Black Hills Corp.

NorthWestern Energy’s resource plan gets criticisms for ignoring data centers

NorthWestern Energy's long-term energy plan is drawing criticism from the public and advocacy groups for failing to adequately address climate change, suppress fossil fuels, and properly account for the impact of data centers on consumer electricity bills. Stakeholders are urging the Montana Public Service Commission to identify deficiencies in the plan, which they say could lead to increased costs for Montanans due to data center demand. Draft consumer protection legislation is also being developed for the 2027 session.