Public Service Commission can’t keep data center information secret, says group

A coalition of environmental groups is challenging a decision by the Montana Public Service Commission to allow NorthWestern Energy to keep information about data center deals secret. The groups argue the information should be public, as it impacts ratepayers, and that NorthWestern has not sufficiently proven the information qualifies as trade secrets. The controversy centers around NorthWestern's letters of intent with three data center developers - Atlas Power Group, Sabey Data Center Properties, and Quantica Infrastructure - which have proposed projects in Butte and outside of Billings. NorthWestern wants to keep the details of these agreements private, but the groups say this violates Montana's right-to-know laws.