| Our History
Most people think of NW Natural as "the gas company." Our job is to deliver natural gas safely and reliably to customers in Oregon and southwest Washington. NW Natural buys natural gas from suppliers in the western U.S. and Canada, and distributes it to residential, commercial, and industrial customers throughout our service territory.
We build, maintain, and operate the local natural gas distribution system—that is, the pipes and infrastructure that transport natural gas to homes and businesses.
NW Natural and its predecessors have been providing gas service to the Pacific Northwest since 1859. Though the company's headquarters is in Portland, NW Natural also serves customers in Albany, Astoria, Coos Bay, Eugene, Lincoln City, Salem and The Dalles in Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington.
The Pacific Northwest’s first gas utility started in Portland to light city streets. The Portland Gas Light Company covered an area of less than one square mile and served 49 customers. Its successor, NW Natural, provides reliable, cost-effective natural gas service to about 600,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers through 15,000 miles of mains and service lines in western Oregon and southwestern Washington.
In recent years, NW Natural's growth rate has exceeded the national average for local distribution companies. This growth is due to strong customer preference for natural gas for space heating and water heating and the relative cost-efficiency of natural gas.
NW Natural is committed to enhancing the quality of life in its service area through environmental protection. Since natural gas produces substantially less pollution than either oil or coal, the wise use of natural gas is one of the most practical means of addressing the nation's air quality problems. |
