Quantica Infrastructure, LLC (Quantica), developer of integrated digital infrastructure combining power, connectivity, and land, that is sponsored by EnCap Investments L.P. (“EnCap”), filed interconnection applications with North Western Energy to expand power generation for its 1,100 MW Big Sky Campus in Yellowstone County. The expanded power is designed to support potential long-term customer demand at the Campus while supporting regional grid reliability. Quantica anticipates delivering this capacity in multiple phases over several years, aligned with customer commitments and regulatory approvals.
Quantica’s filing marks the starting point of North Western Energy’s formal interconnection review, which must begin years in advance of construction. The applications cover a mix of 7,235 MW of maximum additional capacity, including renewable and firming generation, plus battery storage. The output of electricity from renewable generation is materially less than its maximum potential megawatt capacity. Generation proposals of this scale undergo a thorough process and review to ensure system reliability for the state.
“Quantica will pay for the additional power capacity for the Big Sky Digital Infrastructure Campus in Montana. North Western Energy’s ratepayers will not be responsible for the cost of the power. As a Billings resident, I appreciate this approach and it’s important to me that my neighbors don’t foot the bill for our project,” says Charlie Baker, Chief Accounting Officer of Quantica Infrastructure. “Developed by Montanans and grounded in local priorities, this project is designed to advance statewide economic opportunity while responsibly safeguarding communities and minimizing negative impacts to Montana’s citizens.”
As part of our commitment to develop responsibly and aligning with the Montana way of life, Big Sky Digital Infrastructure has engaged in preliminary discussions with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality on various permitting requirements for the Campus and associated generation, including firming power like natural gas, geothermal and other potential sources.
“Data center companies are looking for places that can deliver power, connectivity, and building capacity at scale. By investing in additional capacity now, we plan to address what we’re seeing in terms of power demand from data center companies. This expansion significantly increases our total investment in Montana, and the additional power capacity would result in even more economic opportunity, construction jobs over several years, and strengthen the State’s power grid,” says John Chesser, CEO of Quantica Infrastructure.
The Big Sky Campus is a 5,100-acre data center development project located 30 miles north of Billings, strategically positioned adjacent to a major substation, highways, and rail. The site is designed to support multiple data center buildings and can accommodate the proposed increase in power capacity without requiring expansion at the campus. The first building is expected to be operational in 2029. The campus will be connected to hundreds of miles of new fiber-ready underground conduit, linking the Big Sky Digital Infrastructure Campus to other markets across the US, and providing robust connectivity to local communities. The campus also features a large-scale, renewable energy plan and battery storage, providing a resilient power mix for the campus.
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