HomeMy WebLinkAboutNarrative and Questions of The Planning Committee N.W.E. Riverside Substation Tower Addition (Site Plan)Supplemental Narrative and Questions of The Planning Committee
NorthWestern Energy’s Conceptual Review Application for
Installation of a Substation Tower for Communications
NorthWestern Energy’s Bozeman Riverside Substation
Supplemental Narrative
This substation tower will be used by NorthWestern Energy for RF communications to and from our
substation facility for NorthWestern’s private internal networks in support of Operations, Monitoring
and Control of our Electrical Transmission and Distribution system. Future uses may include RF
communications in support of Operations, Monitoring and Control of NorthWestern’s Natural Gas
Transmission and Distribution System, our AMI (Automated Metering Infrastructure) project as well as
other needs for Technology Support by our Company.
This substation tower is an addition to the substation structures already in place. Given that this
substation tower is physically inside the secured fenced substation property, NorthWestern cannot
grant access for public or 3rd party carriers or mobile carriers (for co-location purposes) due to
NorthWestern’s Physical and Cyber Security Policies.
Compliance with both Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) requirements has been met. The substation tower does not require registration nor
requires any obstruction lighting given the height. The microwave communications hop is licensed with
the FCC.
Questions
The following constitute the questions (at this time) to the City of Bozeman Planning Commission by
NorthWestern Energy in regards to our CONR application for a Substation Tower Addition at our
Bozeman Riverside Substation:
1. Since the substation tower cannot be granted access by 3rd party carriers (as outlined above),
can NorthWestern be granted an exemption to the permit process and proceed with erection of
this substation tower?
2. Our current requirements for the installation of this tower and the microwave hop are the week
of 07-November-2020. This is in support of the planned Energization of the Substation
Transmission improvements project at this substation. Given this project schedule, which is
contractor and resource limitation driven, can the application be fast tracked and granted
construction to meet this deadline?