Regulators approve natural gas rate hike for NorthWestern Energy

State regulators approved a settlement Dec. 17 in Pierre reducing NorthWestern Energy’s proposed $8.38 monthly increase on the average residential natural gas customer’s bill to $6.44.

The seven percent rate increase began as a request for a nine percent increase. NorthWestern serves 49,800 natural gas customers in South Dakota.

The Public Utilities Commission’s unanimous approval of the settlement …