8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  January 16, 2006

NorthWestern Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware	0-692	46-0172280
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(IRS Employer Identification No.)
125 South Dakota Avenue		57104
Sioux Falls, South Dakota		(Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

(605) 978-2908

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers.

(d) On January 16, 2006, NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (NASDAQ: NWEC) (the “Company”) announced that its Board of Directors has named D. Louis Peoples as a Director of the Board, effective immediately. Peoples will stand for election at the Company’s next annual meeting.

Peoples is President and founder of Nyack Management Company, a nationwide business consulting and turnaround firm. He previously was chief executive officer and vice chairman of the board at Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. in Pearl River, N.Y., and executive vice president at Madison Gas and Electric Company in Madison, Wis. He has held various management positions with several other major energy-related companies throughout his 36-year career.

Peoples currently serves on the board of directors of the Center for Clean Air Policy and the Nevada Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. He lives in Incline Village, Nev.

A copy of the press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated by reference.

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits

EXHIBIT NO.	DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
99.1*	Press Release of NorthWestern Corporation dated January 16, 2006

* filed herewith

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	NorthWestern Corporation
	By:
		Thomas J. Knapp
		Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
Date:  January 16, 2006

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Index to Exhibits

EXHIBIT NO.	DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
99.1*	Press Release of NorthWestern Corporation dated January 16, 2006

* filed herewith

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EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

			NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy 125 S. Dakota Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 www.northwesternenergy.com
News Release		NASDAQ: NWEC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Relations Contact:	Investor Relations Contact:
Claudia Rapkoch	Dan Rausch
(406) 497-2841	(605) 978-2902
claudia.rapkoch@northwestern.com	daniel.rausch@northwestern.com

PEOPLES NAMED TO NORTHWESTERN’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Jan. 16, 2005 – NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (NASDAQ: NWEC) announced today that D. Louis Peoples has been named to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Peoples will stand for election at the Company’s next annual meeting.

Peoples is president and founder of Nyack Management Company, a nationwide business consulting and turnaround firm. Previously he was chief executive officer and vice chairman of the board at Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. in Pearl River, N.Y., and executive vice president at Madison Gas and Electric Company in Madison, Wis. He has held various management positions with several other major energy-related companies throughout his 36-year career.

“Lou Peoples has had an outstanding career with several large utility and energy-related companies across the country,” said E. Linn Draper, Jr., Chairman of NorthWestern’s Board. “His demonstrated leadership and experience in the energy industry will make him an ideal addition to NorthWestern’s Board.”

Peoples, 65, holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Stanford University. He served in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear submarine service, attaining the rank of Captain, and is a Certified Public Accountant and Professional Engineer.  He lives in Incline Village, Nev.

Peoples currently serves on the board of directors of the Center for Clean Air Policy and the Nevada Area Council, Boy Scouts of America.

The addition of Peoples to NorthWestern’s Board brings the number of directors to seven, the level at which the Board maintained prior to the resignation of Corbin McNeill, Jr. in May 2005.

About NorthWestern Energy

NorthWestern Energy is one of the largest providers of electricity and natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving more than 617,000 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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