EXHIBIT 99.1

[LOGO OMITTED]                                                      News Release
                                                                       NYSE: NOR

Contacts:

Investors/Media:

Roger Schrum
605-978-2848
roger.schrum@northwestern.com


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         NORTHWESTERN ENTERS INTO $390 MILLION SECURED CREDIT FACILITY

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - Dec. 18, 2002 - NorthWestern Corporation (NYSE:NOR) today
announced that it has entered into a new $390 million senior secured term loan
credit facility with Credit Suisse First Boston.
    The new facility has a term of at least four years, and borrowings under the
facility will be secured by First Mortgage Bonds of NorthWestern. Proceeds from
the new facility will be used to repay NorthWestern's existing $280 million
working capital facility, and for other corporate purposes. The transaction has
been approved by NorthWestern's Board of Directors, and is subject to regulatory
approval. The transaction is expected to close in January 2003.
    "This financing commitment is important to NorthWestern as it removes
uncertainty around our current liquidity and the refinancing of our existing
credit facility, as we continue to focus on opportunities in our core regulated
electric and natural gas utility business," said Richard R. Hylland, president
and chief operating officer.
    About NorthWestern
    NorthWestern Corporation is a leading provider of services and solutions to
more than 2 million customers across the United States in the energy and
communications sectors. NorthWestern's partner businesses include NorthWestern
Energy, a provider of electricity, natural gas and related services to customers
in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska; Expanets, the largest mid-market provider
of networked communications solutions and services in the United States; and
Blue Dot, a leading provider of air conditioning, heating, plumbing and related
services.
    Forward-Looking Statements
    STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995: All
statements contained herein, as well as statements made in press releases and
oral statements that may be made by us or by officers, directors or employees
acting on our behalf, that are not statements of historical fact constitute
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and
unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual
results to be





materially different from historical results or from any future results
expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Among the factors that
could cause our actual results or outcomes to differ materially are: the adverse
impact of weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations; unscheduled generation
outages, maintenance or repairs; unanticipated changes to fossil fuel or gas
supply costs or availability due to higher demand, shortages, transportation
problems or other developments; developments in the federal and state regulatory
environment and the terms associated with obtaining regulatory approval and rate
orders; costs associated with environmental liabilities and compliance with
environmental laws; the rate of growth and economic conditions in our service
territories and those of our subsidiaries; the speed and degree to which
competition enters the industries and markets in which our businesses operate;
the timing and extent of changes in interest rates and fluctuations in
energy-related commodity prices; risks associated with acquisitions, transition
and integration of acquired companies, including NorthWestern Energy, L.L.C. and
the Growing and Emerging Markets Division of Lucent Technologies, Inc., and the
implementation of information systems and realization of efficiencies in excess
of any related restructuring charges; a lack of minority interest basis, which
requires us to recognize an increased share of operating losses at certain of
our subsidiaries; our ability to recover transition costs; disallowance by the
Montana Public Service Commission of the recovery of the costs incurred in
entering into our default supply portfolio contracts while we are required to
act as the "default supplier"; disruptions and adverse effects in the capital
market due to the changing economic environment; our credit ratings with
Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Fitch; potential delays in financings or
Securities and Exchange Commission filings because we changed auditors; our
substantial indebtedness, which could limit our operating flexibility and
ability to borrow additional funds; our ability to obtain additional capital to
refinance our indebtedness that is scheduled to mature and for working capital
purposes; changes in customer usage patterns and preferences; possible future
actions and developments of CornerStone Propane Partners L.P.; and changing
conditions in the economy and capital markets and other factors identified from
time to time in our filings with the SEC. This news release should be read in
conjunction with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2001, as amended, and any
subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K, which
can be located at www.sec.gov or requested from the Company.
    Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such
statement is made, and, except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to
update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after
the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of
unanticipated events. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not
possible for management to predict all such factors.

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