Subsequent Event

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Subsequent Events [Text Block]

17. SUBSEQUENT EVENT In December 2010, NW Natural commenced litigation against certain of its historical liability insurers. NW Natural alleged that the defendant insurance companies issued third party liability insurance policies to NW Natural and that the defendants had breached the terms of those policies by failing to reimburse and indemnify NW Natural for liabilities arising from environmental contamination at certain sites caused or alleged to be caused by its historical operations.

NW Natural sought damages in excess of $50 million in losses it had incurred through the date of the complaint, as well as declaratory relief for additional damages it expected to incur in the future. Settlements with certain of the defendant insurance companies resulted in payments received by NW Natural through December 31, 2013 of approximately $48 million.

In January and February 2014, the remaining defendant insurance companies agreed to settle all of NW Natural’s claims. In 2014 the Company expects to receive additional payments aggregating approximately $102 million under settlement agreements signed in 2013 and 2014. Such payments are to be made in the first and second quarters of 2014. As a result of such settlements, the Company anticipates dismissal of the litigation in the second quarter of 2014.

The settlements are recognized in regulatory accounts with the treatment determined through the SRRM. We expect the open regulatory docket regarding SRRM to be resolved during 2014.