[The Montana Power Company Legal Department Letterhead]





                                                               Exhibit 5(a)



                                             July 21, 1998





          The Montana Power Company
          40 East Broadway
          Butte, Montana  59701


          Dear Sirs:


                    With respect to the  Registration Statement to be filed
          with  the  Securities and  Exchange  Commission  pursuant to  the
          Securities  Act of 1933, as amended, on or about the date hereof,
          contemplating the sale by The Montana Power Company of  2,000,000
          additional  shares of  its Common  Stock ("Stock")  and Preferred
          Share Purchase  Rights ("Rights") pursuant to  the Company's 1998
          Long-Term Incentive Plan, I am of the opinion that:


                    1.   The  Company is a  corporation duly  organized and
          validly  existing  under the  laws of  the  State of  Montana and
          qualified to do business in the States of Idaho and Wyoming.

                    2.   All  of the  outstanding shares  of the  Stock are
          legally  issued,  fully paid  and  nonassessable  and the  Rights
          appurtenant to the Stock are legally issued.

                    3.   All  action necessary to  make any  authorized but
          unissued  shares of  the Stock  which may  be purchased  from the
          Company  pursuant  to the  Plan  legally issued,  fully  paid and
          nonassessable  and the  Rights appurtenant  to the  Stock legally
          issued will have been taken when:

                         (a)  the Registration Statement shall  have become
                    effective;

                         (b)  an appropriate order or  orders of the Public
                    Service Commission of Montana shall have authorized the
                    issuance and sale of the Stock;

                         (c)  appropriate action shall  have been taken  by
                    the Company's  Board of  Directors with respect  to the
                    issuance and sale of the Stock;

                         (d)  the   Stock  shall   have  been   issued  and
                    delivered  for  the consideration  contemplated  in the
                    Registration Statement; and

                         (e)  the  Rights  appurtenant to  the  Stock shall
                    have been issued  in accordance with  the terms of  the
                    Rights Agreement, dated as of June 6, 1989, between The
                    Montana Power  Company and First Chicago  Trust Company
                    of New York, as Rights Agent.

                    I  hereby  consent to  the use  of  this opinion  as an
          exhibit to the Registration Statement, and the use of my name, as
          counsel therein.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             /s/ Michael E. Zimmerman


                                             MICHAEL E. ZIMMERMAN