UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 5
ANNUAL STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
( ) Check box if no longer subject to Section 16.
Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instructions 1(b).
( ) Form 3 Holdings Reported
( ) Form 4 Transactions Reported
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person
DONNELL, ARTHUR R
600 MARKET ST W
P O BOX 1318
HURON, SD 57350
USA
2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NORTHWESTERN PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY
NPS
3. IRS or Social Security Number of Reporting Person (Voluntary)
###-##-####
4. Statement for Month/Year
DECEMBER 1996
5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Year)
6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
( ) Director ( ) 10% Owner (X) Officer (give title below) ( ) Other
(specify below)
VICE PRESIDENT ENERGY OPERATIONS
7. Individual or Joint/Group Reporting (Check Applicable Line)
(X) Form filed by One Reporting Person
( ) Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Table I -- Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1. Title of Security |2. |3. |4.Securities Acquired (A) |5.Amount of |6.Dir |7.Nature of Indirect |
|Transaction| or Disposed of (D) | Securities |ect | Beneficial Ownership |
|Date |Code| | Beneficially |(D)or | |
| | | | A/| | Owned at |Indir | |
| | | Amount | D | Price | End of Year |ect(I)| |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
COMMON STOCK |* |R |196.562 |A |# |3769.352 |D | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
COMMON STOCK |+ |B |208.7168 |A |@ |4732.6102 |D | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
COMMON STOCK |* |R |5.514 |A |# |150.605 |I |GRNDAUGHTER |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
COMMON STOCK |* |R |3.003 |A |# |106.153 |I |GRNDAUGHTER |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
COMMON STOCK |* |R |5.255 |A |# |146.018 |I |GRANDSON |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
COMMON STOCK |* |R |2.813 |A |# |102.764 |I |GRNDAUGHTER |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
COMMON STOCK |* |R |3.003 |A |# |106.153 |I |GRNDAUGHTER |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<CAPTION>
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Table II -- Derivative Securitites Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
1.Title of Derivative |2.Con |3. |4. |5.Number of De |6.Date Exer|7.Title and Amount |8.Price|9.Number |10.|11.Nature of|
Security |version |Transaction rivative Secu |cisable and| of Underlying |of Deri|of Deriva |Dir|Indirect |
|or Exer |Date |Code| rities Acqui |Expiration | Securities |vative |tive |ect|Beneficial |
|cise Pr | | | red(A) or Dis |Date(Month/| |Secu |Securities |(D)|Ownership |
|ice of | | | posed of(D) |Day/Year) | |rity |Benefi |or | |
|Deriva | | | |Date |Expir| | |ficially |Ind| |
|tive | | | | A/|Exer-|ation| Title and Number | |Owned at |ire| |
|Secu | | | | D |cisa-|Date | of Shares | |End of |ct | |
|rity | | | Amount | |ble | | | |Year |(I)| |
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
PHANTOM STOCK UNITS | |9-1-9|A |54.1173 |A | |% |COMMON STOCK|54.1173|28.75 | |D | |
| |6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
PHANTOM STOCK UNITS | |12-1-|A |47.5249 |A | |% |COMMON STOCK|47.5249|34.75 |3637.7161 |D | |
| |96 | | | | | | | | | | | |
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________|
</TABLE>
Explanation of Responses:
* SHARES ACQUIRED THRU DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT PLAN FROM 3-1-96 THRU
12-1-96
# PRICES RANGE FROM $27.381 TO $35.336 PER
SHARE
+ SHARES ACQUIRED THROU ESOP FROM 3-1-96 THRU
12-2-96
@ PRICES RANGE FROM $27.3810 TO
$35.1250
% PHANTOM STOCK UNITS MATURE 5 YEARS FROM DATE OF
AWARD
SIGNATURE OF REPORTING PERSON
/S/ ARTHUR R DONNELL
DATE
2.-3-97
