NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy 3010 W. 69th Street Sioux Falls, SD 57108 www.northwesternenergy.com
NYSE: NWE News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	Media Contact: Claudia Rapkoch (866) 622-8081 claudia.rapkoch@northwestern.com Investor Relations Contact: Dan Rausch (605) 978-2902 daniel.rausch@northwestern.com

NorthWestern Names Brian B. Bird to Board of Directors

Sioux Falls, S.D. – August 15, 2008 – NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (NYSE: NWE) today announced that it has added Brian B. Bird as a Director of the Board effective August 13, 2008. Bird has been Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since December 2003.

Prior to joining NorthWestern, Bird was Chief Financial Officer and Principal of Insight Energy, Inc., a Chicago-based independent power generation development company (2002-2003). Previously, he was Vice President and Treasurer of NRG Energy, Inc., in Minneapolis, MN (1997-2002).

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. More information on NorthWestern Energy is available on the Company's Web site at www.northwesternenergy.com.

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