For Oregon customers

The following benefits are available if your household income is less than 60% of Oregon state median income.

• No late fees.
• No deposits.
• No standard reconnection fee will be charged when we reconnect your gas service during regular business hours (Monday–Friday). This also applies to customers with a medical certificate, regardless of income. (Normally, there is a fee to reconnect gas service.)
• No fee for the first in‑person visit to collect a payment, within a 12‑month period. (Normally, there is a fee for in‑person payment collection.)
• No more than $200 is required upfront to reconnect service after a disconnection for non‑payment. (Normally, customers must pay at least half of what they owe to reconnect.) This $200 cap also applies to customers with a medical certificate, regardless of income. No payment is required to reconnect your gas service if you were disconnected for non‑payment within the past 7 days during a severe‑weather, poor‑air‑quality (AQI), or wildfire‑evacuation event. This protection also applies to customers with a medical certificate, regardless of income.

The following benefits are available to all residential customers, regardless of income level.

Time payment arrangement

• Customers who default on a time payment agreement (payment plan) can renegotiate a new plan at least once. 

Severe weather - November through April

From November through April, we will not disconnect gas service for non‑payment during severe cold weather.

• This protection applies the day before a forecasted cold‑weather event, the day of the event, and two days after the event.
• A cold‑weather event means temperatures are forecasted to be 32°F or below, according to weather.gov

We also will not disconnect gas service when a winter storm warning indicates that weather conditions may pose a threat to life or property, according to weather.gov

Severe weather - May through October

From May through October, we will not disconnect gas service for non‑payment during severe weather.

• This protection applies the day before a forecasted weather event, the day of the event, and two days after the event.
• From May through October, a weather event means either LOW temperatures are forecasted to be 32°F or below and HIGH temperatures are forecasted to be 60°F or below, according to weather.gov

Poor air quality

We will not disconnect your gas service for non‑payment during an air‑quality event. This means we will not disconnect service when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 100 or higher, or when the Oregon DEQ issues an air‑quality advisory.

Gas service will not be disconnected for non-payment:

• The day of the air quality event
• Two days after the air quality event has ended, per airnow.gov or the DEQ

Reconnecting gas service

We will make best efforts to reconnect customers disconnected for non-payment within the previous 7 days of a severe weather or AQI event. Applicable reconnection fees can apply.

Upon request, we will make best efforts to reconnect customers previously disconnected for non-payment within the previous 7 days of a wildfire evacuation after the evacuation order has been lifted.

If your gas service is reconnected after being shut off for non‑payment, and you pay at least half of what you owe, you’ll have six more billing cycles to pay off the rest of the balance.

Medical certificates

A customer with a medical certificate on their account will not have their gas service disconnected for nonpayment. A medical certificate can be issued when the customer—or anyone in their household—has a health condition and would be seriously harmed if natural gas service were shut off.

To get a medical certificate, the customer must send NW Natural written confirmation from a qualified medical professional within 60 days of telling us they need one. A medical certificate can last for up to 24 months.

 

For Washington customers

The following benefits are currently available to all residential customers. These benefits are subject to change, pending decisions from the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission.

• No late fees.
• No deposits.

• No fee for the first in‑person visit to collect a payment, within a 12‑month period. (Normally, there is a fee for in‑person payment collection.)

• No standard reconnection fee will be charged when we reconnect your gas service during regular business hours (Monday–Friday). This also applies to customers with a medical certificate, regardless of income. (Normally, there is a fee to reconnect gas service.)
• If customers reconnect within 20 days of service disconnection, no more than $200 is required upfront to reconnect service after a disconnection for non‑payment. (Normally, customers must pay at least half of what they owe to reconnect.) This $200 cap also applies to customers with a medical certificate, regardless of income. 
• No payment is required to reconnect your gas service if you were disconnected for non‑payment within the past 7 days during a severe‑weather, poor‑air‑quality (AQI), or wildfire‑evacuation event. This protection also applies to customers with a medical certificate, regardless of income.

The following benefits are available to all residential customers, regardless of income level.

Time payment arrangement

Severe weather - November through April

From November through April, we will not disconnect gas service for non‑payment during severe cold weather

• This protection applies the day before a forecasted cold‑weather event, the day of the event, and two days after the event.
• A cold‑weather event means temperatures are forecasted to be 32°F or below, according to weather.gov

We also will not disconnect gas service when a winter storm warning indicates that weather conditions may pose a threat to life or property, according to weather.gov

Severe weather - May through October

From May through October, we will not disconnect gas service for non‑payment during severe weather.

• This protection applies the day before a forecasted weather event, the day of the event, and two days after the event.

• From May through October, a weather event means either LOW temperatures are forecasted to be 32°F or below and HIGH temperatures are forecasted to be 60°F or below, according to weather.gov

Poor air quality

We will not disconnect your gas service for non‑payment during an air‑quality event. This means we will not disconnect service when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 100 or higher, or when the Oregon DEQ issues an air‑quality advisory.

Gas service will not be disconnected for non-payment:

• The day of the air quality event.
• Two days after the air quality event has ended, per airnow.gov or the DEQ

Reconnecting gas service

We will make best efforts to reconnect customers disconnected for non-payment within the previous 7 days of a severe weather or AQI event. Applicable reconnection fees can apply.

Upon request, we will make best efforts to reconnect customers previously disconnected for non-payment within the previous 7 days of a wildfire evacuation after the evacuation order has been lifted.

If your gas service is reconnected after being shut off for non‑payment, and you pay at least half of what you owe, you’ll have six more billing cycles to pay off the rest of the balance.

Medical certificates

A customer with a medical certificate on their account will not have their gas service disconnected for nonpayment. A medical certificate can be issued when the customer—or anyone in their household—has a health condition and would be seriously harmed if natural gas service were shut off.

To get a medical certificate, the customer must send NW Natural written confirmation from a qualified medical professional within 60 days of telling us they need one. A medical certificate can last for up to 24 months.

Customers who default on a time payment agreement (payment plan) can renegotiate a new plan at least once.