NorthWestern Energy facts for kids
Public | |
Traded as | NASDAQ: NWE S&P 400 Component |
Industry | Utilities |
Founded | November 27, 1923 as Northwestern Public Service Company |
Headquarters |
,
United States
|
Area served
|
Eastern South Dakota, Western Montana |
Key people
|
Albert Emanuel, Founder E. Linn Draper Jr., Chairman;, Robert C. Rowe, President and CEO |
Products | utility operations consist of regulated electric and natural gas distribution, transmission and energy supply. In addition, they are pursuing electric transmission and generation opportunities. |
Services | Conventional electricity Natural gas |
Number of employees
|
1,600 |
NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. is a utility company that serves South Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana that is based in Sioux Falls. As of 2019[update], the company serves approximately 718,000 customers. The company's corporate headquarters are located in Sioux Falls while the headquarters for the South Dakota operations (and which was the headquarters for the old NorthWestern Public Service Company) are in Huron, South Dakota.
History
The Montana operations (formerly known as the Montana Power Company) were acquired around 2000 after that state passed legislation allowing the electric utility industry to be 'unbundled'. Out of state investors (led by PP&L Resources) then immediately acquired the generation assets of Montana Power, leaving that part of the territory vulnerable to high "spot" prices on the energy market (creating some chronic discontent that led the Montana Public Service Commission to submit the one "no" vote that effectively nullified a potential sale of NorthWestern to Babcock & Brown of Australia). In 2014, NorthWestern purchased the dams that were originally part of Montana Power for $900 Million from PPL Corporation.