EXHIBIT 99.1
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                                                            NEWS RELEASE
                                                               NYSE: NOR
Contacts:

Investors/Media:

Roger Schrum
605-978-2848
roger.schrum@northwestern.com

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                NORTHWESTERN CLOSES ON SALE OF ONE CALL LOCATORS
                             TO ELM ENTERPRISES, LLC

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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - July 1, 2003 - NorthWestern Corporation (NYSE:NOR) today
announced that it has closed on the sale of One Call Locators, Ltd., an
underground utilities locating service based in Missoula, Mont., to ELM
Enterprises, LLC of Peoria, Ill. The transaction is valued at $11.7 million,
with NorthWestern receiving $7.0 million in cash and $4.7 million in a
subordinated note to be amortized over a three-year period.

One Call Locators provides contracted locating service to approximately 50
telephone, electric, natural gas and other utilities in 10 Western and
Midwestern states. NorthWestern acquired One Call Locators as part of its
February 2002 acquisition of the utility operations of the former Montana Power
Company. One Call Locators employs approximately 600 workers, and the company
had revenues in 2002 of approximately $23 million.

"One Call Locators is a growing business that provides an important service to
its utility customers and the public. While it is a good business, it is not a
core part of our focused utility strategy," said Mike Hanson, president and
chief executive officer of NorthWestern Energy, NorthWestern's electric and
natural gas utility business. "We are pleased that ELM Enterprises will continue
to build One Call into one of the top locating businesses."

ELM Enterprises LLC is part of a privately held group of companies based in
Peoria, Ill.

About NorthWestern
NorthWestern Corporation is one of the largest providers of electricity and
natural gas in the Upper Midwest and Northwest, serving more than 598,000
customers in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. NorthWestern also has
investments in Expanets, Inc., a nationwide provider of networked communications
and data services to small and mid-sized businesses; and Blue Dot Services Inc.,
a provider of heating, ventilation and air conditioning services to residential
and commercial customers.
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