Krambu could open Bonner data center within months

An Idaho-based computer company, Krambu, is proposing to establish a data center at the former Bonner mill in Missoula County, Montana. The project, which could see an initial 1-megawatt phase operational by June, has generated significant community interest and concern. Over 100 residents attended an informational meeting organized by the grassroots group Friends of 2 Rivers, where questions about noise and particularly water usage became heated. Krambu CEO Steven Wood and electrical engineer Amber Orr discussed plans for procuring up to 3 megawatts initially from a renewable energy source, contracting with NorthWestern Energy for transmission. Orr stated the system would be closed-loop and use approximately 500 gallons of water per megawatt, drawing from the mill's well. However, if the data center expands to a potential 100 megawatts as suggested by earlier company documents, water rights could become an issue, requiring 50,000 gallons. Missoula County officials, including Climate Action Program manager Svein Newman and planner Jennie Dixon, noted the county's past experience with a bankrupt bitcoin miner, Hyperblock, which consumed a third of Missoula's daily power. This led to 2022 regulations requiring new computer operations to provide their own renewable energy. Dixon confirmed the county has not yet received a final application from Krambu but indicated a preliminary understanding of a 10-megawatt plan, conflicting with Orr's 3-megawatt figure. A county land-use board meeting is scheduled for May 6 for a special exception review related to noise standards, with residents expected to enforce zoning regulations on a complaint basis.