Data centers and new power in Montana
11.1 GW of new power is waiting to connect to the grid in Montana — 45 requests across 29 counties. That is the 32nd largest amount of any state. 70 projects are built, 393 withdrawn. Data as of 14 October 2026.
What is happening with electricity in Montana
Every new power plant, battery or big customer has to join a waiting list before it can plug into the grid. This is what that list looks like in Montana right now.
Where every request ever filed here ended up
Most requests in the US are withdrawn — a developer tests a site and moves on. That is normal, not a warning sign for Montana.
What kind of power is asking to connect
By capacity requested. Data as of 14 October 2026.
All the numbers
525 requests ever filed
Source: the interconnection queues of every transmission provider operating in Montana. Parsed and normalised by Watt Street. Data as of 14 October 2026. A queued project is a request, not a commitment.
Waiting to connect, by type of power
| Type | Projects | Capacity requested |
|---|---|---|
| Wind | 16 | 7.1 GW |
| Solar | 14 | 2.6 GW |
| Hydro | 6 | 738 MW |
| Natural gas | 4 | 487 MW |
| Batteries | 1 | 100 MW |
| Solar + battery | 1 | 74 MW |
| Biomass | 3 | 8 MW |
Who runs the waiting list in Montana
Counties in Montana
29 with power on the waiting list
Every county with at least five requests on file. Open one to check an address, or see the schools near any mapped data center.
| County | Waiting | Capacity queued | Already built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheatland County | 8 | 3.2 GW | 159 MW |
| Rosebud County | 5 | 2.9 GW | 790 MW |
| Meagher County | 4 | 1.5 GW | 21 MW |
| Yellowstone County | 6 | 1.2 GW | 139 MW |
| Big Horn County | 3 | 608 MW | 112 MW |
| Stillwater County | 4 | 595 MW | 82 MW |
| Broadwater County | 2 | 160 MW | 0 MW |
| Cascade County | 1 | 70 MW | 54 MW |
| Lewis and Clark County | 3 | 19 MW | 30 MW |
| Flathead County | 4 | 9 MW | 0 MW |
| Gallatin County | 1 | 2 MW | 3 MW |
| Beaverhead County | 0 | 0 MW | 160 MW |
| Carbon County | 0 | 0 MW | 240 MW |
| Chouteau County | 0 | 0 MW | 2 MW |
| Dawson County | 0 | 0 MW | 0 MW |
| Deer Lodge County | 0 | 0 MW | 213 MW |
| Glacier County | 0 | 0 MW | 305 MW |
| Golden Valley County | 0 | 0 MW | 31 MW |
| Judith Basin County | 0 | 0 MW | 120 MW |
| Liberty County | 0 | 0 MW | 16 MW |
| Madison County | 0 | 0 MW | 4 MW |
| Missoula County | 0 | 0 MW | 0 MW |
| Pondera County | 0 | 0 MW | 0 MW |
| Roosevelt County | 0 | 0 MW | 128 MW |
| Sanders County | 0 | 0 MW | 54 MW |
Key dates for projects here
1 dated · next closes 2027-09-10 (MISO)
| Queue | What closes | Closes | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| MISO | MISO DPP-2026 Definitive Planning Phase application deadline Attachment X of the tariff and BPM-015. | 2027-09-10 | confirmed source |
| FERC | FERC large-load show cause — stakeholder comments on RTO responses Comments on the six RTO/ISO responses to the FPA section 206 show-cause orders of 18 June 2026 (PJM EL26-67, SPP EL26-68, NYISO EL26-69, MISO EL26-70… | No date published yet | unconfirmed source |
| FERC | FERC RM26-4 — generic large-load rulemaking Still at ANOPR stage. | No date published yet | confirmed source |
| FERC | Georgia PSC - Georgia Power must file large-load contracts 30 days before execution A standing obligation rather than a dated one: large-load contracts must be filed with the commission at least 30 days before they are executed. | No date published yet | confirmed source |
| SPP | SPP 2028 CPP Interconnection Cluster Study (ICS) application window Definitive Interconnection System Impact Study cluster, post Order 2023 compliance. | No date published yet | confirmed source |
A date marked confirmed was checked by a person against the authority's own tariff, order or form page. Anything else is listed so you know it exists, with a link so you can check it yourself. Full calendar.
Big new power users asking to connect
9 requests · 466 MW
Requests to connect large new customers — data centers, factories, electrification — rather than power plants.
| Request | Capacity | County | Status | Queue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Energy | 300 MW | Flathead County | withdrawn | BPA |
| Amnet | 70 MW | Flathead County | withdrawn | BPA |
| Four Mile Drive (Kalispell West) | 35 MW | Lincoln County | active | BPA |
| Whitefish Stage Road_HWY 40 | 35 MW | Flathead County | withdrawn | BPA |
| Montanore Mine | 26 MW | Lincoln County | withdrawn | BPA |
| Merchant Txm Line-Townsend | — | Jefferson County | withdrawn | BPA |
| Merchant Txm Line-Garrison | — | Powell County | withdrawn | BPA |
| Flathead Substation 230kV Bay | — | Flathead County | active | BPA |
| Kalispell Substation | — | Flathead County | withdrawn | BPA |
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