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): APRIL 25, 2005


                         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 8.01      OTHER EVENTS.

         Attached as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy of Northern Border Partners, L.P.'s
press release, dated April 25, 2005, regarding Northern Border Pipeline
Company's recontracting status.


ITEM 9.01      FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

    (c)  Exhibits.

         99.1     Northern Border Partners, L.P. press release dated April 25,
                  2005.


                                       2



                                   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: April 25, 2005               By: /s/  Jerry L. Peters
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                   Name: Jerry L. Peters
                                   Title: Chief Financial and Accounting Officer


                                       3



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

              
Exhibit 99.1 --  Northern Border Partners, L.P. press release dated April 25, 2005.





                                       4

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

(NORTHERN BORDER                                 NEWS       13710 FNB Parkway
PARTNERS, L.P. LOGO)                             RELEASE    Omaha, NE 68154-5200

                                                 For Further Information
                                                 Contact:

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

                                                 Investor Contacts:
                                                 Ellen Konsdorf
                                                 (877) 208-7318

NORTHERN BORDER PARTNERS, L.P.
UPDATES NORTHERN BORDER PIPELINE
RECONTRACTING STATUS


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Monday,  April 25, 2005

         OMAHA - Northern Border Partners, L.P. (NYSE - NBP) today announced
that approximately 600 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of Northern Border
Pipeline firm transportation capacity was unsold for the month of April. Most of
this capacity was on the Port of Morgan, Montana to Ventura, Iowa segment of the
pipeline.

         "We had indicated previously that this might occur at certain times
during 2005," said Bill Cordes, chief executive officer of Northern Border
Partners. "We believe a primary factor in the unsold capacity was greater than
average natural gas storage injections during April from western Canadian supply
sources, triggered by unusually high summer to winter price differentials.
As these storage areas continue to fill, the opportunity for contracting for
Northern Border Pipeline's capacity should improve. Consequently, we believe the
greatest potential for continued revenue shortfall at Northern Border Pipeline
exists in the second quarter of 2005."

         Northern Border Pipeline had approximately 800 mmcfd or 28% of summer
design capacity under contracts that expired or are due to expire by May 31,
2005. Northern Border Partners previously disclosed that a possible reduction of
$7 million to $14 million ($5 million to $10 million, net to the Partnership) in
2005 net income and cash flows could result on Northern Border Pipeline if
sufficient demand did not exist for the capacity. Although the Partnership is
currently reevaluating this estimate, it believes a greater reduction is now
likely.

         For the month of April approximately 650 mmcfd was available for
contracting and went unsold. The resulting impact to revenues for Northern
Border Pipeline for the month of April is estimated to be a reduction of
approximately $6 million ($4.2 million, net to the Partnership).

          As a result of recent contracting activity, a total of approximately
700 mmcfd of capacity remains available for contracting beginning in May. While
transportation values fluctuate daily, the value to potential shippers of
Northern Border Pipeline's transportation between Port of Morgan and Ventura is
currently less than the pipeline's maximum rate.

         Northern Border Partners plans to discuss its full-year expectations
for Northern Border Pipeline and all of its other businesses during its upcoming
earnings release investor conference call. While the full analysis of 2005
expected earnings is not yet fully complete, the Partnership currently expects
that increased earnings from its other businesses will offset a substantial
portion of the Northern Border Pipeline recontracting impact.


                                       5

         The call is scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern
Time. This call may be accessed via the Partnership's website at
http://www.northernborderpartners.com. An audio replay of the call will be
available shortly after the call by dialing, toll free 800-405-2236 and entering
passcode 11028396.

       Northern Border Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded partnership which
owns, operates and acquires 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 can 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 its
expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, it can give 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 natural gas development in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin;
competitive conditions in the overall natural gas and electricity markets; our
ability to market pipeline capacity on favorable terms; the availability of
additional storage capacity, weather conditions during the summer months in our
supply and market areas; performance of contractual obligations by the shippers;
our ability to recover costs in pipeline rates relating to the settlement with
the Fort Peck Tribes on rights-of-way and tax issues; prices of natural gas and
natural gas liquids; the rate of development, gas quality, and competitive
conditions in gas fields near the Partnership's natural gas gathering systems in
the Powder River and Williston Basins and its investments in the Powder River
and Wind River Basins; regulatory actions and receipt of expected regulatory
clearances; regulatory actions relative to rate recovery of income tax
allowances for partnerships; renewal of the coal slurry transportation contract
under favorable terms and preparation for a possible temporary shutdown of the
coal slurry pipeline; any costs related to changes in the systems and services
currently provided to us by Enron Corp. and CrossCountry Energy and their
affiliates and costs related to replacing these systems and services or
transitioning them to ONEOK; actions by rating agencies; our ability to complete
acquisitions or growth projects and their future performance; timely receipt of
right-of-way, regulatory clearances and approval for the expansion projects; our
ability to control operating costs; and conditions in the capital markets and
our ability to access the capital markets.


                                     #######


                                       6