Montana Meter Upgrade

NorthWestern Energy is upgrading our electric meters and gas modules.

  • This technology upgrade will allow two-way communication between NorthWestern Energy and its meters on customer homes and businesses.
  • In most cases, the system will notify NorthWestern Energy of an outage. 
  • Crews can restore service faster.
  • Current energy use information is available for customer questions about bills, energy use and opportunities for energy savings
  • System voltage information identifies problems before those problems cause outages.
The energy landscape is changing — and so are our customers’ expectations. As we modernize the energy grid, including using two-way communicating meters, also known as smart meters, our customers will benefit.

Moving Toward a Sustainable Energy Future

Moving Toward a Sustainable Energy Future

The energy grid is evolving, driven by the need to support more renewable resources as we transition to an even cleaner energy future. Smart metering provides more data on grid operations, which will allow opportunities for new customer programs and technology that will help balance the energy grid with renewable resources.
Learn about our other clean energy initiatives

Advanced Meter FAQs

NorthWestern Energy began installation in Montana in 2021. Here is a list of approximate dates for the Montana Meter Upgrade project by area:

  • Missoula Division: completed August 2022
  • Butte Division: completed June 2022
  • Bozeman Division: completed May 2024
  • Billings Division: completed October 2024  
  • Lewistown District: completed October 2024
  • Havre District: completed November 2024
  • Helena Division: June 2024 – May 2025
  • Great Falls Division: August 2024 – 2028

A NorthWestern Energy employee will install your new meter or module.

No. The electric meters and gas modules are purchased and owned by NorthWestern Energy. They are part of our infrastructure, similar to our power poles and transformers.

Most of the installations will occur during business hours, though there will be cases when evening or weekend installations may be necessary. Customers don't need to be home.

A door hanger will let residents know their upgrade was successful. If the technician cannot perform the upgrade, a door hanger will be left with instructions to call to make an appointment.

NorthWestern Energy has a contract to recycle the electric meters and gas modules in use now when new meters and modules are installed.

Yes. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates the safety limits for all RF emissions, and smart meter and module emissions make up a small portion of the limit. The RF emissions of old one-way communication meters and the new two-way communication meters are both approved by the FCC. Radio frequency emissions are also produced by common household devices such as microwaves, baby monitors and TVs.

Yes. Customer privacy and security are NorthWestern Energy priorities. The company’s strict security standards have contributed to protecting the energy grid and customer privacy for years. The meters do not collect, store or transmit any personally identifiable information.

The meters measure total energy and cannot differentiate energy usage by appliance or anything else within a home or business. The transmitted energy use information is encrypted.

Customers who want to keep their existing meters can call NorthWestern at 888-467-2669 or email NorthWesternEnergyMeters@northwestern.com to be added to the bypass list. Customers who previously requested an opt out do not need to contact NorthWestern again to be bypassed and keep their meters.

NorthWestern will be reaching out to customers who received an advanced meter despite their request to opt out. For those who still wish to opt-out, NorthWestern will ensure that the advanced meter is removed and replaced with a meter similar to the one that was there before. Customers will not be charged for this service. 

Customers who have questions about the advanced meter opt-out program can contact NorthWestern at 888-467-2669
or the Montana Public Service Commission at 1-800-646-6150 or pschelp@mt.gov.

If you have a non-communicating electric or gas meter, you can find information about how to read it and submit a self-read here. 
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NorthWestern Energy Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

Date: Apr 29, 2026

TYPE: News

Category: Investors

  • First Quarter 2026 Diluted GAAP EPS of $1.03, compared to $1.25 in 2025.
  • First Quarter 2026 Adjusted Diluted Non-GAAP EPS of $1.31, compared to $1.22 in 2025.
  • Affirms 2026 earnings guidance range of $3.68 to $3.83 per diluted share.
  • Affirms record $683 million capital plan for 2026 and 4% to 6% long-term EPS and rate base growth rate.
  • Announces $0.67 per share quarterly dividend - payable June 30, 2026.
  • Received shareholder approval of all merger proposals and reached constructive settlement agreements with certain key intervenors in Montana, Nebraska, and South Dakota.

BUTTE, MT / SIOUX FALLS, SD - April 29, 2026 - NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (Nasdaq: NWE) reported financial results for the First Quarter of 2026. Net income for the period was $63.5 million, or $1.03 per diluted share, as compared with net income of $76.9 million, or $1.25 per diluted share, for the same period in 2025. This decrease was primarily due to retail volumes, operating, administrative, and general costs, including merger-related costs and costs associated with our additional ownership interests in Colstrip Units 3 and 4, depreciation expense, and interest expense. These were offset in part by new rates, transmission revenues, and lower non-recoverable Montana electric supply costs.

NorthWestern’s First Quarter 2026 non-GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share were $80.6 million and $1.31, respectively, compared to $75.3 million and $1.22 in 2025. See “Adjusted Non-GAAP Earnings” and “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” sections below for more information on these measures.

“The first quarter included several important developments across our regulatory and strategic priorities,” said President and CEO Brian Bird. “In South Dakota, the signing of Senate Bill 36 into law provided greater clarity around wildfire‑related liabilities and strengthened our ability to manage risk associated with critical energy infrastructure, aligning South Dakota with similar wildfire liability protections enacted in Montana last year. In Montana, we also submitted our Large New Load tariff rule proposal to the Public Service Commission—an important step in protecting existing customers while supporting long‑term energy investment and economic development in the state. Additionally, earlier this week we executed a development agreement with Quantica Infrastructure to advance it’s Big Sky Digital Infrastructure campus outside of Billings, MT.

Bird continues, “We also made great progress on the merger. In March, we reached a constructive settlement agreement with the Public Advocate of Nebraska, followed by a hearing in early April. Also in April, both NorthWestern and Black Hills shareholders approved the merger proposals and we were able to reach constructive settlements with certain key intervenors in both Montana and South Dakota. Together, these milestones meaningfully advance us toward a targeted second‑half 2026 closing of the transaction."

Read the full Press Release or visit Financial/Webcasts to learn more. 

NorthWestern Energy - Delivering a Bright Future

NorthWestern Energy Group, doing business as NorthWestern Energy, provides essential energy infrastructure and valuable services that enrich lives and empower communities while serving as long-term partners to our customers and communities. We work to deliver safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions that create value for customers, communities, employees, and investors. We do this by providing low-cost and reliable service performed by highly-adaptable and skilled employees. We provide electricity and / or natural gas to approximately 850,300 customers in Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Yellowstone National Park. Upon the completion of the holding company reorganization in 2023, NW Corp became a subsidiary of NorthWestern Energy Group. Our operations in Montana and Yellowstone National Park are conducted through our subsidiary, NW Corp, and our operations in South Dakota and Nebraska are conducted through our subsidiary, NWE Public Service. We have provided service in South Dakota and Nebraska since 1923 and in Montana since 2002.

 

Investor Relations Contact:

Travis Meyer

(605) 978-2967

travis.meyer@northwestern.com

Media Contact:

Jo Dee Black

(866) 622-8081

jodee.black@northwestern.com

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