Electric Consumer

Editor: Katerine G., Editor & Data Researcher · Research & publishing: Electric Consumer Editorial Team · Data retrieved · Sources named on this page: EIA-861, EIA retail sales · How we got these numbers · Report an error

NorthWestern Energy: 12.56 ¢/kWh for homes, 64,971 accounts in South Dakota

NorthWestern Energy is an investor owned utility serving 64,971 customer accounts in South Dakota; 51,467 of them are residential. Its home price moved +39.9% from 2015 to 2024, 23.9 points faster than South Dakota.

At 903 kWh a month a NorthWestern Energy home pays about $113 in energy: 12.56 ¢/kWh, 2.3% below the South Dakota average of 12.86 ¢.

NorthWestern Energy: price path since 2015

Home price since 2015
+39.9%South Dakota +16.1%, a gap of +23.9 points

NorthWestern Energy went from 8.98 ¢ in 2015 to 12.56 ¢ in 2024, +39.9%, while the South Dakota average went +16.1%.

For NorthWestern Energy the 2024 file holds no net-metering row, so those rows read "No data" beside 51,467 home accounts; a missing filing says nothing about service quality.

How it compares

NorthWestern Energy
NorthWestern Energy, 2024HomeBusinessBillSAIDI
NorthWestern EnergyLowest in this table12.56 ¢/kWh12.01 ¢/kWh$113at 903 kWh66 minSAIDI
South Dakota average against this company+0.30 ¢/kWhcompany 2.3% below-1.46 ¢/kWhcompany 13.9% above+$3a month at 903 kWh-9 minstate median against company

Compare 15 South Dakota companies

NorthWestern Energy: 2025

NorthWestern Energy: +6.3% on 2024 for homes, South Dakota +3.6%.

NorthWestern Energy home price, 2025
13.35 ¢/kWh+6.3% on 2024, early release
NorthWestern Energy against South Dakota, 2025
+2.7 pointsNorthWestern Energy +6.3%, South Dakota +3.6%

NorthWestern Energy reported 13.35 ¢/kWh for homes in 2025, +6.3% on its 2024 figure of 12.56, while the South Dakota average moved +3.6%.

NorthWestern Energy charts

Residential price since 2015: 12.56 ¢ in 2024

8.98 ¢ in 2015, 12.56 ¢ in 2024 (+39.9%).

NorthWestern Energy residential price 2015-2024, 2015 to 2024: 10 rows
YearNorthWestern EnergyGap to South Dakota residentialGap to U.S. residential
20158.98-2.10-3.67
201610.46-1.01-2.09
201711.04-0.73-1.85
201810.73-0.86-2.14
201910.61-0.94-2.40
202011.40-0.35-1.75
202111.45-0.77-2.21
202211.71-0.38-3.33
202311.26-1.06-4.74
202412.56-0.30-3.92

10 rows from EIA retail sales.

CSV

Home accounts 2015-2024: 51,467

49,807 in 2015, 51,467 in 2024 (+3.3%).

NorthWestern Energy home accounts by year, 2015 to 2024: 10 rows
YearNorthWestern Energy
201549807
201650016
201750248
201850547
201950615
202050646
202150805
202251069
202351261
202451467

10 rows from EIA retail sales.

CSV

Rates 2024: 12.56 and 12.01 ¢

12.56 and 12.01 ¢ for this company.

¢/kWh

  • NorthWestern Energy residential12.56
  • South Dakota residential12.86
  • U.S. residential16.48
  • NorthWestern Energy commercial12.01
  • South Dakota commercial10.55
  • U.S. commercial12.75

NorthWestern Energy, Rates 2024: EIA retail sales.

CSV

NorthWestern Energy SAIDI, 2015-2024

93 min in 2015, 66 in 2024.

NorthWestern Energy SAIDI by year, 2015 to 2024: 10 rows
YearNorthWestern Energy, no major eventsNorthWestern Energy, all events
201593102
201685126
201784109
201897111
2019112173
2020113159
20218191
202280128
202374116
20246676

10 rows from EIA-861 survey.

CSV

Reliability: SAIDI 66.5 min

66.5 min, 0.67x the median reporter.

min

  • Company, no major events66.5
  • Company, with major events76.0
  • U.S. median reporter99.5

NorthWestern Energy, Reliability: EIA-861 survey.

CSV

Analyst note

Energy sold in 2024 was 1,664,951 MWh over 64,971 accounts, homes 33.5%; the typical home used 10,831 kWh.

EIA-861 holds 10 years of home price for NorthWestern Energy, from 8.98 ¢ in 2015 to 12.56 ¢ in 2024 (+39.9%).

What kind of utility is NorthWestern Energy?

NorthWestern Energy files with EIA as an investor-owned utility. In South Dakota, investor-owned utilities serve 64% of residential customers at an average 13.4 cents per kWh. NorthWestern Energy itself averaged 12.6 cents, 0.8 cents below its type in South Dakota.

South Dakota utilities by type · all states

Reliability and meters, 2024

In 2024 the average NorthWestern Energy - (SD) customer was without power 66 minutes without major events and 76 with them. That is 6th fewest of 9 South Dakota utilities with 10,000+ customers. The median South Dakota utility reported 64 minutes. Smart (AMI) meters: 100% of its 51,785 residential meters.

EIA-861 2024, retrieved 2026-10-01. South Dakota reliability, best and worst utilities, utility report card.

Facts

Customer accounts
64,97112.6% of South Dakota total
Residential accounts
51,46711.9% of South Dakota homes
Commercial accounts
13,44420.7% of the base
Industrial accounts
600.09% of the base
Residential rate
12.56 ¢/kWh2nd place of 4, -2.3% against the state
Commercial rate
12.01 ¢/kWh+13.9% against South Dakota
Average residential use
10,831 kWh/yr903 a month
Implied monthly bill
$113903 kWh at 12.56 ¢, energy only
Energy sold or delivered
1,664,951 MWhhomes 33%, business 67%
Residential rate since 2015
+39.9%8.98 to 12.56 ¢/kWh
SAIDI, no major events
66.5 min0.67x the U.S. median
SAIFI, no major events
0.650.64x the median
SAIDI with major events
76 min12.6% from event days
Net-metered capacity
No datanone filed for 51,467 homes
Counties listed
27South Dakota

Data tables

2024 by sector, NorthWestern Energy

NorthWestern Energy sectorAccountsRate ¢/kWhGap to South Dakota ¢/kWh
Residential51,46712.56-0.30
Commercial13,44412.01+1.46

What EIA-861 holds for NorthWestern Energy

Topic, NorthWestern EnergyStatusDetail
Home price and accounts, NorthWestern Energy10 years2015 to 2024, 51,467 homes in 2024
Business price, NorthWestern EnergyFiled 202412.01 ¢/kWh on 13,444 accounts
SAIDI and SAIFI, NorthWestern EnergyFiled 202466.5 min and 0.65 interruptions
Net metering, NorthWestern EnergyNo datanone filed against 51,467 home accounts
Service-territory counties, NorthWestern Energy27 countiesin South Dakota
Smart meters (AMI/AMR), NorthWestern EnergyFiled 202451,775 of 51,785 home meters AMI
2025 early release, NorthWestern EnergyFiled13.35 ¢/kWh for homes

Year by year, NorthWestern Energy

YearHome accounts, NorthWestern EnergyHome ¢Business ¢SAIDI minSAIFI
201549,8078.988.38930.95
201650,01610.469.93851.14
201750,24811.0410.41841.24
201850,54710.739.78971.13
201950,61510.619.831121.39
202050,64611.4010.841131.28
202150,80511.4510.92810.83
202251,06911.7111.24801.01
202351,26111.2610.79741.03
202451,46712.5612.01660.65

Peers of NorthWestern Energy in South Dakota, 2nd place of 4 on home price

Company near NorthWestern Energy on priceHome ¢Gap % to NorthWestern EnergyAccounts, NorthWestern Energy = 1
1. Southeastern Electric Coop Inc12.41-1.2%0.36
2. NorthWestern Energy (this company)12.56-1.00
3. Sioux Valley SW Elec Coop12.94+3.0%0.39
4. Black Hills Power, Inc.14.37+14.5%1.15

Who buys NorthWestern Energy's electricity

Class, NorthWestern EnergyAccountsOf NorthWestern Energy accountsOf MWhkWh a year per account
Residential51,46779.2%33.5%10,831
Commercial13,44420.7%40.2%49,750
Industrial and other600.09%26.3%7,311,000

Monthly energy cost by use, NorthWestern Energy

kWhShare of a 903 kWh monthCost a month at 12.56 ¢Cost a year
25028%$31.40$377
50055%$62.80$754
75083%$94.19$1,130
1,000111%$125.59$1,507
1,500166%$188.39$2,261
2,000222%$251.18$3,014

Territory of NorthWestern Energy

27 South Dakota counties, region MRO:

Counties served by NorthWestern EnergyAuroraDavisonTurnerDayBruleBrownBeadleClarkSpinkHamlinKingsburyEdmundsJerauldHydeDouglasSanbornDeuelHutchinsonHandHansonYanktonCharles MixMarshallBon HommeFaulkCodingtonHughes

South Dakota other states: 27 of 27 counties of NorthWestern Energy drawn

NorthWestern Energy: 27 counties listed by EIA-861, Census 2023 outlines.

CSV
County list
  • Aurora
  • Beadle
  • Bon Homme
  • Brown
  • Brule
  • Charles Mix
  • Clark
  • Codington
  • Davison
  • Day
  • Deuel
  • Douglas
  • Edmunds
  • Faulk
  • Hamlin
  • Hand
  • Hanson
  • Hughes
  • Hutchinson
  • Hyde
  • Jerauld
  • Kingsbury
  • Marshall
  • Sanborn
  • Spink
  • Turner
  • Yankton

Questions on NorthWestern Energy

How many customers does NorthWestern Energy serve in South Dakota?

64,971 accounts in 2024: residential 51,467, commercial 13,444, industrial 60.

What is the average residential rate of NorthWestern Energy?

In 2024 homes paid 12.56 cents; against the South Dakota average that is -2.3%.

How reliable is NorthWestern Energy by SAIDI and SAIFI?

SAIDI 66.5 min and SAIFI 0.65, major events excluded; ratio to the national median 0.67.

How much solar net metering is on the NorthWestern Energy grid?

NorthWestern Energy files no net-metering row for its 51,467 homes, while South Dakota utilities together report 529 installations.

What is the monthly bill at NorthWestern Energy for average use?

903 kWh at 12.56 cents comes to about $113, energy only.

How does NorthWestern Energy rank on price within South Dakota?

Rank 2 of 4 in South Dakota on price, -2.3% against the state average; 1 charge less than 12.56 ¢.

What data is missing for NorthWestern Energy?

64,971 accounts sit behind NorthWestern Energy, whose 2024 filing lacks no net-metering row; the other 6 rows of the coverage table are on file.

Who buys power from NorthWestern Energy?

Homes take 33.5% of 1,664,951 MWh, commercial accounts 40.2%, industrial and other 26.3%.

What did NorthWestern Energy charge homes in 2025?

13.35 cents per kWh, +6.3% on the 12.56 of 2024 (EIA early release for 2025).

Utilities with a similar home price

Home prices nearest to NorthWestern Energy at 12.56 ¢/kWh in 2024, among companies with a page here, any state.

More on NorthWestern Energy

Primary sources for NorthWestern Energy: 12.56 ¢/kWh for homes, 64,971 accounts in South Dakota

Share this page

At 903 kWh a month a NorthWestern Energy home pays about $113 in energy: 12.56 ¢/kWh, 2.3% below the South Dakota average of 12.86 ¢.

Cite this page

Underlying data are U.S. government works (EIA, Census Bureau). Our tables and charts: CC BY 4.0, credit Electric Consumer. The access date fills in when you open this page.

APA

Electric Consumer. (2026). NorthWestern Energy: price path since 2015: 12.56 ¢/kWh rates, 51,467 homes. Data as of 26 October 2026. Retrieved 26 October 2026, from https://electricconsumer.org/companies/northwestern-energy.html

MLA

Electric Consumer. “NorthWestern Energy: price path since 2015: 12.56 ¢/kWh rates, 51,467 homes.” Electric Consumer, data as of 26 October 2026, https://electricconsumer.org/companies/northwestern-energy.html. Accessed 26 October 2026.

Chicago

Electric Consumer. “NorthWestern Energy: price path since 2015: 12.56 ¢/kWh rates, 51,467 homes.” Data as of 26 October 2026. Accessed 26 October 2026. https://electricconsumer.org/companies/northwestern-energy.html.

BibTeX

@misc{usedata_companies_northwestern_energy,
  author = "Electric Consumer",
  title = {NorthWestern Energy: price path since 2015: 12.56 ¢/kWh rates, 51,467 homes},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://electricconsumer.org/companies/northwestern-energy.html},
  note = {Data as of 26 October 2026. Accessed 26 October 2026}
}
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