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): SEPTEMBER 17, 2004



                         NORTHERN BORDER PARTNERS, L.P.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



         DELAWARE                           1-12202              93-1120873
(State or other jurisdiction of           (Commission          (IRS Employer
       incorporation)                     File Number)       Identification No.)


        13710 FNB PARKWAY
         OMAHA, NEBRASKA                                          68154-5200
(Address of principal executive offices)                          (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (402) 492-7300


                        --------------------------------
         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)


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:


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

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

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

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



ITEM 7.01   REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

         Attached as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of Northern Border Partners, L.P.
press release, dated September 17, 2004, regarding the sale of Northern Plains
Natural Gas Company, including Pan Border Gas Company, two of our general
partners, by CCE Holdings, LLC, a joint venture of Southern Union Company and GE
Commercial Finance's Energy Financial Services, to ONEOK, Inc.

         The information in Item 7.01 of this report is being furnished, not
filed, pursuant to Regulation FD. Accordingly, the information in Item 7.01 of
this report will not be incorporated by reference into any registration
statement filed by the Partnership under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
unless specifically identified therein as being incorporated therein by
reference.

ITEM 9.01   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

     (c)    Exhibits.

            99.1       Northern Border Partners, L.P. press release dated
                       September 17, 2004.





                                   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.


                                          NORTHERN BORDER PARTNERS, L.P.


Date:  September 17, 2004                         /s/  Jerry L. Peters
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Name:   Jerry L. Peters
                                          Title:  Chief Financial and Accounting
                                                  Officer








                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit 99.1  --  Northern Border Partners, L.P. press release dated
                  September 17, 2004.

EX-99.1

[NORTHERN BORDER PARTNERS, L.P. LOGO]             News     13710 FNB Parkway
                                                  Release  Omaha, NE 68154-5200

                                                  For Further Information
                                                  Contact:

                                                  Media Contact:
                                                  Martha Sumner-Kenney
                                                  (402) 492-3401

                                                  Investor Contacts:
                                                  Ellen Konsdorf
                                                  Lisa Couillard
                                                  (877) 208-7318



NORTHERN BORDER PARTNERS, L.P. ANNOUNCES
SALE OF GENERAL PARTNER INTERESTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2004

         OMAHA - Northern Border Partners, L.P. (NYSE - NBP) advises that
Southern Union Company and ONEOK, Inc. have each announced that ONEOK has
entered into an agreement to purchase Northern Plains Natural Gas Company from
CCE Holdings, LLC ("CCE Holdings") for $175 million. CCE Holdings is a joint
venture between Southern Union Company and GE Commercial Finance's Energy
Financial Services. Northern Plains, together with its wholly-owned subsidiary
Pan Border Gas Company, owns 82.5 percent of the general partnership interest
and 500,000 limited partnership units in Northern Border Partners, L.P. The
remaining 17.5 percent of the general partnership interest is owned by Northwest
Border Pipeline Company, a subsidiary of TransCanada Corporation. Also included
in the sale is NBP Services Corporation, which provides administrative and
operating services to Northern Border Partners.

         The announcements indicate that the transaction is subject to CCE
Holdings closing its acquisition of CrossCountry Energy, LLC from Enron Corp.
and certain of its affiliates, which is expected to occur no later than
mid-December 2004. CrossCountry Energy, LLC currently holds Enron's North
American pipeline interests, including 100 percent of Northern Plains.

         ONEOK, Inc. is a diversified energy company involved primarily in oil
and gas production, natural gas processing, gathering, storage and transmission
primarily in the mid-continent areas of the United States. More information can
be found at http://www.oneok.com.

       Northern Border Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded partnership formed to
own, operate and acquire a diversified portfolio of energy assets. The
Partnership owns and manages natural gas pipelines and is engaged in the
gathering and processing of natural gas. More information may be found at
http://www.northernborderpartners.com.

         This press release includes forward-looking statements within the
meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although Northern Border Partners, L.P.
believes that these expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, there is
no assurance that such expectations will be achieved. Important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the
forward-looking statements include CCE Holdings closing its acquisition of
CrossCountry Energy from Enron and the success in obtaining all necessary
regulatory and governmental approvals.