KERR
SubstationMontana · NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT)
At a glance
KERR is an electric transmission substation in Montana, on NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT)'s transmission network. It is classified as distribution (69–115 kv) and connects 6 transmission lines. Substation proximity is one of the strongest speed-to-power signals for siting a datacenter — interconnection distance to an energized, high-voltage bus is often the binding constraint on time-to-energization.
Voltage & classification
Ownership
Connected transmission lines
Lines terminating at or passing through this substation, by HIFLD line ID, highest voltage first.
| Line ID | Voltage | Owner | Status | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #206768 | 161 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 0.4 mi |
| #206929 | 161 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 0.4 mi |
| #202310 | 115 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 56.2 mi |
| #202308 | 115 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 57.0 mi |
| #206930 | 115 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 0.4 mi |
| #201219 | 115 kV | BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION | — | 12.8 mi |
| #202760 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 11.6 mi |
| #202865 | 69 kV | MISSION VALLEY POWER | — | 4.7 mi |
| #209178 | 69 kV | MISSION VALLEY POWER | — | 2.9 mi |
| #202312 | 69 kV | MISSION VALLEY POWER | — | 5.0 mi |
| #202313 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 34.7 mi |
| #202316 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 56.4 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of KERR, ranked by DC Readiness. Sites this close to an energized substation carry a strong speed-to-power advantage.
| Site | Type | State | County | Voltage | Capacity | Queue wait | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOT SPRINGS | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Lake County | 500 kV | 1,000 MW | 1.1 yrs | 65.8 |
| TAP203507 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Lake County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 1.1 yrs | 62.6 |
| UNKNOWN202690 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Flathead County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 1.1 yrs | 60.8 |
| RAVALLI | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Missoula County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 1.1 yrs | 59.0 |
| KERR | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Lake County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 1.1 yrs | 58.5 |
| TAP207788 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Lake County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 1.1 yrs | 58.2 |
| TAP207791 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Lake County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 1.1 yrs | 58.1 |
| TAP205607 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Lake County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 1.1 yrs | 58.1 |
How does KERR compare with other substations in Montana?
Montana has 1,211 substation records in HIFLD, of which 149 carry a station name; the rest are unnamed tap points, risers and line ends. 58 named substations in the state are in KERR's 69–114 kV band (39% of named stations). 84 sit in a higher band. 5 named substations in Montana operate at 345 kV or above. The highest voltage recorded in the state is 500 kV, and the state median is 115 kV.
Who owns the transmission lines at KERR?
The 12 connected lines listed above are owned by NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT), BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION, MISSION VALLEY POWER. Line voltages range from 69 kV to 161 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 242.4 miles.
How do candidate sites near KERR score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 58 to 66 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Lake County, Flathead County, Missoula County. The Montana average across 2,542 scored sites is 54.3. 815 of those Montana sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is KERR substation?
KERR has a maximum voltage of 69 kV. That places it in the 69–114 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so KERR is below the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to KERR substation?
6 transmission lines terminate at or pass through KERR in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 161 kV, 115 kV, 69 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 242.4 miles.
Who owns KERR substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at KERR belong to NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT), and others to MISSION VALLEY POWER, BONNEVILLE POWER ADMINISTRATION. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is KERR substation located?
KERR is in Montana at 47.6782, -114.2460. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Lake County, Flathead County, Missoula County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near KERR substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of KERR. The highest-scoring is HOT SPRINGS at 66/100. Across Montana, the average DC Readiness score is 54.3.
Other 69 kV substations in Montana
- APPLEWAY· 3 lines
- FORT BENTON· 3 lines
- LEWISTOWN NO. 1· 3 lines
- NINEPIPE· 3 lines
- REED POINT· 3 lines
- THOMPSON FALLS· 3 lines
- WHITEFISH· 3 lines
- BANNACK· 2 lines
- All named substations in Montana· 149 stations
- Datacenter candidate sites in Montana· 2,542 sites
- Brownfield and retired plant sites in Montana
- Substations by state
About this data
Source: HIFLD Electric Substations and Transmission Lines (U.S. Department of Homeland Security), as published June 29, 2026. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: GridCensus, “KERR substation, Montana”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/montana/kerr-7b14e4d1 (data as of June 29, 2026).
Dataset updated . Screening estimates derived from public data sources.
Substation attributes are derived from public HIFLD / EIA infrastructure data and may lag real-world upgrades or retirements. Voltage and connected-line counts are screening figures — confirm available capacity and interconnection terms directly with the operating utility and ISO.
Go deeper than the public screen
Every site and score for KERR substation, Montana is free to browse. Pro adds Watchtower on 25 sites, alerts when new candidate sites, datacenters or interconnection-queue requests appear in your markets, score and capacity history, and CSV export. Enterprise adds team seats, weekly data files for all 147,272 sites, the REST API and an MCP server for AI tools.