Natural Gas Utility Merger Approved, Protections Established

The Nebraska Public Service Commission has approved the proposed merger between natural gas utilities Black Hills Corp and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc., which serves customers in Auburn and Tecumseh. Nebraska is the first state to approve the merger, though approvals are still pending in Montana, South Dakota and at the federal level.

The commission said the merger includes customer protections such as a freeze on general base rate increases for Nebraska customers through May 1, 2028, limits on passing merger costs to ratepayers, and annual reporting on safety and service quality.

Commission Chair Tim Schram said the agreement supports safe and reliable natural gas service while maintaining oversight and customer protections.