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Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Operating activities: [Abstract]      
Net income $ 58,692us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss $ 60,538us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss $ 58,779us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax 54,974us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax 63,471us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax 57,288us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operations: [Abstract]      
Depreciation and amortization 79,193us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization 75,905us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization 73,017us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization
Regulatory amortization of gas reserves 19,335nwn_Regulatoryamortizationofgasreserves 11,089nwn_Regulatoryamortizationofgasreserves 6,340nwn_Regulatoryamortizationofgasreserves
Deferred tax liabilities, net 24,772us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable 46,483us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable 42,079us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccruedIncomeTaxesPayable
Non-cash expenses related to qualified defined benefit pension plans 4,984us-gaap_PensionExpense 5,666us-gaap_PensionExpense 5,448us-gaap_PensionExpense
Contributions to qualified defined benefit pension plans (10,500)us-gaap_PensionContributions (11,700)us-gaap_PensionContributions (23,500)us-gaap_PensionContributions
Deferred environmental expenditures, net of recoveries 88,849us-gaap_EnvironmentalExpenseAndLiabilities (16,679)us-gaap_EnvironmentalExpenseAndLiabilities (12,503)us-gaap_EnvironmentalExpenseAndLiabilities
Other 1,853us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncome (2,580)us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncome (2,350)us-gaap_OtherNoncashIncome
Changes in assets and liabilities: [Abstract]      
Receivables 14,948us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsAndOtherReceivables (26,094)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsAndOtherReceivables 22,170us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsAndOtherReceivables
Inventories (17,163)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories 6,933us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories 6,761us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Taxes accrued 1,709us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesReceivable 286us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesReceivable 3,334us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInIncomeTaxesReceivable
Accounts payable (2,020)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable 7,422us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable (602)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInAccountsPayable
Interest accrued (1,024)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInterestPayableNet 1,150us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInterestPayableNet 96us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInterestPayableNet
Deferred gas costs (23,114)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredGasCost (5,245)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredGasCost (17,644)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredGasCost
Other, net (24,857)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingLiabilities 23,216us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingLiabilities 7,413us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherOperatingLiabilities
Cash provided by operating activities 215,657us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities 176,390us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities 168,838us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities
Investing activities: [Abstract]      
Capital expenditures (120,092)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment (138,924)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment (132,029)us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment
Utility gas reserves (26,798)nwn_PaymentsToAcquireUtilityGasReserves (54,077)nwn_PaymentsToAcquireUtilityGasReserves (54,085)nwn_PaymentsToAcquireUtilityGasReserves
Proceeds from sale of assets 175us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment 8,638us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Restricted cash 1,000us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInRestrictedCash 0us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInRestrictedCash 0us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInRestrictedCash
Other 1,392us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities 2,231us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities 1,437us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities
Cash used in investing activities (144,323)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities (182,132)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities (184,677)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities
Financing activities: [Abstract]      
Common stock issued, net 8,986nwn_CommonStockIssuedNet 5,964nwn_CommonStockIssuedNet 6,758nwn_CommonStockIssuedNet
Long-term debt issued 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt 50,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt 50,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt
Long-term debt retired (80,000)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt 0us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt (40,000)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
Change in short-term debt 46,500us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt (2,050)us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt 48,650us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt
Cash dividend payments on common stock (50,093)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock (49,204)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock (48,007)us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock
Other 3,336us-gaap_ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities 1,580us-gaap_ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities 1,528us-gaap_ProceedsFromPaymentsForOtherFinancingActivities
Cash provided by (used in) financing activities (71,271)us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities 6,290us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities 18,929us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities
Increase in cash and cash equivalents 63us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease 548us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease 3,090us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 9,471us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 8,923us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 5,833us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 9,534us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 9,471us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 8,923us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: [Abstract]      
Interest paid 42,602us-gaap_InterestPaid 44,022us-gaap_InterestPaid 43,061us-gaap_InterestPaid
Income taxes paid $ 19,445us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid $ 870us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid $ 2,979us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid