Defined Benefit (Pension) · DOL Form 5500 · 2022

Northwestern Corporation Pension Plan

Data updated 2026-08-06

$395M
Total assets
451
Participants
97th
Percentile by assets
$876,605
Avg per participant
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Official DOL plan name: Northwestern Energy Pension Plan · Sponsored by Northwestern Corporation · Montana · Utilities

$395M in assets, 451 participants

Northwestern Corporation's Northwestern Energy Pension Plan reported $395M in total assets and 451 participants in its 2022 DOL Form 5500 filing, ranking in the 97th percentile by assets among filed plans. Figures are as reported by the plan sponsor to the Department of Labor, not audited or endorsed by PlainRetire.

  • 97th percentile by assets (of 139,258 plans)
  • #600 in Utilities (739 peers)

Where Northwestern Energy Pension Plan sits by assets

Northwestern Energy Pension Plan sits in the top 5% of all filed plans by assets, $395M for 451 participants (~$876,605/participant), down 27.4% in 2022.

$395M
total plan assets (2022 EOY)
451
covered participants
97th
percentile by assets (of 139,258 plans)
$876,605
avg assets per participant

The plan reported a net loss of $149M for the year, a single-year figure driven by markets and benefit payments, not a measure of plan health.

State
Industry

Northwestern Energy Pension Plan vs the 2022 asset distribution

By assets, Northwestern Energy Pension Plan outranks 97% of the 139,258 plans that filed a Form 5500 for the 2022 plan year, and holds roughly 4.0x the national average plan size of $100M (730 average participants).

Scale-class filing particulars (2022)

Total Assets (Beginning of Year)$545M
Net Assets (End of Year)$395M
Net Income-$149M
Employer EIN460172280
Plan Effective Date1948-06-01
Filing StatusFILING RECEIVED

Sponsor Plan History (Northwestern Corporation)

$840M$860M$880M$900M$920M 202220232024 $855M $911M ▲ +6.6%
Total plan assets by year, all Northwestern Corporation plans on file
Year Plans Participants Total Assets
2022 3 2,084 $855M
2023 3 2,047 $869M
2024 3 2,037 $911M

Nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) Plans in Montana

Peer Defined Benefit (Pension) plans, same state, same plan type, ranked by total assets.

Northwestern Energy Pension Plan vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Montana, assets vs. participants

Northwestern Energy Pension Plan vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Montana, assets vs. participants Scatter plot of 6 data points. 0100200300400500 -1000100200300400500 Total assets ($M) Participants Northwestern Energy …Northwestern Corpora…St. Peter's Health C…Retirement Plan for …Pension Plan for Emp…American Chemet Corp…
Northwestern Energy Pension Plan vs. nearby Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Montana, assets vs. participants

Similar-Sized Defined Benefit (Pension) Plans Nationally

Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in other states closest to Northwestern Energy Pension Plan by total assets, not by location.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Northwestern Energy Pension Plan assets move in 2022?
Northwestern Energy Pension Plan declined sharply - down 27.4% during 2022, from $545M to $395M. Reported net income was -$149M.
How have Northwestern Corporation plan assets changed over time?
Across 3 plan years on file (2022-2024), Northwestern Corporation's sponsor-wide assets grew 6.6%, from $855M to $911M.
Where does Northwestern Energy Pension Plan rank by assets among Form 5500 filers?
Northwestern Energy Pension Plan ranks in the 97th percentile by end-of-year assets among 139,258 plans that reported assets for plan year 2022 (in the top 5% of all filed plans by assets).
Which Defined Benefit (Pension) plans are similar in size to Northwestern Energy Pension Plan?
Among Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in other states, the closest by assets is The Arxada Consolidated Pension Plan in NJ ($395M, 292 participants).

Next read for Northwestern Energy Pension Plan

Scale reading

Ways to act on Northwestern Energy Pension Plan's numbers.

  • By total assets, Northwestern Energy Pension Plan ranks in the top 5% of all filed plans by assets. See the largest plans
  • Compare it side-by-side against 3 similar Defined Benefit (Pension) plans in Montana. Compare plans
  • Northwestern Corporation's sponsor-wide assets have grown 6.6% since 2022 across 3 plan years on file. More Utilities plans