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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
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During wildfire season, NorthWestern Energy takes proactive steps to ensure safety while balancing reliability. These prevention measures and response activities can result in power outages. NorthWestern makes the electric system more sensitive to potential hazards, such as a tree touching a line, and then automatically turns off power to prevent fires. The resulting outage is unplanned.
A Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is a measure of last resort to protect our communities from potential wildfires. Public Safety Power Shutoffs are used only extreme situations during severe fire weather. PSPS are planned outages with advance communications to the area that will be impacted. Our Wildfire Mitigation Plan includes numerous strategies to prevent our power lines from sparking a wildfire. Public Safety Power Shutoffs are used only in extreme situations during severe fire weather.
Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings make the electric system more sensitive to potential hazards and automatically turn off power to reduce the risk of sparking a fire.
In normal conditions, NorthWestern Energy uses devices called “automatic reclosers”. These devices will attempt to reconnect the power when confronted with a hazard, such as a tree branch brushing against a line, in case the hazard is no longer an issue. When EPSS are enabled, the reclosers’ settings are changed to no longer attempt to reconnect power to protect against potential sparks. Enabling EPSS helps keep you safe, but this also means that customers in these areas may experience more frequent unplanned power outages.
Get an email or text notification when your bill is ready, a payment is due or more.
Login to My Energy Account and select “Notifications” from the menu. If you aren’t registered for My Energy Account, sign up today! It’s free and easy.
Get an email or text notification if your power goes out, when it is restored and more.
Login to My Energy Account and select “Notifications” from the menu. If you aren’t registered for My Energy Account, sign up today! It’s free and easy.
The Electric Technical Advisory Committee (ETAC) is established under Montana Code Annotated § 69-3-1208 and the Administrative Rules of Montana 38.5.2023. It serves as an advisory body to NorthWestern Energy, providing input and recommendations on various issues related to our electricity system, particularly in the areas of portfolio planning, resource management and procurement as part of the development of the integrated resource plan (IRP) process.
Planning construction? A new build or a remodel? Demolition or an addition? We can help you move existing utility lines or install new ones. Visit our Construction Application for your service area and apply online or learn more about our Construction Services.
We offer many ways to connect with us:
During a Public Safety Power Shutoff, NorthWestern Energy will shut off power to certain lines in areas where wildfire risk is unacceptably high due to extreme weather conditions. This is done proactively before a wildfire starts burning.
This is different than a rolling blackout, when power is shutoff to stabilize the grid during periods of peak demand.
Be sure NorthWestern Energy has your current phone number and email address. Update your contact information by logging in to My Energy Account or by calling us at 888-467-2669.
Make a plan:
Stay safe if the power goes out:
Learn more about Public Safety Power Shutoffs
If you will be impacted by a potential Public Safety Power Shutoff, NorthWestern Energy will notify you directly multiple times throughout the process. You will receive an automated phone call and email from us before power is turned off and after it is restored.
However, we can only contact you if we have your correct contact information. Update your contact information by logging in to My Energy Account or by calling us at 888-467-2669.
NorthWestern Energy will also post information on our website and social media accounts about Public Safety Power Shutoffs. For the most up-to-date information during an event, visit NorthWesternEnergy.com.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs can vary in length. We will not restore power until weather conditions have improved to the point where we can safely operate the electrical grid. After the extreme weather conditions have passed, we will patrol electrical lines to make sure no branches, trees or other items have fallen into the lines. Once any damage has been repaired, NorthWestern Energy will restore power. A Public Safety Power Shutoff, plus the time to patrol and make repairs, could last several hours or even days. If storm damage occurs, restoration could take longer.
At least 48 hours before most Public Safety Power Shutoffs, NorthWestern Energy will notify customers who may be impacted. We will continue to update our customers as we monitor the situation and determine whether a power shutoff is necessary. Before power is turned off, all impacted customers will be contacted via phone and email (if we have your email address on file). Power will remain off until weather conditions have improved to the point where we can safely operate the electrical grid.
Customers will also be notified when their power has been restored.
Be sure NorthWestern Energy has your current phone number and email address. Update your contact information by logging in to My Energy Account or by calling us at 888-467-2669.
All customers should be prepared for outages, including Public Safety Power Shutoffs. Public Safety Power Shutoffs are most likely to occur where homes and other structures are built in wildfire-prone areas. This can include forested areas on the outskirts of larger towns or cities, or rural forested areas. However, a Public Safety Power Shutoff could also be needed near prairies, grasslands and farms. The least likely place to have a Public Safety Power Shutoff is in a populated, urban area.
Date: Jan 27, 2026
TYPE: News
NorthWestern Energy Vice President Distribution Jason Merkel
Montanans deserve straight answers about data centers and what their arrival could mean for our energy system. Questions raised recently are fair ones, and I appreciate the opportunity to address them directly. At NorthWestern Energy, our commitment is—and will remain—protecting the customers and communities we already serve.
It’s important to be candid about what will—and will not—take place if new large‑load customers, including data centers, enter our system.
What Will Not Happen
Your reliability will not suffer.
We will not connect any customer whose energy demand compromises the reliability Montana families and businesses depend on. For us, reliability is not negotiable.
Your rates will not increase to pay for someone else’s infrastructure.
Under the Large Load Tariff we will propose, new high‑demand customers must pay the their fair share of the cost of the transmission, generation, and distribution upgrades they require. They will also post security deposits and pay exit fees if they leave before those costs are recovered. These tools protect existing customers from stranded or shifted costs.
There will be no hidden discounts or special deals at your expense.
Rates for large-load customers are set in a public process through the Montana Public Service Commission. They are not privately negotiated and cannot be used to subsidize big customers at the expense of residential ratepayers.
Montana doesn’t need to repeat the mistakes made in other states. With guardrails crafted for Montana’s interests, we can ensure those outcomes won’t happen here.
NorthWestern Energy Montana energy rates are already below the national average – this framework is designed to keep them that way
What Will Happen
Transparent, predictable rules.
The proposed Large Load Tariff will create a clear framework for new large-load customers. It will provide regulatory certainty and ensure accountability.
Fairness across all customer classes.
Our responsibility is ensuring that new large‑load customers cover the costs they create. That is guiding how we develop this tariff and plan for the future.
Potential long‑term benefits for residential customers.
When large load customers pay their full share, and when our system is used more efficiently, the overall cost can be shared across more customers. While no energy company can predict future rates with certainty, it’s realistic that residential customers may benefit over time from the growth they are not being asked to subsidize.
Economic opportunity for Montana communities.
Data centers—and the industries that support them—bring long-term investment, local tax revenue, and good-paying jobs. With careful planning and strong safeguards, we can grow our economy without compromising fairness or reliability.
Working From Shared Priorities
Ms. Kirk calls for three things: fair rules, transparency, and protection for everyday people.
We agree with all three.
The purpose of the Large Load Tariff is to ensure exactly that—before new customers connect, not after problems arise. The concerns she raised are not criticisms we reject; they are priorities we share.
Montana has the advantage of learning from states where rapid growth outpaced regulation. We will not repeat those mistakes.
Moving Forward Together
Montana does not face a choice between protecting customers and supporting new economic opportunities. With the right safeguards—and we are putting them in place—Montana can do both.
We will continue moving forward with transparency, accountability, and a focus on long‑term value for the customers and communities we serve.
I appreciate the engagement from consumer advocates, local leaders, and Montanans across the state—those conversations strengthen our decisions.
Montana customers come first, today and as our energy future evolves.
Last post : 12/1/2025
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