NW Energy donates for auto-diesel building

NorthWestern Energy announced this morning that it is donating $125,000 to Montana State University-Northern’s new automotive and diesel technologies building.

Officials from NorthWestern are going to meet with MSU-Northern officials at interim Chancellor Greg Kegel’s house at 4:30 p.m. today.

The donation is part of $300,000 in donations NorthWestern Energy gave to five Montana recipients, which include the Butte YMCA, the Montana Historical Society, the City of Thompson Falls and Energy Share of Montana.

“These are unique, one-time donations that we were pleased to be able to make as we closed out 2014,” said Bob Rowe, NorthWestern’s chief executive officer in a press release. “They are intended to complement our ongoing Community Works efforts, which include local contributions, scholarships, economic development support and — especially — volunteerism.”

NorthWestern’s end of the tax year donation comes after $3.15 million was donated by several businesses to the university’s planned Automotive/Diesel Technology Center in October.