================================================================================




                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549




                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 20, 2003


                            NorthWestern Corporation
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)




            Delaware                       0-692                 46-0172280
(State or other jurisdiction of   (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer
         incorporation)                                      Identification No.)

           125 South Dakota Avenue                             57104
          Sioux Falls, South Dakota                          (Zip Code)
   (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (605) 978-2908
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)






================================================================================





Item 5.       Other Events

On August 20, 2003,  NorthWestern  Corporation  (the  "Company")  issued a press
release  announcing  that Gary G. Drook,  the Company's  interim Chief Executive
Officer,  had been elected President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company,
and that Michael J. Hanson,  the  President and Chief  Operating  Officer of the
Company's  NorthWestern Energy division,  had been named Chief Operating Officer
of the  Company.  The press  release is included  as Exhibit  99.1 hereto and is
incorporated herein by reference.


Item 7.       Financial Statements and Exhibits

EXHIBIT NO.   DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
99.1*         Press Release of NorthWestern Corporation dated August 20, 2003

* filed herewith




                                       2




                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                    NorthWestern Corporation


                                    By:     /s/ John R. Van Camp
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            John R. Van Camp
                                            Vice President - Human Resources

Date:  August 20, 2003






                                       3




                                Index to Exhibits
                                -----------------


EXHIBIT NO.      DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
99.1*            Press Release of NorthWestern Corporation dated August 20, 2003

* filed herewith





                                       4