Understanding My Bill

Understanding your natural gas bill.

Learn how your natural gas bill is calculated and about the information included on your bill. You can always view or print a copy of your most recent or past bills at Payment & Bill History.

Don't have an online account? Register your account at Account Settings.

How to read your natural gas bill

Follow the key below to help understand your natural gas bill each month. If you have questions about how your bill is calculated or what's included on it, please contact customer service at 800-422-4012, 7am to 6pm, Monday through Friday. NW Natural’s customer service team can also assist you in additional languages by interpreter.

Quick reference information including your account number, bill date, due date and amount due.
Natural gas usage information for the billing period.
Service address is the physical location of where the gas service is being provided.
Account summary lists the details of your bill, such as your rate schedule, previous balance, payments received, current charges (service charge, gas usage, program enrollment fees, local taxes and the public purpose charge), and your total account balance.
Important message and ways to manage your natural gas bill.
Your natural gas use over the past 13 months (if available) and the average temperature for the current month and the same month last year. Sign in to your Account Overview to view more detailed information.
Promotion box that features messages about your service, ways to save energy, and available billing options.
If you are enrolled in Auto Pay, this is a reminder to not send a payment and when your payment will be deducted from your account.

How your gas bill is calculated

Our rates are regulated and approved by the Public Utility Commission of Oregon (OPUC) and the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (WUTC). The current charges on your bill are based on up to five components.

Monthly service or minimum charge

Gas usage cost

In both Washington and Oregon, this charge is a combination of the gas commodity cost or the cost of natural gas, the transportation cost of delivering natural gas to NW Natural’s system, and the cost of bringing this natural gas to your home or business on NW Natural’s system. This charge also supports variable costs related to meters, meter reading, service line maintenance, billing, customer service and other costs that are required for service. In addition, this charge may include costs and credits for programs and adjustments as approved by the OPUC and WUTC.
The amount of natural gas you use is multiplied by the per therm rate for these charges as stated in your tariff rate schedule.

Smart Energy carbon offset program charge

Local taxes

Public purpose charge

For Oregon only, this surcharge is collected to fund public purposes activities to be administered through one or more independent entities. Public purposes activities include, but are not limited to, energy-efficiency programs, market-transformation programs, residential low-income energy-efficiency programs, and residential low-income bill payment-assistance programs.

For every dollar you paid on your gas bill, your money went to:

Overall, about 90% of your bill goes toward the cost of gas, delivery and the services provided to you as a customer, with the remaining 10% going toward regulated rate of return on NW Natural’s investment in the gas system.

Natural gas rates over time

Despite this period of extraordinary market conditions,
NW Natural customers will still be paying less than they did 15 years ago for their natural gas bills.

Discover More

Communication, your way.

Sign into your account to choose text or email billing notifications.

Get help with payments.

Get temporary payment plans and payment assistance when you need them.

No-cost, low-cost efficiency tips.

Read tips that can help you improve energy efficiency and lower your monthly bill.

Register your account online.

View and pay bills, see gas use, and compare use over time.