TAP208257
SubstationMontana · NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT)
At a glance
TAP208257 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 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #210001 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 5.0 mi |
| #210003 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 0.0 mi |
| #210004 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT) | — | 13.3 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of TAP208257, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HARLEM | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Blaine County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 1.1 yrs | 63.6 |
| OZ Blaine | Greenfield | MT | Blaine | — | — | 1.1 yrs | 61.4 |
| UNKNOWN208255 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Blaine County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 1.1 yrs | 57.3 |
| UNKNOWN208261 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Blaine County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 1.1 yrs | 57.0 |
| UNKNOWN208263 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Blaine County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 1.1 yrs | 57.0 |
| UNKNOWN208256 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Blaine County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 1.1 yrs | 56.9 |
| UNKNOWN208253 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Blaine County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 1.1 yrs | 56.3 |
| UNKNOWN208258 | Substation-Adjacent | MT | Blaine County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 1.1 yrs | 55.9 |
Who owns the transmission lines at TAP208257?
The 3 connected lines listed above are owned by NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT). Line voltages range from 69 kV to 69 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 18.3 miles.
How do candidate sites near TAP208257 score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 56 to 64 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Blaine County, Blaine. 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 TAP208257 substation?
TAP208257 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 TAP208257 is below the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to TAP208257 substation?
3 transmission lines terminate at or pass through TAP208257 in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 69 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 18.3 miles.
Who owns TAP208257 substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at TAP208257 belong to NORTHWESTERN ENERGY LLC - (MT). GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is TAP208257 substation located?
TAP208257 is in Montana at 48.5975, -108.7603. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Blaine County, Blaine.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near TAP208257 substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of TAP208257. The highest-scoring is HARLEM at 64/100. Across Montana, the average DC Readiness score is 54.3.
More in Montana
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, “TAP208257 substation, Montana”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/montana/tap208257-dd011357 (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 TAP208257 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.