Moody's Investors Service Upgrades NorthWestern's Credit Ratings

SIOUX FALLS, S.D., July 9  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (NYSE:NWE) today announced that Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") upgraded NorthWestern's ratings as follows:

                                                   From             To

  Senior Secured Rating                            Baa3             Baa2
  Senior Unsecured Rating                          Ba2              Baa3
  Outlook                                          Stable           Positive





The senior unsecured rating was a two-notch upgrade, and the senior secured rating was a one-notch upgrade. Moody's cited a substantial improvement in the recent financial performance of the Company, as well as a paring of nonregulated operations.

NorthWestern is now considered investment grade on all senior secured and unsecured debt with Moody's, Standard and Poor's Rating Group and Fitch Investors Service.

About NorthWestern Energy

NorthWestern Energy is one of the largest providers of electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving approximately 650,000 customers in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.  For more information about NorthWestern Energy, visit our Web site at http://www.northwesternenergy.com/. 

DATASOURCE: NorthWestern Corporation



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

, or Investors, Dan Rausch, [phone],

, both of NorthWestern Corporation



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

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