NorthWestern Energy to Supply Power for Butte, Montana Data Center Atlas Power Group

By: NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. via Business Wire

December 19, 2024 at 16:20 PM EST

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (Nasdaq: NWE) announces plans to provide electric supply service to Altas Power Group at its Butte, Montana data center.

Atlas Power Group is a NorthWestern Energy transmission service customer today.

The new energy supply load is expected to be 75 megawatts beginning in 2026, with forecasted growth of up to another 75 megawatts in the subsequent three to five years.

“NorthWestern Energy’s strategic energy generation resource acquisitions and our balanced energy portfolio enables us to serve new large energy supply customers like Atlas Power Group’s Butte data center while continuing to provide our current customers with affordable and reliable energy,” said NorthWestern Energy President and CEO Brian Bird.

“Atlas welcomes the opportunity to partner with NorthWestern Energy to supply cost-effective and reliable energy and transmission services to our flagship data center in Butte. With expanded growth opportunities on the horizon, securing long-term power supply at predictable prices is critical to support continued expansion and investment in our facilities,” said Atlas Power Group President and COO Jeff Young. “Atlas is also dedicated to maximizing our data center’s demand response capabilities to bolster the reliability and resiliency of the grid for the benefit of NorthWestern Energy’s Montana customer base,” he added.

Earlier this week, NorthWestern Energy announced another agreement to provide energy service for a developer planning new data centers in Montana.

Today, NorthWestern Energy is one of the cleanest energy companies in the nation, with most of the company’s power generation from hydro, wind and solar resources. NorthWestern Energy’s recent addition of on-demand energy generation from the Yellowstone County Generating Station and the anticipated additional capacity from the Colstrip Plant beginning Jan. 1, 2026, strengthens its ability to serve existing and new Montana electric customers reliably at lower customer costs.

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NorthWestern Energy - Delivering a Bright Future

NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc., doing business as NorthWestern Energy, provides essential energy infrastructure and valuable services that enrich lives and empower communities while serving as long-term partners to our customers and communities. We work to deliver safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions that create value for customers, communities, employees, and investors. We do this by providing low-cost and reliable service performed by highly-adaptable and skilled employees. We provide electricity and / or natural gas to approximately 775,300 customers in Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Yellowstone National Park. Our operations in Montana and Yellowstone National Park are conducted through our subsidiary, NW Corp, and our operations in South Dakota and Nebraska are conducted through our subsidiary, NWE Public Service. We have provided service in South Dakota and Nebraska since 1923 and in Montana since 2002.

Atlas Power Group – Optimizing New Energy

Atlas Power Group (“Atlas”) is a specialized infrastructure company focused on developing and growing flexible load data center hosting operations across the U.S. In addition to its operations in Montana, Atlas has established data center hosting facilities in North Dakota, Kentucky, and Texas. These flexible load sites stabilize energy prices by reducing power consumption during peak demand, thereby helping mitigate price spikes. This demand response capability reduces pressure on the electrical grid, promoting a more stable and affordable energy environment. Moreover, Atlas’ data centers contribute to strengthening utility infrastructure by providing investment for necessary upgrades to generation and transmission systems. The company’s operations foster economic development and revitalization in rural and underserved areas by creating high-paying technology jobs and offering hands-on training in advanced technologies and data center management. Through these and other efforts, Atlas not only supports the energy grid but also contributes to local communities’ economic growth and technological advancement.