Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumedHealthCareCostTrendRatesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average rate for present value of future retirement benefits cash flows, used to determine benefit obligation of defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Weighted average rate of return on plan assets, reflecting average rate of earnings expected on existing plan assets and expected contributions, used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (k)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e2919-114920

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average rate of compensation increase used to determine net periodic benefit cost of defined benefit plan. Plan includes, but is not limited to, pay-related defined benefit plan.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostRateOfCompensationIncrease
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Assumed rate, for next fiscal year, based on annual change in cost of health care cost benefits used to measure expected cost of benefits covered by defined benefit postretirement plan. Factors include, but are not limited to, estimate of health care inflation, change in health care utilization or delivery pattern, technological advances, and change in health status of participant. Excludes factors for change in composition of plan population by age and dependency status.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of increase (decrease) in benefit obligation of defined benefit plan from change, classified as other.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanOtherChanges
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssumptionsUsedInCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTableTextBlockLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_CollectiveBargainingArrangementAxis=nwe_NonunionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_CollectiveBargainingArrangementAxis=nwe_UnionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=srt_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=nwe_NorthWesternCorporationPensionPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: