Full service
14.42¢
per kWh, 2025 average revenue
$101.97 / month at 707 kWh
Price +1.4% from 2024
Investor Owned · 334,012 residential customers · Montana
Why is my NorthWestern Energy electric bill so high?
EIA respondent: NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT). Reviewed October 14, 2026.
In 2025, NorthWestern Energy reported 334,010 residential full service customers under the EIA name NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT). Average revenue was 14.42¢ per kWh. The average monthly bill in that filing was $101.97 for 707 kWh.
14.42¢ is above Montana's 2025 statewide residential average of 12.99¢. In July 2026 the state residential price was 14.99¢, versus 14.27¢ a year earlier (+5.0%). The utility number is a 2025 annual average. The state number is one later month. They answer different questions.
From 2024 to 2025, the average monthly bill for full service changed +0.8%. Average use changed −0.6% and average price changed +1.4%. Holding the 2024 price fixed, the usage change accounts for −$0.61 a month. The price change, applied to 2025 usage, accounts for $1.36.
EIA Form 861, 2025 final · Reviewed October 14, 2026
EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A · Reviewed October 14, 2026
Delivery only
8.00¢
per kWh, 2025 average revenue
$16.67 / month at 208 kWh
Price +33.3% from 2024
The rate on the record
Investor-owned base rates are usually set in a state docket. Riders can change outside a full rate case. Average revenue per kilowatt-hour is total residential revenue divided by residential sales. It is not a tariff schedule.
| Service | Customers | Price | Monthly use | Monthly bill | Vs 2024 price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full service | 334,010 | 14.42¢ | 707 kWh | $101.97 | +1.4% |
| Delivery only | 2 | 8.00¢ | 208 kWh | $16.67 | +33.3% |
EIA-861 sales to ultimate customers, 2025 final, compared with 2024 · Reviewed October 14, 2026
By state
| State | Service | Customers | Price | Monthly bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MT | Full service | 333,711 | 14.42¢ | $101.97 |
| WY | Full service | 299 | 12.39¢ | $98.66 |
| MT | Delivery only | 2 | 8.00¢ | $16.67 |
Audit the full service average
Revenue 408,706 thousand dollars. Sales 2,833,866 MWh. Customers 334,010. Cents per kWh = revenue ÷ megawatt-hours × 100. Monthly bill = revenue × 1,000 ÷ customers ÷ 12.
Audit the delivery only average
Revenue 0.4 thousand dollars. Sales 5 MWh. Customers 2. Cents per kWh = revenue ÷ megawatt-hours × 100. Monthly bill = revenue × 1,000 ÷ customers ÷ 12.
Why the bill spikes
Season
The 2025 monthly average in Montana was 853 kWh. A hot or cold month can sit far from that. Compare kilowatt-hours with the same month last year before you blame the rate.
EIA-861 average bill file, 2025 · Reviewed October 14, 2026
A rate change
The full service average moved +1.4% from 2024. That is not the same thing as a new commission order. Montana Public Service Commission is the public docket desk.
Montana Public Service Commission · Reviewed October 14, 2026
Fuel and rider charges
Retail prices bundle generation, delivery, and other costs. A fuel adjustment or rider can move the total without a new base-rate case. The rider names on a NorthWestern Energy bill need verification.
EIA, prices and factors affecting electricity prices · Reviewed October 14, 2026
Time of use
No residential dynamic-pricing enrollment was reported for 2025. A time-of-use plan on your account still needs verification.
EIA-861 dynamic pricing, 2025 · Reviewed October 14, 2026
Estimated reads
Needs verification If the statement says the read is estimated, the next actual read can true the account up or down. The rule is in the utility's tariff, which is not stored here.
Data-center load
National demand is rising, and EIA points to large computing facilities. There is no published dollar line that isolates data centers on a NorthWestern Energy residential bill. Needs verification
EIA press release, January 13, 2026 · Reviewed October 14, 2026
Rate cases and hikes
Needs verification No rate case for NorthWestern Energy has been reviewed for this page. Orders and pending dockets are public at Montana Public Service Commission. Investor-owned base rates are usually set in a public docket. Municipal and cooperative rates may be set by a city or a co-op board instead. Which body sets this utility's rates needs verification.
Montana Public Service Commission · Reviewed October 14, 2026
Assistance
LIHEAP helps with home energy bills. Start with the federal program page and the state contact list. A NorthWestern Energy discount, budget-billing plan, or medical baseline needs verification.
LIHEAP · Reviewed October 14, 2026
How to lower the bill
- Read kilowatt-hours first. If use is up, the dollar total can rise on an unchanged rate.
- Check whether the read is actual or estimated. The true-up rule needs verification in the tariff.
- If a supplier or aggregator is also on the account, add that charge to the utility charge.
- Ask about budget billing and an income-qualified discount. Eligibility needs verification.
- If you are on time-of-use, move flexible load out of the expensive window. Confirm the window on the tariff.
Full service at the 2025 average price
| Monthly use | Estimated bill |
|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $72.10 |
| 750 kWh | $108.15 |
| 1,000 kWh | $144.20 |
| 1,500 kWh | $216.30 |
| 2,000 kWh | $288.40 |
Usage times the average price. At very low use, a real bill is often higher because a fixed customer charge does not shrink. The tariff needs verification.
Delivery only at the 2025 average price
| Monthly use | Estimated bill |
|---|---|
| 500 kWh | $40.00 |
| 750 kWh | $60.00 |
| 1,000 kWh | $80.00 |
| 1,500 kWh | $120.00 |
| 2,000 kWh | $160.00 |
Usage times the average price. At very low use, a real bill is often higher because a fixed customer charge does not shrink. The tariff needs verification.
Questions people ask
Why is my NorthWestern Energy electric bill so high?
In 2025, NorthWestern Energy reported 334,010 residential full service customers under the EIA name NorthWestern Energy LLC - (MT). Average revenue was 14.42¢ per kWh. The average monthly bill in that filing was $101.97 for 707 kWh. 14.42¢ is above Montana's 2025 statewide residential average of 12.99¢. In July 2026 the state residential price was 14.99¢, versus 14.27¢ a year earlier (+5.0%). The utility number is a 2025 annual average. The state number is one later month. They answer different questions. From 2024 to 2025, the average monthly bill for full service changed +0.8%. Average use changed −0.6% and average price changed +1.4%. Holding the 2024 price fixed, the usage change accounts for −$0.61 a month. The price change, applied to 2025 usage, accounts for $1.36.
What was NorthWestern Energy's average residential rate?
Using 2025 EIA-861 revenue and sales, the full service average was 14.42¢ per kWh. Average use was 707 kWh a month and the average bill was $101.97. This folds in whatever customer charges and riders the utility reported. It is not the marginal rate on your tariff.
Did NorthWestern Energy raise rates?
The full service average price changed +1.4% from 2024 to 2025, from 14.23¢ to 14.42¢. That is average revenue per kilowatt-hour, not a commission order. No 2025–2026 order for this utility was retrieved for this page. A separate rider can still move a single month.
What bill assistance can NorthWestern Energy customers ask about?
LIHEAP is the federal program for home energy bills (https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/liheap). NorthWestern Energy may also offer an income-qualified discount, budget billing, or a medical baseline. The current offer, income cutoff, and how to apply need verification with the state LIHEAP office and Montana Public Service Commission.
Are data centers why this bill went up?
Large computing load is raising U.S. electricity demand, and regulators can later recover new generation and wires costs from customers. EIA has not published a dollar line that isolates data centers on this utility's residential bill. That pass-through needs verification.