Understanding Your Bill

Utility bills can be complicated - with all the abbreviations, industry jargon, regulatory requirements and tiny print - it’s no wonder that most customers only look at the amount due each month. But the more you know about your energy use, the better you’ll be able to manage it. Learn more about the separate pieces that make up your bill and information about how we manage costs.

3 quick tips for understanding your bill

Tip 1
Review the 13-month graph to see how your energy use this billing cycle compares to recent months and to the same month one year ago.
Tip 2
Look at the information under the graph to compare days of service and average daily temperature. This can sometimes explain why a bill is higher or lower than normal.
Tip 3
Read the information in the Message Board area of the bill. It includes important information about rates and updates. Also be sure to read the bill inserts that come with your bill. If you are an E-bill customer, you can find the information on our website.

The bill features:

  • Easy to understand usage and account information
  • Bar charts and tables that compare current usage and billing to 13 months of usage history
  • Important information regarding payment options
  • Definitions of billing terms
  • Contact information for all billing and customer service needs

Understand your energy use

Customer viewing the My Energy Account dashboard on a laptop computer, displaying billing and energy management tools, including detailed energy usage, budget billing and usage alerts.

Understand your energy use

See how and when you use energy with the Detailed Energy Usage tool in My Energy Account. View your usage by month, day or hour to better understand patterns, track changes over time and see how everyday activities may affect your energy use. Having more insight into your usage can help you make informed decisions about managing energy at home.
Learn more about your energy use

Frequently Asked Questions

NorthWestern Energy tests and verifies meters to help ensure accuracy. If you have concerns about your meter, please contact us. 
Most bills are based on actual meter readings. If an estimated reading was used, it will be identified on your bill. 

Most bills are based on actual meter readings. If something does not look right, contact us and we will review your bill with you. 

Yes. A longer billing period includes more days of energy use. Weather and changes in daily energy use may also affect the total bill. 
Billing periods are typically about 30 days, but they may vary slightly because of weekends, holidays and differences in the calendar. 
Review the weather during your billing period, the number of billing days and your energy use compared with previous months. Extended periods of hot or cold weather are often the biggest drivers of higher energy bills. 

Get an email or text notification when your bill is ready, a payment is due or more.

Login to My Energy Account and select “Notifications” from the menu. If you aren’t registered for My Energy Account, sign up today! It’s free and easy.

Learn more

Budget Billing plans are reviewed periodically, not more than once per quarter. If we see a large change in usage during a quarterly review, we may update your Budget Billing amount. During the review, we look at your usage patterns and current rates to make sure your Budget Billing amount is in line with your average usage over the last 12 months.

If your Budget Billing amount changes, we will notify you prior to any changes becoming effective. 

If you are worried about your ability to pay your NorthWestern Energy bill, contact us right away. 

There are payment assistance programs available that may be able to help.

We also offer Budget Billing, which allows your NorthWestern Energy bill to be the same amount each month, year round.

We can also explore a payment arrangement if your account qualifies.

  • Log in to your My Energy Account for payment and billing program information.
  • Or call our Customer Service Team at 800-245-6977 to discuss additional options 

Your budget billing amount is calculated using your average annual bill amount base upon your past 12 months of usage and current rates. 

We'll review your account at least twice a year to prevent a large overpayment or underpayment from accumulating. Your payment amount may increase or decrease based on your usage patterns and/or rates currently in effect. 

Budget Billing allows you to pay the same amount for your NorthWestern Energy bill every month, eliminating the seasonal highs and lows.

You pay the same amount each month. No surprises, just one easy payment amount to plan for.

You can pay your bill in person at one of our local walk-in offices.

You can make a one-time payment online.

Or make a payment over the phone:

  • 833-970-2262 for English
  • 833-970-2263 for Spanish

For all of our payment options, visit our Payment Options page.

Need to contact us?

Whether you have a question about your account, need assistance or want to report an issue, our Customer Care team is ready to help.

Explore ways to connect with us