Power
Power and the grid
75 MW energized
NorthWestern Energy grid (existing transmission service)Operating, no new contract
the site holds a reported 75 MW state permit and draws an unmetered amount; 2021 press put actual draw near 25 MW. NorthWestern told regulators the Butte data centers would run on Colstrip coal power from 2026 (press) Company · Oct. 2026
NorthWestern expansion supply (to 150 MW)Planned, not contracted
letter of intent for 75 MW from 2026 plus up to 75 MW more; a development agreement is signed, but no service agreement Company · Dec. 2024
Energized nowProposed
Not used, not on record, or dropped
- Basin Creek Solar (300 MW, proposed) Denied 2021, deada 300 MW, $250M solar array meant to power the site was denied by the county zoning board in July 2021; no reversal is documented Dataset · Oct. 2026
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- Dec. 19, 2024Letter of intentNorthWestern announces plans to supply Atlas: 75 MW starting 2026, growing by up to 75 MW. Company · Dec. 2024
- Feb. 13, 2026Development agreementNorthWestern says Atlas has moved from a letter of intent to a development agreement; the developers put up to about $500,000 into utility studies. News report · Feb. 2026
- March 2026Large-load tariff filedNorthWestern asks the commission for rules covering new loads of 5 MW or more, with minimum commitments and termination costs. see Permits
- April 30, 2026Service agreement still unsignedThe utility's quarterly filing says it is working to execute service agreements with its two developers; none is on record as of Oct. 18, 2026. see Permits
- Not setCommission decisionNo date is published for the tariff ruling or the consumer-group complaint. see Permits
- The letter of intent is sealed under a commission protective order, so its term, minimums and curtailment terms are not public. Court filing · Dec. 2025
- Atlas describes its sites as flexible load that can power down when the grid is tight. Company · Oct. 2026
Permits
Permits checklist
1 denied · 1 contested · 1 pending · 2 checked, nothing on file
Approvals a campus like this normally needs, and what we found.
- ✕Basin Creek Solar special use permit (separate solar project) DeniedButte-Silver Bow Zoning Board · July 2021: voted down for size, nearby homes and opposition; it was a 300 MW solar array meant to power the site, not the data center itself; no later approval found News report · July 2021
- !Complaint against serving data centers without a review ContestedMontana Public Service Commission · Nov. 17, 2025: nine groups ask the commission to bar service until it finds no harm to other customers Court filing · Nov. 2025
- ◷Large New Load Tariff Rule PendingMontana Public Service Commission · March 2026: would govern a future Atlas service agreement; the governor's energy office has asked to join the case Utility regulator · April 2026
- –Checked, nothing on file: Electric service agreement, Air permit
Risks
What could slow it down
- HighNo service agreementThe expansion depends on an electric service agreement that is unsigned and, for 50 MW or more, needs commission approval. see Permits
- HighRegulatory challengeConsumer and environmental groups want the commission to bar service until a no-harm finding is made, and the utility's tariff is still pending. see Permits
- MediumMostly crypto miningThe operator markets itself as a data center host, but its own job posting describes a cryptocurrency mining operation, so AI use is not established. News report · Oct. 2026
- MediumTimeline slippingUtility officials expected a service agreement by the end of Q2 2026; the Q1 filing still showed none, and later load is dated late 2027. News report · Feb. 2026
- WatchOwner historyThe site was shut in Dec. 2019 after its then-majority owner was indicted over a separate fraud case. News report · Jan. 2020
Lawsuits
1 case on record
- Filed Nov. 17, 2025; pending In re NorthWestern Energy's provision of electricity supply service to data centersMontana Public Service Commission (complaint by nine groups, counsel Earthjustice) Court filing · Nov. 2025seeks to bar service until the commission finds no harm to other customers, and asks for a data center customer class and large-load tariff
Money
Money on record
$500,000+
what the developers put into utility studies
per NorthWestern on its Feb. 2026 earnings call (press transcript) News report · Feb. 2026
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- 2018Site Mining starts at the former technology center as CryptoWatt News report · June 2021
- Dec. 2019Site Site shuts after its majority owner is indicted over a separate fraud case News report · Jan. 2020
- Jan. 27, 2020Site Operations resume under new ownership and are renamed Atlas Power News report · Jan. 2020
- July 2021Permits Zoning board rejects the 300 MW Basin Creek solar array meant to power the site News report · July 2021
- Dec. 19, 2024Power NorthWestern announces plans to supply 75 MW from 2026, growing up to 150 MW Company · Dec. 2024
- Nov. 17, 2025Legal Nine groups file a complaint with the state commission over NorthWestern's data center service Court filing · Nov. 2025
- Feb. 13, 2026Power NorthWestern says Atlas has moved to a development agreement News report · Feb. 2026
- March 2026Permits NorthWestern files its large-load tariff Utility regulator · April 2026
- June 18, 2026Permits Governor's energy office moves to join the tariff case State agency · June 2026
- 2027Power Combined 150 MW across the Atlas, Sabey and Quantica agreements expected from late 2027 (utility) SEC filing · April 2026
The buildings
Specs
624 MW Atlas' capacity across three sites in Montana, North Dakota and Kentucky; not this campus alone. Company · Oct. 2026
- Flexible load: interruptible Bitcoin mining and GPU hosting, multi-tenant Company · Oct. 2026
- Former tech center: the former Mike Mansfield Advanced Technology Center Dataset · Oct. 2026
- No air permit found: no state air permit for the campus was located Court filing · Nov. 2025
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Operator
- Atlas Power Group LLC: runs the site
- Atlas Power Holdings LLC: signed the development agreement with the utility
Utility and regulators
- NorthWestern Energy: supplier
- Montana Public Service Commission
- Montana DEQ Energy Office: joining the tariff case
History
- CryptoWatt: earlier operator
- Madison River Equity: sought the denied solar permit
Opponents
- Nine groups represented by Earthjustice
Still unknown
Open questions
- Whether a NorthWestern service agreement is signed and approved.
- Actual power drawn today (no metered figure).
- Whether any AI customer, rather than Bitcoin mining, uses the site.
- Commission ruling on the large-load tariff.
Where this comes from
102 records from 22 documents
Drawn from news reports, company statements, public and commercial datasets, court filings, securities filings, state agency records and utility regulator dockets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 10Company 5Dataset 4Court filing 2SEC filing 1State agency 1Utility regulator 1
Evidence
Every quote behind this page
Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.
Power (28)
- Campus name: Atlas Power Butte“announces plans to provide electric supply service to Altas Power Group at its Butte, Montana data center”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Developer: Atlas Power Group LLC“Atlas Power Group LLC (Atlas) is a specialized infrastructure company”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Operator: Atlas Power Group LLC“Its primary focus is developing and operating flexible/interruptible load, multi-tenant data center hosting across the U.S., primarily for Bitcoin mining and GPUaaS applications”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Operating model: Flexible/interruptible-load multi-tenant hosting, primarily Bitcoin mining and GPU-as-a-service; load can power down or dynamically adjust on grid demand“These sites can power down or dynamically adjust load when electrical demand spikes due to weather extremes, unplanned interruptions, or during times of inadequate power generation”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Utility: NorthWestern Energy (NorthWestern Corporation, subsidiary of NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc.)“NorthWestern Energy Group, inc. d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (Nasdaq: NWE) announces plans to provide electric supply service to Altas Power Group”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Power plan: grid“Atlas Power Group is a NorthWestern Energy transmission service customer today”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- IT capacity: not stated“Atlas currently has 624 MW of infrastructure capacity across its three hosting facilities located in Montana, North Dakota, and Kentucky”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Stated campus size: not stated“Atlas currently has 624 MW of infrastructure capacity across its three hosting facilities located in Montana, North Dakota, and Kentucky”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Construction stage: operating, existing facility in service; growth is a utility-supply expansion (new bundled supply tranche), with no new building construction documented in primary sources“we have signed development agreements with both Sabey Data Centers and Atlas Power Holdings LLC to provide electric supply services for data centers being developed in Montana”SEC filing · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Atlas Power portfolio (NOT campus MW): 624 MW of infrastructure capacity across three hosting facilities in Montana, North Dakota and Kentucky, per the operator's own site. Recorded here only, under the rule that portfol“Atlas currently has 624 MW of infrastructure capacity across its three hosting facilities located in Montana, North Dakota, and Kentucky”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- NorthWestern development-agreement portfolio (NOT campus MW): combined requirement across the Atlas, Sabey and Quantica development agreements is 150 MW beginning late 2027, growing to approximately 1,500 MW or more by 2“The combined energy service requirement associated with these development agreements is currently expected to be 150 megawatts beginning in late 2027, with growth of up to approximately 1,500 megawatts or more by 2030”SEC filing · April 2026 · grade B
- Original target date: Jan. 2026“NorthWestern also confirmed that it expected to meet Atlas Power Group's 75 megawatts load beginning in January 2026, with expected growth to 150 megawatts”Court filing · Nov. 2025 · grade B
- Regulatory jurisdiction: Montana PSC (state) governs electric supply service to retail loads of 5 MW or more under Mont. Code Ann. 69-8-201(1); Butte-Silver Bow (consolidated city-county) zoning board governs land-use sp“providing electricity supply service to retail customers with an average monthly demand load of equal to or greater than five megawatts unless the Commission first determines that the provision of such service will not adversely impact the utility's other customers”Court filing · Nov. 2025 · grade B
- Project status: operating - existing facility operating today (Atlas is a NorthWestern Energy transmission service customer today); the new 75 MW supply load beginning 2026 is an expansion of service to the operating fac“Atlas Power Group is a NorthWestern Energy transmission service customer today.”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Utility service: 75 MW“The new energy supply load is expected to be 75 megawatts beginning in 2026, with forecasted growth of up to another 75 megawatts in the subsequent three to five years.”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Utility: NorthWestern Energy - transmission service customer today; new electric supply service planned from 2026, with a development agreement signed by Q1 2026“announces plans to provide electric supply service to Altas Power Group at its Butte, Montana data center.”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Utility service: 75 MW“The new energy supply load is expected to be 75 megawatts beginning in 2026, with forecasted growth of up to another 75 megawatts in the subsequent three to five years”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Utility service: 150 MW“The new energy supply load is expected to be 75 megawatts beginning in 2026, with forecasted growth of up to another 75 megawatts in the subsequent three to five years”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Site history: Occupies the former Mike Mansfield Advanced Technology Center, about 6 miles southeast of Butte; originally owned by Cryptowatt, later acquired by Atlas Power after closure and reopening“The Atlas Power: Butte cryptocurrency mining and data processing center occupies the former Mike Mansfield Advanced Technology Center about 6 miles southeast of Butte, Montana.”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- State-permitted consumption is up to 75 MW, while actual power consumption has been reported as low as 25 MW after the facility switched from Bitcoin to Ethereum mining - evidence that the queue's 150 MW is not the exist“The State of Montana has permitted the operation to consume up to 75 MW, yet it has been reported that upon the facility changing from mining Bitcoin to mining Ethereum, actual power consumption has been as low as 25 MW.”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- The Basin Creek Solar Project, proposed to power and scale the Atlas facility to as much as 300 MW, was denied a conditional use permit; the 300 MW was a proposed solar project figure, never campus generation“Montana's biggest solar farm -- the Basin Creek Solar Project -- was proposed near Butte to power and scale the Atlas Power facility to as much as 300 MW”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Site history: Former Mike Mansfield Advanced Technology Center; mining operation began 2018 as CryptoWatt; shut down Dec 2019 after majority owner Matthew Goettsche was indicted in the BitClub Network case; reopened Jan“he switched over to crypto by 2018 when the mining operation fired up at the Atlas Power project (which was initially called CryptoWatt)”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Stage: operating“Atlas Power also operates a site in Butte”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Reported existing draw: Global Energy Monitor puts the facility's maximum power consumption at 75 MW, and a 2026 mining-inventory review describes about 75 MW operating. No metered or contracted current-draw figure exist“an operating cryptocurrency and data processing center located near Butte, Montana, USA, with a maximum power consumption of 75 MW”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- On-site generation: not stated“A Montana zoning board voted down a special use permit to build a $250 million, 300 MW solar array in Butte”News report · July 2021 · grade C
- CryptoWatt begins cryptocurrency mining at the former Mike Mansfield Advanced Technology Center southeast of Butte, in the site later renamed Atlas Power.“he switched over to crypto by 2018 when the mining operation fired up at the Atlas Power project (which was initially called CryptoWatt)”News report · June 2021 · grade C
- Atlas plans eight additional GPU buildings and the 300 MW Basin Creek Solar array to use its full reported 75 MW state permit; actual draw had fallen to about 25 MW after the switch from Bitcoin ASICs to Ethereum GPUs.“the end game for the project would be for Atlas Power to buy the solar array to power its mining operations, for which it has a 75 megawatt permit from the state”News report · June 2021 · grade C
- Operations resume under part-owner Kevin Washington and operator Rick Tabish after litigation moved to federal court transferred ownership to Washington; the project is renamed Atlas Power.“part-owner Kevin Washington and operator Rick Tabish started up crypto mining business CryptoWatt once again”News report · Jan. 2020 · grade C
Money and contracts (20)
- Tenants: Multi-tenant hosting customers (Bitcoin mining and GPUaaS); no named anchor tenant disclosed in any primary source“developing and operating flexible/interruptible load, multi-tenant data center hosting across the U.S., primarily for Bitcoin mining and GPUaaS applications”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Tenant status: Hosting operator with unnamed customers; no third-party anchor tenant identified“multi-tenant data center hosting across the U.S., primarily for Bitcoin mining and GPUaaS applications”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Proposed tariff, Large New Load Rule (Docket 2026.04.023): term / minimum commitment“NorthWestern Energy's filing, submitted March 31, 2026, proposes minimum service commitments, demand and energy billing requirements, performance assurance and collateral, and termination cost provisions for qualifying large new loads”State agency · June 2026 · grade B
- Proposed tariff, Large New Load Rule (Docket 2026.04.023): termination“proposes minimum service commitments, demand and energy billing requirements, performance assurance and collateral, and termination cost provisions for qualifying large new loads”State agency · June 2026 · grade B
- Proposed tariff, Large New Load Rule (Docket 2026.04.023): condition“For the largest customers, the tariff would require individual service agreements to be reviewed and approved by the PSC”State agency · June 2026 · grade B
- Current target date: not stated“We are working with each of these parties to execute electric service agreements”SEC filing · April 2026 · grade B
- Development Agreement: scope“we have signed development agreements with both Sabey Data Centers and Atlas Power Holdings LLC to provide electric supply services for data centers being developed in Montana”SEC filing · April 2026 · grade B
- Development Agreement: condition“We are working with each of these parties to execute electric service agreements”SEC filing · April 2026 · grade B
- Electric Service Agreement (not executed): missing-clause finding“for the largest commitments, 50 megawatts or greater, we would file the executed Electric Service Agreement with the MPSC for review and approval before service begins”SEC filing · April 2026 · grade B
- development agreement - electric supply services: signed development agreement to provide electric supply services; the parties are working to execute electric service agreements“we have signed development agreements with both Sabey Data Centers and Atlas Power Holdings LLC to provide electric supply services for data centers being developed in Montana”Company · April 2026 · grade B
- Letter of Intent, electric supply service: missing-clause finding“On December 2, 2025, the Commission granted NorthWestern's request for a protective order. Dkt. No. 2022.09.087, Index #41, Protective Order 8040 (Dec. 2. 2025)”Court filing · Dec. 2025 · grade B
- letter of intent - electric supply service: new energy supply load of 75 MW beginning 2026, with forecasted growth of up to another 75 MW in the subsequent three to five years 75 MW (new supply load, 2026)“The new energy supply load is expected to be 75 megawatts beginning in 2026, with forecasted growth of up to another 75 megawatts in the subsequent three to five years.”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Letter of Intent, electric supply service: scope 75 MW“The new energy supply load is expected to be 75 megawatts beginning in 2026, with forecasted growth of up to another 75 megawatts in the subsequent three to five years”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Letter of Intent, electric supply service: growth / expansion 150 MW“with forecasted growth of up to another 75 megawatts in the subsequent three to five years”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Letter of Intent, electric supply service: condition“Atlas Power Group is a NorthWestern Energy transmission service customer today”Company · Dec. 2024 · grade B
- Power Purchase Agreement (predecessor, historical): scope 64 MW“Cryptowatt signed a 64 MW Power Purchase Agreement with Portland General Electric, which distributes power from the Colstrip Steam Plant near Colstrip, Montana”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Development Agreement: study-cost condition 500000 USD (upwards of, per developer pair)“They put upwards of $500,000 of investment, if you will, for all the studies that are necessary that we need to complete as a utility”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- NorthWestern Q4 2025 earnings call: Atlas had moved from a letter of intent to a development agreement and was moving faster than Sabey; management expected at least one of the two ESAs by the end of Q2 2026, a mileston“We have moved from an LOI to a development agreement, and they have been moving much, much quicker”News report · Feb. 2026 · grade C
- Proposed purchase (never closed): scope 300 MW“Atlas Power's owners planned buy the Basin Creek Solar Project to power the data center”News report · July 2021 · grade C
- Facility shuts down after majority owner Matthew Goettsche is arrested and indicted over the separate BitClub Network scheme (alleged $722 million fraud); the mine itself was not the charged conduct.“Authorities closed down CryptoWatt after jailing its owner, Matthew Goettsche, on a separate fraud account totaling $722 million”News report · Jan. 2020 · grade C
Permits and government (11)
- Large New Load Tariff Rule application: Application filed; docket received“2026.04.023 NorthWestern Energy Application for Large New Load Tariff Rule”Utility regulator · April 2026 · grade A
- Montana Public Service Commission (Business Meeting): Agenda No. 2026.04.14, new regulatory dockets received, incl. 2026.04.023 NorthWestern Energy Application for Large New Load Tariff Rule“New Regulatory Dockets Received in the Past Week: 2026.04.023 NorthWestern Energy Application for Large New Load Tariff Rule”Utility regulator · April 2026 · grade A
- Intervention in tariff proceeding: State intervention announced“DEQ's Energy Office is requesting to participate as a party in the PSC proceeding under the Commission's intervention rule”State agency · June 2026 · grade B
- Protective order: Granted“On December 2, 2025, the Commission granted NorthWestern's request for a protective order. Dkt. No. 2022.09.087, Index #41, Protective Order 8040 (Dec. 2. 2025)”Court filing · Dec. 2025 · grade B
- Electric supply service, complaint proceeding: Complaint filed“Complainants request that the Commission inform NorthWestern that it shall not provide electricity supply service to large load customers until the Commission determines that the provision of such service will not adversely impact the utility's other customers”Court filing · Nov. 2025 · grade B
- conditional use permit: Denied“The conditional use permit for the proposed solar project was denied by the Butte Zoning Board as a result of strong public opposition”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Nine nonprofit groups petitioned the Montana Public Service Commission (Nov 2025) to impose rules on NorthWestern Energy so existing customers do not bear data center infrastructure costs; the petition coverage restates“Nine groups working on energy, conservation, social justice and affordability issues on Tuesday asked the Public Service Commission to impose rules on NorthWestern”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- NorthWestern told the PSC it does not intend to disclose information on impacts to existing customers before it begins providing service to data centers as early as January 2026, the posture the November 2025 complaint“In September, NorthWestern informed the PSC that it does not intend to disclose information on impacts to existing customers before it begins providing service to data centers as early as January 2026”News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
- Montana PSC inquiry: NorthWestern responded to PSC questions about its data-center plans, stating the two Butte-area data centers' power would be supplied from the Colstrip plant starting in 2026, when NorthWestern acqui“All of the power to those two data centers will be supplied from the Colstrip coal-fired power plant in Montana starting in the year 2026”News report · 2025 · grade C
- Special use permit, solar array: Denied“A Montana zoning board voted down a special use permit to build a $250 million, 300 MW solar array in Butte”News report · July 2021 · grade C
- Butte-Silver Bow Zoning Board: Basin Creek Solar Project special use permit (Madison River Equity LLC), 300 MW solar array proposed to power the Atlas Power campus“Madison River Equity LLC sought the special use permit for the 1,600-acre solar array known as the Basin Creek Solar Project”News report · July 2021 · grade C
Legal (1)
- Atlas's own recruiting material describes the site-lead role at its operations (work locations include Butte, MT) as work in a cryptocurrency mining operation, even as the company markets itself as a data-center hosting“As a Site Lead in a cryptocurrency mining operation, your primary responsibilities will be to: Manage a team of shift leads and all aspects of operations throughout the site”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Site and other (6)
- State: Montana“at its Butte, Montana data center”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- City: Butte“at its Butte, Montana data center”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- County code: 30093“Butte is a consolidated city-county in and the county seat of Silver Bow County, Montana, United States.”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Site address: 200 Technology Way, Butte, MT 59701“Location: 200 Technology Way, Butte, MT 59701”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Operator type: own-use operator - flexible-load data center hosting: cryptocurrency mining plus machine learning and other data processing“In addition to mining cryptocurrency, the facility also performs machine learning and other data processing services.”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Address: 200 Technology Way, Butte, MT 59701“Location: 200 Technology Way, Butte, MT 59701”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C