Short-term Debt and Credit Facilities	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
Short Term Debt And Credit Facilities [Abstract]
Short-term Debt	8. Short-term Debt and Credit Facilities Our primary source of short-term funds is from the sale of commercial paper and bank loans. In addition to issuing commercial paper or bank loans to meet seasonal working capital requirements, short-term debt is used temporarily to fund capital requirements. Commercial paper and bank loans are periodically refinanced through the sale of long-term debt or equity securities. Our commercial paper program is supported by one or more committed credit facilities. At December 31, 2011 and 2010, the amounts and average interest rates of commercial paper debt outstanding were $141.6 million at 0.3 percent and $257.4 million at 0.4 percent, respectively. There were no bank loans outstanding at December 31, 2011 or 2010. At NW Natural, we have a multi-year $250 million syndicated credit agreement, pursuant to which we may extend commitments for additional one-year periods subject to lender approval. We extended commitments under this syndicated agreement to May 31, 2013. The syndicated agreement allows us to request increases in the total commitment amount from time to time, up to a maximum amount of $400 million, and to replace any lenders who decline to extend the terms of the agreement. The syndicated agreement also permits the issuance of letters of credit in an aggregate amount up to the applicable total borrowing commitment. Any principal and unpaid interest owed on borrowings under the syndicated agreement are due and payable on or before the expiration date. There were no outstanding balances under the syndicated credit agreement and no letters of credit issued or outstanding at December 31, 2011 and 2010. The syndicated credit agreement requires that we maintain credit ratings with Standard & Poor's (S&P) and Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's) and notify the lenders of any change in our senior unsecured debt ratings by such rating agencies. A change in our debt ratings is not an event of default, nor is the maintenance of a specific minimum level of debt rating a condition of drawing upon the credit facility. However, interest rates on any loans outstanding under the credit facility are tied to debt ratings, which would increase or decrease the cost of any loans under the credit facility when ratings are changed. There were no changes in our credit ratings during 2011. The syndicated credit agreement also requires us to maintain a consolidated indebtedness to total capitalization ratio of 70 percent or less. Failure to comply with this covenant would entitle the lenders to terminate their lending commitments and accelerate the maturity of all amounts outstanding. We were in compliance with this covenant at December 31, 2011 and 2010.

Short-term Debt and Credit Facilities

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Short Term Debt And Credit Facilities [Abstract]

8. Short-term Debt and Credit Facilities

Our primary source of short-term funds is from the sale of commercial paper and bank loans. In addition to issuing commercial paper or bank loans to meet seasonal working capital requirements, short-term debt is used temporarily to fund capital requirements. Commercial paper and bank loans are periodically refinanced through the sale of long-term debt or equity securities. Our commercial paper program is supported by one or more committed credit facilities. At December 31, 2011 and 2010, the amounts and average interest rates of commercial paper debt outstanding were $141.6 million at 0.3 percent and $257.4 million at 0.4 percent, respectively. There were no bank loans outstanding at December 31, 2011 or 2010.

At NW Natural, we have a multi-year $250 million syndicated credit agreement, pursuant to which we may extend commitments for additional one-year periods subject to lender approval. We extended commitments under this syndicated agreement to May 31, 2013. The syndicated agreement allows us to request increases in the total commitment amount from time to time, up to a maximum amount of $400 million, and to replace any lenders who decline to extend the terms of the agreement. The syndicated agreement also permits the issuance of letters of credit in an aggregate amount up to the applicable total borrowing commitment. Any principal and unpaid interest owed on borrowings under the syndicated agreement are due and payable on or before the expiration date. There were no outstanding balances under the syndicated credit agreement and no letters of credit issued or outstanding at December 31, 2011 and 2010.

The syndicated credit agreement requires that we maintain credit ratings with Standard & Poor's (S&P) and Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's) and notify the lenders of any change in our senior unsecured debt ratings by such rating agencies. A change in our debt ratings is not an event of default, nor is the maintenance of a specific minimum level of debt rating a condition of drawing upon the credit facility. However, interest rates on any loans outstanding under the credit facility are tied to debt ratings, which would increase or decrease the cost of any loans under the credit facility when ratings are changed. There were no changes in our credit ratings during 2011.

The syndicated credit agreement also requires us to maintain a consolidated indebtedness to total capitalization ratio of 70 percent or less. Failure to comply with this covenant would entitle the lenders to terminate their lending commitments and accelerate the maturity of all amounts outstanding. We were in compliance with this covenant at December 31, 2011 and 2010.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for short-term debt.

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