NorthWestern Energy bill decoder
NorthWestern Energy sells under this tariff at 17.76¢ per kWh all-in, +4.38¢ against the South Dakota average of 13.38¢. The $7.00 fixed charge is 4% of the bill.
NorthWestern Energy at 1,000 kWh, line by line
NorthWestern Energy bills $7.00 a month, 4% of the $177.56 total at 1,000 kWh. NorthWestern Energy tiers its energy: the first 200 kWh cost 17.42¢, then 9.799¢ above 1,200 kWh (-44%), so 0 of 1,000 kWh pay the top rate.
NorthWestern Energy: what the tariff charges
| Line | Charged | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Customer charge | Fixed, once a month | $7.00 |
| Energy, tier 1 | First 200 kWh | 17.42¢ per kWh |
| Energy, tier 2 | 200 to 800 kWh | 17.238¢ per kWh |
| Energy, tier 3 | 800 to 1,000 kWh | 16.147¢ per kWh |
| Energy, tier 4 | 1,000 to 1,200 kWh | 14.143¢ per kWh |
| Energy, tier 5 | Over 1,200 kWh | 9.799¢ per kWh |
NorthWestern Energy at 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kWh
| kWh | Total | ¢/kWh | Fixed | Energy | SD avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | $93.55 | 18.71 | $7.00 | $86.55 | $66.90 |
| 903 (average home) | $161.90 | 17.93 | $7.00 | $154.90 | $120.82 |
| 1,000 | $177.56 | 17.76 | $7.00 | $170.56 | $133.80 |
| 2,000 | $284.24 | 14.21 | $7.00 | $277.24 | $267.60 |
How the NorthWestern Energy total climbs
$50.46 at 250 kWh becomes $382.23 at 3,000 kWh, 7.6 times the bill for 12 times the power.
NorthWestern Energy total in dollars, by kWh
- 50250
- 94500
- 137750
- 1781,000
- 2351,500
- 2842,000
- 3823,000
Check your NorthWestern Energy bill
NorthWestern Energy: tariff against EIA
EIA-861 puts the 2024 home price at 12.56¢ for NorthWestern Energy, across 51,467 home accounts using 903 kWh a month. The tariff gives 17.93¢ ($161.84). The -5.37¢ gap, about -$48.48 a month, is riders, other plans and rate changes.
Other NorthWestern Energy residential plans
3 more NorthWestern Energy plans fit the model; the decoder prices each.
| Plan | Since | Type | 1,000 kWh | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rate 14: Residential Space Heating and Cooling | 2025-05-01 | flat | $113.01 | $4.00 |
| Rate 15: Residential Dual Fuel and Controlled Service. | 2025-05-01 | flat | $113.01 | $4.00 |
| Rate 11: Residential Service with Space Heating | 2025-05-01 | tiered | $177.56 | $7.00 |
NorthWestern Energy: sources and limits
- Tariff: Rate 10: Residential Electric, effective 2025-05-01, record 68a2da0765a327e30509d9cc, updated 2025-08-18; decode_tariffs.csv.
- Tariff sheet cited by the record: https://www.northwesternenergy.com/docs/default-source/default-document-library/billing-an.
- Data: OpenEI URDB, EIA-861, EIA state data.
NorthWestern Energy: taxes, riders and adjustments sit outside these rates.
Keep going
Questions
What is the monthly fixed charge at NorthWestern Energy?
$7.00 a month however little you use. At 500 kWh the $93.55 total is 7% fixed.
What does NorthWestern Energy charge for 1,000 kWh?
The tariff gives $177.56 (17.76¢ a kWh): energy $170.56, fixed $7.00. Add taxes and riders.
What makes a NorthWestern Energy bill run higher than the tariff?
At 903 kWh the tariff gives 17.93¢ against 12.56¢ in EIA's 2024 average, -5.37¢ apart. Riders, fees and other plans sit in that gap.
What does the last kWh cost at NorthWestern Energy?
Going from 1,000 to 2,000 kWh adds $106.68, or 10.67¢ per extra kWh, against 16.80¢ for 500 to 1,000 kWh.
When did the NorthWestern Energy tariff start?
2025-05-01, which is 11 months before our April 2026 snapshot. Look for newer rates on the NorthWestern Energy site.
What does an average NorthWestern Energy home use?
903 kWh a month in 2024 (EIA-861), which costs $161.84 on this tariff.