FORM 4

/ / Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

(Print or Type Responses)

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF
CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or
Section 30(f) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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Name and Address of Reporting Person*

Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

HANSON

MICHAEL

NORTHWESTERN CORPORATION (NOR)

Director

10% Owner

(Last)

(First)

(Middle)

I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person (voluntary)

Statement for Month/Year

X Officer
(give title below)

Other
(specify below)

600 MARKET STREET WEST

DECEMBER 2001

PRESIDENT & CEO — NORTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE

(Street)

If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)

Individual or Joint/Group Filing
(Check Applicable Line)
X Form filed by One Reporting Person
Form filed by More than

HURON

57350

One Reporting Person

(City)

(State)

(Zip)

Table I — Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

Title of Security
(Instr. 3)

Transaction Date

Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)

Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Month

Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)

(Month/ Day/ Year)

(Instr. 3 and 4)

Code

Amount

(A) or (D)

Price

COMMON STOCK

12/1/01

(1)

$20.5270

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.		(Over)
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).		SEC 1474 (7-97)

POTENTIAL PERSONS WHO ARE TO RESPOND TO THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
CONTAINED IN THIS FORM ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RESPOND UNLESS THE FORM
DISPLAYS A CURRENTLY VALID OMB CONTROL NUMBER.

FORM 4 (Continued)

Table II — Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)

Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

Transaction Date
(Month/Day/Year)

Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date
Exercisable

Expiration Date

UNITS (2)

1-FOR-1

(3)

(4)

N/A

PHANTOM STOCK UNITS

1-FOR-1

12/1/01

(6)


7.	Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)		8.	Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9.	Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Month (Instr. 4)	10.	Ownership Form of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned at End of Month (Instr. 4)	11.	Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

	COMMON STOCK	1-FOR-1		$21.0500		6,830		I		(5)

	COMMON STOCK	48		$20.4000		3,162		D

Explanation of Responses:

ALL SHARE TRANSACTIONS AND TOTALS HAVE BEEN ROUNDED TO WHOLE SHARES.

(1): THE REPORTING PERSON ACQUIRED A FRACTIONAL SHARE OF .018.
(2): EACH UNIT CORRELATES TO ONE SHARE OF THE ISSUER'S COMMON STOCK AND IS HELD IN A SUPPLEMENTAL VARIABLE INVESTMENT PLAN ("SVIP") SPONSORED BY THE ISSUER.
(3): PURCHASE DATES OF 12/10/01 AND 12/24/01.
(4): BETWEEN 12/1/01 AND 12/31/01, THE REPORTING PERSON ACQUIRED 177 UNITS UNDER THE SVIP. INFORMATION IS BASED SOLELY ON A PLAN STATEMENT DATED 12/31/01.
(5): HELD BY WELLS FARGO TRUST CORPORATION AS TRUSTEE OF THE SVIP.
(6): PHANTOM STOCK UNITS WERE ACCRUED UNDER THE NORTHWESTERN STOCK OPTION AND INCENTIVE PLAN AND ARE TO BE PAID 50% IN CASH AND 50% IN COMMON STOCK OF NORTHWESTERN ON THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY OF GRANT, AS EARNED THROUGH ACHIEVEMENT OF PERFORMANCE CRITERIA.

	/s/ MICHAEL J HANSON	1/8/2002
*Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See* 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).	**Signature of Reporting Person	Date

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

		Page 2 SEC 1474 (7-97)

HANSON MICHAEL J 4