Your FAQs, Answered
Common Questions, Clear Answers
Here are the answers to some of the most-asked questions about SDC Montana.
Common inquiries regarding our data center development.
Sabey will pay for 100% of customer‑specific and dedicated interconnection facilities. NorthWestern Energy would provide service under filed tariffs or a Public Service Commission (PSC)‑approved contract, and Sabey would pay all applicable charges and riders. PSC decisions based on utility filings determine retail rates. Retail rates are set solely by the PSC, which evaluates costs across the entire system—including fuel, transmission, storms, maintenance, and new infrastructure—before determining any customer rates.
Data centers offer significant advantages over typical industrial, manufacturing or warehouse operations:
Minimal Traffic Impact: Data centers generate substantially fewer daily vehicle trips than typical industrial uses. With no constant freight activity, limited shift changes, and fewer deliveries, traffic levels are far lower than manufacturing, logistics or warehousing operations. neighborhood disruption.
Cleaner Operations: No continuous manufacturing emissions, no process wastewater, no hazardous material handling, and significantly lower environmental impacts than traditional industrial uses.
Better Jobs: High-wage technology positions paying 150% of county average with excellent benefits, versus typical warehouse or manufacturing wages.
Stable Long-Term: 20+ year operational commitment with highly durable tax base, unlike manufacturing facilities that may relocate or close during economic downturns.
Minimal Service Burden: Small employee count means minimal impact on roads, schools, emergency services and other public infrastructure compared to employment-intensive industries.
Data centers represent long-lived, capital-intensive infrastructure investments with multi-decade operational horizons. Multiple factors ensure long-term commitment:
Massive Fixed Investment: Several billions in buildings, cooling systems, backup power and technology infrastructure physically anchored to this specific site. Data centers cannot simply relocate—they represent multi-decade commitments to their communities.
Continuous Reinvestment: Technology equipment is regularly upgraded and refreshed every 3-5 years, generating ongoing construction activity, equipment purchases and associated tax revenue for the life of the project.
Growing Demand: Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, online services, remote work, telemedicine and digital education continue expanding rapidly. Data centers are essential infrastructure—like power plants or telecommunications networks—that modern society depends on.
Sabey’s Track Record: Sabey Data Centers’ facilities in the Seattle region have operated successfully for over 25 years, demonstrating consistent community partnership, reliable tax contributions, stable employment and positive economic impacts decade after decade.
This is infrastructure built for multi-decade operation, supported by ongoing reinvestment and long-term community partnership.
If you have more questions, please reach out through our contact form. We’re here to help and provide the information you need!
Common questions about the environmental effects of data centers
The current design is air‑first, closed-loop cooling that relies primarily on dry radiators. This approach dramatically reduces water use compared to traditional evaporative systems. Where water is used, we intend to utilize industrial (non‑potable) sources to protect municipal drinking supplies. As project design moves forward, Sabey is committed to working with the community to leverage a cooling operation that minimizes water use and maximizes efficiency.
If rare evaporative assist is needed during extreme weather, a small amount of permitted cooling‑system discharge may occur. This water is typical of cooling systems and may contain naturally occurring minerals from the source water and trace residuals of standard treatment agents used industry‑wide to prevent scale and corrosion. No oils, solvents, or process chemicals are introduced. Any such water would be routed to the publicly owned treatment works or authorized under a Montana DEQ permit, with monitoring to ensure permit limits (e.g., pH and disinfectant residual) are met.
Sabey funds and operates any required on‑site pretreatment and pays all applicable connection and user fees. Our baseline design remains air‑first, closed-loop cooling, which uses very little water in normal operation based on current design modeling, and prioritizes industrial (non‑potable) sources.
Exterior lighting will be full‑cutoff and down‑shielded, with controls such as dimming and motion sensors. Equipment yards are screened and building facades feature non‑reflective treatments. We will coordinate with nearby users during our design phase so lighting plans meet or exceed code and Dark‑Sky best practices.
Facilities are engineered to meet or surpass local noise requirements and/or industry standards and best practices. Typical measures include careful equipment selection and placement, acoustic enclosures, barriers/sound walls, silenced air‑handlers, and predictive modeling. A project‑specific noise study will be completed during permitting, with mitigation applied as needed.
Additionally, backup generators are tested during daytime hours only, with approximately 20 total hours of testing per year across all units. Actual outage usage is rare, typically less than once per year. Testing is scheduled during reasonable hours with advance notice to neighbors. Normal daily operations are designed to be significantly quieter than typical industrial or manufacturing facilities.
No. Once operational, data centers generate very low traffic compared to other industrial uses. Construction phases involve more activity but are temporary and coordinated to minimize disruption.
Sabey Data Centers is committed to designing and operating some of the most energy-efficient data centers in the industry. We leverage advanced cooling techniques (such as economization and liquid cooling) alongside high-efficiency power distribution and hardware. Our facilities are built to optimize Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) and maximize renewable energy integration wherever possible. By combining smart design, continuous monitoring and a focus on sustainability, we’re able to reduce energy consumption while maintaining top performance and reliability across all our campuses.
ENERGY STAR routinely scores Sabey data centers among the most efficient in the nation, and we are known for our insightful stewardship of other natural resources entrusted to us.
Common inquiries about data centers in the community
Construction Phase: Construction of a multi-phase campus typically generates hundreds of skilled trade jobs over many years, based on comparable Sabey developments. These roles include electricians, HVAC specialists, general contractors, equipment installers and other skilled trades. Sabey prioritizes local contractors and workforce participation whenever possible.
Permanent Operations: Each completed Sabey Data Centers building is operated by multiple full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs. These include positions such as data center technicians, network engineers, facilities managers and security personnel.
Indirect Jobs: National economic studies find that each direct data center job supports several additional jobs in the broader economy, reflecting construction, services and supply-chain activity.
All internal positions emphasize hiring from the local community and region wherever possible and prioritizes veterans per our Veteran First hiring policy.
Sabey Data Centers is committed to partnering with Montana schools, community colleges and trade programs to create clear career pathways:
Student Programs: Paid internships and apprenticeships for local high school and college students interested in technology infrastructure careers. Opportunities to gain real-world experience while still in school.
STEM Education: Employee engagement programs where data center professionals visit schools to introduce students to technology careers, demonstrate equipment and provide mentorship.
Technical Certification Programs: Partnerships with community colleges to develop data center technician certification programs. Many positions require technical training and certifications rather than four-year degrees.
Trade Partnerships: Our ongoing relationships with electrician, HVAC and facilities maintenance trade programs create pathways from vocational training to well-paying careers.
Career Advancement: Data center positions offer excellent opportunities for skill development, professional growth and advancement into supervisory and management roles over time.
Priority consideration for local candidates and veterans, per our Vets-First policy, for both construction and permanent positions.
Stronger Schools: Significant tax revenue supporting better teachers, programs, facilities and technology without raising residential property taxes.
Local Jobs: Dozens of high-wage permanent positions plus hundreds of indirect jobs in the broader economy, with priority hiring for community residents.
Public Services: A recession-resistant investment of several billion dollars will provide a stable tax base for schools, emergency services and public infrastructure for decades.
Career Pathways: Workforce development partnerships create opportunities for students and residents to access high-paying technology careers without moving away.
Business Growth: Local spending by construction workers and data center employees supports restaurants, retail, services, and more. This “halo effect” attracts complementary businesses.
Minimal Impact: Compared with typical industrial uses, a data center campus brings significantly less traffic, no continuous manufacturing emissions, tightly managed noise, efficient water-use systems and low-water, native landscaping designed to blend with the local environment.
Data centers typically have neutral to positive effects on nearby residential property values. Key factors:
Minimal Traffic Impact: Fewer daily vehicle trips than typical industrial uses means no congestion, noise or safety concerns from constant truck traffic.
No Retail Crowds: No public access, no customer traffic, no parking lot congestion—just controlled employee and maintenance vehicle access.
Professional Design: Extensive landscaping, green spaces, shielded lighting and architectural standards that minimize visual impact and maintain neighborhood character.
Economic Halo Effect: Attracts complementary quality businesses and technology companies, strengthening the local economy and increasing area desirability.
Stronger Tax Base: Improved school funding and public services without raising residential taxes supports property values throughout the community.
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