Montanans could soon be paying the price for private energy deals made behind closed doors—and most people don’t even know it’s happening.

NorthWestern Energy has quietly signed agreements to supply 1,400 megawatts of electricity to massive, out-of-state data centers, including a proposed AI facility in Yellowstone County. That’s nearly double the power used by all existing Montana homes on a typical day.

Now, a coalition of nonprofits is sounding the alarm, filing a formal petition urging the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) to step in—before the cost of these energy-hungry tech facilities gets passed on to the rest of us.

We’re joining them to say: Montana ratepayers should not be forced to subsidize Silicon Valley server farms.

We call on the PSC to:

• Block NorthWestern Energy from signing or executing data center power deals without full public review
• Create a separate “rate class” for data centers with their own pricing and rules
• Ensure data center developers—not everyday Montanans—pay the full cost of infrastructure upgrades
• Hold public hearings and demand transparency in all future energy agreements.

Across the country, data centers have driven up utility costs, drained local water systems, and locked communities into expensive fossil fuel infrastructure. Montana should learn from those mistakes—not repeat them.

NorthWestern is a regulated monopoly. That means you can’t shop around for power—and it means the PSC has a legal obligation to ensure your rates stay fair.

Don’t let Montana become a data center dumping ground. Tech giants should not get special treatment while working families struggle with rising energy bills.

Sign to demand accountability, transparency, and protections for Montana ratepayers.