Financial Model
Montana Class 17 property tax, 0% sales tax, and 15% seismic construction premium.
Property Tax
0.9%
Sales Tax
0%
Financial Projections
Revenue, OpEx, and NOI ($M)
Development Phase Progression
Revenue & Returns by Phase (100 MW Total)
Full CapEx Breakdown
100 MW Build-out ($M) - All Three Phases
CapEx Breakdown
Capital Expenditure Distribution
Strategic Interlock & Cash Flow Draw Schedule
| Month | Grid CapEx ($M) | DC CapEx ($M) | Narrative |
|---|---|---|---|
| M-01 | 20.0 (57%) | 2.0 | Interlock – wire interconnection to FEC/BPA. |
| M-03 | 2.0 | 10.0 | Design – engineering & deposits. |
| M-06 | 1.0 | 30.0 | Civil – grading, substation pad, conduit. |
| M-12 | 2.0 | 80.0 | Shell – steel erection, roof, floors. |
| M-18 | 5.0 | 100.0 | MEP – chillers, switchgear, generators. |
| M-22 | 5.0 | 20.0 | Energize – substation commissioning. |
| M-24 | 0 | 18.0 | Live – final retainage, tenant move‑in. |
Property Tax: Montana Class 17
Rate: 0.9% of market value. Qualification: >25,000 sq ft or >$50M investment. This is a statutory classification, not a negotiated incentive like Texas JETI—significantly simpler with no application process or clawback risk.
Sales Tax Advantage: 0%
Montana has no statewide sales tax. Impact: Saves ~6-8% on initial shell/core and every subsequent server hardware refresh. On a $100M hardware deployment, this is a $6M-$8M cash savings every 3-5 years. Over a 15-year project lifecycle, this compounds to exceed Texas property tax abatements.
Construction Premium: Seismic Category D
Expect a 10-15% premium on shell & core costs due to Seismic Design Category D requirements (Intermountain Seismic Belt). This includes additional steel, special bracing (SCBF), specialized foundations, and stricter inspections.
Labor Premium
Importation of skilled labor from Spokane, Seattle, or Salt Lake City will add travel/per-diem costs. Housing logistics for 800-1,000 construction workers in a market with <1% rental vacancy require "man camp" style temporary housing solutions.
No JETI-Style Incentives
Montana does not offer negotiated incentive packages like Texas JETI (Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation). However, the combination of 0% sales tax and 0.9% Class 17 property tax creates structural advantages that don't require annual compliance reporting or clawback risk.
Total Cost Comparison
While Montana construction costs run 10-15% higher due to seismic hardening and labor logistics, the long-term OpEx savings from power costs ($0.043/kWh energy), 98% free cooling, and tax structure create a favorable 10-year TCO for patient capital.