conservation LandCritical HabitatSeismic HazardTribal Land
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