Montana Alberta Tie Ltd. (MATL) 230-KV Transmission Line MATL has proposed to construct an international 230-kV alternating current merchant (private) transmission line that would originate at the existing NorthWestern Energy (NWE) 230-kV Switchyard at Great Falls, Montana, and extend north to a new substation to be constructed northeast of Lethbridge, Alberta, crossing the U.S.-Canada international border north of Cut Bank, Montana (proposed Project). Approximately 130 miles of the 203-mile transmission line are proposed to be constructed in the U.S. The line would be constructed and owned by MATL, a private Canadian corporation owned by Tonbridge Power. The proposed line would be part of the Western Interconnection1 (western grid), and a phase shifting transformer would be installed at the substation near Lethbridge to control the direction of power flows on the line. In order to develop the proposed Project, MATL must obtain Federal and State authorizations.