NorthWestern Energy Seeks Additional Renewable Energy Supply in Montana

BUTTE, Mont., Aug. 17  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (NYSE:NWE) already has one of the highest percentages of total renewable energy supply of any utility in the Northwest and it is now looking to add even more to its electric generation portfolio.

The company has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to owners or developers of potential projects that meet state standards for renewable energy and/or projects that meet the requirements for Community Renewable Energy Projects (CREP).  The company is seeking to add 25-75 megawatts of renewable electric generation to its portfolio.  Responses are due by the end of September.

"We're looking for innovative, cost-effective renewable projects that we can add to our growing portfolio of rate-based electricity resources," said Dave Gates, Vice President - Wholesale Operations.  "In addition to further diversifying our portfolio, the addition of renewable resources favorably positions the utility given pending climate change legislation."

According to John Hines, Chief Energy Supply Officer, the RFI is open to all qualified renewable energy resources ranging from wind and biomass to landfill gas and hydrogen and everything in between.

While the company prefers to purchase the projects outright, it will consider other options to include equity interests in larger projects and long-term power purchase agreements.  It will only consider projects that deliver both renewable energy and the associated renewable energy credits.

The RFI is available on the company's website http://www.northwesternenergy.com/ as well as that of its consultant Lands Energy Consulting http://www.landsenergy.com/. Responses to the RFI are due by September 30.  Any inquiries or correspondence regarding this RFI should be directed to Lands Energy Consulting:

  Tim Castille                    or              Steve Lewis
                          
  360-885-4567                                    206-726-3695
  About NorthWestern Energy


NorthWestern Energy provides electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving approximately 656,000 customers in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.  More information on NorthWestern Energy is available on the Company's Web site at http://www.northwesternenergy.com/. 

DATASOURCE: NorthWestern Energy



CONTACT:  Media, Claudia Rapkoch, 1-866-622-8081,

, or Investor Relations, Dan Rausch,

[phone], , both of NorthWestern Energy



Web Site:  http://www.northwesternenergy.com/

http://www.landsenergy.com/ 

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