According to a Tuesday morning news release, the Nebraska Public Service Commission (PSC) has approved the merger of two natural gas utilities: NorthWestern Energy Group Incorporated and Black Hills Corporation. Nebraska is also the first state to approve the merger, with pending approval in Montana and South Dakota.
The approval of the merger comes after the commission’s review of testimony, filings and evidence submitted in an application submitted in October, 2025.
“The Commission undertook a thorough and careful review of this request to ensure it serves the public interest,” said Commission Chair Tim Schram. According to Schram, the approval “will support continued safe, reliable natural gas service for Nebraskans while maintaining responsible regulatory oversight and customer protections.”
Some of the commitments made by the utilities include annual reporting for safety and service quality, fair contracting practices, and prohibition of rate increases until May 1, 2027 for NorthWestern Energy and until May 1, 2028 for Black Hills customers in Nebraska.
The merger is not expected to disrupt service to customers of either utility. If the merger is approved by federal authorities later this year, the combined companies will serve nearly 350,000 customers in Nebraska.
