NorthWestern Energy

Regulatory Environment

Federal

• Public utility as defined within the Federal Power Act
• Subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations

Montana

• Regulated by the Montana Public Service Commission
• Customers have choice of electric and natural gas suppliers; NorthWestern Energy is the  supplier for customers who have not chosen an alternative supplier.
• Nonexclusive municipal franchises to transport and distribute natural gas in the Montana communities we serve
• Recover electricity and natural gas purchases through a monthly cost tracking process as approved by the Montana Public Service Commission   
    Click here to view current rates in Montana.  
• General rate filing to the Montana Public Service Commission seeking approval to change several components of our delivery services charges for Montana electricity and natural gas customers
    Click here to download the general rate filing documents.  
• Electric Supply Resource Procurement Plan filed biannually with Montana Public Service Commission; electric supply tracker filed annually.   
    Click here to download the 2009 Electric Plan. 
    Click here to download the 2010 Electric Tracker.  
• Natural Gas Supply Resource Procurement Plan filed biannually with Montana Public Service Commission; natural gas supply tracker filed annually.
    Click here to download the 2009 Natural Gas Plan. 
    Click here to download the 2010 Natural Gas Tracker. 

South Dakota

• Regulated by the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission  
    Click here to view the Energy Efficiency Program Plan recently submitted to the South Dakota PUC.  
• Exclusive right to serve assigned electric service areas and nonexclusive municipal franchises to serve cities with natural gas
• Electric business operates as a vertically integrated generation, transmission and distribution utility. Bundled packages of generation, transmission, distribution, meter reading, billing and other services
• Competition exists for natural gas supply 
• Fuel adjustment clauses in electric and natural gas rate tariffs allow us to pass commodity costs through to our customers
    Click here to view current rates in South Dakota.

Nebraska

• Regulated by the Nebraska Public Service Commission
• Nonexclusive municipal franchises to serve cities with natural gas
• Competition exists for natural gas supply
• Fuel adjustment clauses in natural gas rate tariffs allow us to pass commodity costs through to our customers  
    Click here to view current rates in Nebraska.

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