8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K



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





         Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): JULY 15, 2003





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


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

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


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


ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS AND REGULATION FD DISCLOSURE.

         Northern Border Partners, L.P. owns a 70 percent general partner
interest in Northern Border Pipeline Company. Attached as Exhibit 99.1 is a copy
of a press release, dated July 15, 2003, regarding Northern Border Pipeline
Company's contracted transportation capacity.


ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

     (c) Exhibits.

         99.1    Northern Border Pipeline Company press release dated July 15,
                 2003.


                                   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 thereunto duly authorized.


                                      Northern Border Partners, L.P.
                                      ( A Delaware Limited Partnership)


                                      By: /s/ Jerry L. Peters
                                         --------------------------------------
                                          Jerry L. Peters
                                          Chief Financial & Accounting Officer


July 15, 2003


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit
Number          Description
- ------          -----------
 99.1     --    Northern Border Pipeline Company Press Release dated July 15,
                2003.

EX-99.1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1


[NORTHER BORDER PIPELINE COMPANY LOGO]                   NEWS RELEASE

                                                         13710 FNB Parkway
                                                         Omaha, NE 68154-5200

                                                         For Further Information
                                                         Contact:

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

                                                         Investor Contact:
                                                         Ellen Konsdorf
                                                         (402) 492-7500


NORTHERN BORDER PIPELINE COMPANY CAPACITY NEARLY SOLD OUT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2003

         OMAHA - (NYSE: NBP; NASDAQ: TCLP) - Northern Border Pipeline Company
announced today that it has made further progress in recontracting and has now
nearly sold out the long-haul firm capacity on its pipeline system. The
additional capacity commitments are at the maximum transportation rates with
terms of one to two years.

          "We are very pleased to have essentially sold out this capacity," said
Bill Cordes, chairman of the Northern Border Pipeline Management Committee. "We
began the year with about 40% of our capacity expiring prior to November 1 of
this year and, currently, less than 1% remains available. Recontracting this
capacity at maximum rates reaffirms the value of holding space on our pipeline."

         Northern Border also announced that Cargill, Incorporated has finalized
the assignment of all of the firm transportation capacity formerly held by
Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, LP, which is approximately 10% of the
pipeline's firm capacity and extends for terms into 2006 and 2008. Additionally,
Cargill assumed the management services of Pan-Alberta Gas, Ltd. previously
performed by Mirant.


         Northern Border Pipeline Company is a general partnership that owns and
operates a 1,249-mile interstate pipeline that transported approximately 20
percent of all Canadian gas imported into the United States in 2002. Northern
Border Partners, L.P. (NYSE:NBP) owns a 70 percent general partner interest in
Northern Border Pipeline Company. The remaining 30 percent general partner
interest is owned by TC PipeLines, LP (Nasdaq: TCLP).

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 the Company 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 markets; performance of contractual obligations by the
shippers; our ability to market pipeline capacity on favorable terms; and the
price of natural gas.