Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Regulatory Assets

Amounts deferred as regulatory assets and liabilities for NW Holdings and NW Natural were as follows:

	Regulatory Assets
	September 30,				December 31,
In thousands	2020		2019		2019
NW Natural:
Current:
Unrealized loss on derivatives(1)	$	1,459	$	4,156	$	2,000
Gas costs	5,207		21,094		20,140
Environmental costs(2)	4,440		5,100		4,762
Decoupling(3)	155		413		1,969
Pension balancing(4)	7,131		5,215		5,939
Income taxes	2,208		2,209		2,209
Other(5)	9,140		9,809		4,910
Total current	$	29,740	$	47,996	$	41,929
Non-current:
Unrealized loss on derivatives(1)	$	921	$	2,998	$	609
Pension balancing(4)	45,203		50,019		48,251
Income taxes	16,792		17,758		17,173
Pension and other postretirement benefit liabilities	159,207		164,709		173,262
Environmental costs(2)	84,567		69,250		87,624
Gas costs	110		921		2,866
Decoupling(3)	6		—		—
Other(5)	17,330		8,235		13,361
Total non-current	$	324,136	$	313,890	$	343,146
Other (NW Holdings)	40		—		—
Total non-current - NW Holdings	$	324,176	$	313,890	$	343,146

Schedule of Regulatory Liabilities

	Regulatory Liabilities
	September 30,				December 31,
In thousands	2020		2019		2019
NW Natural:
Current:
Gas costs	$	1,625	$	3,204	$	1,223
Unrealized gain on derivatives(1)	23,738		5,720		6,622
Decoupling(3)	12,702		2,007		4,831
Income taxes	6,900		7,763		8,435
Other(5)	14,271		18,879		23,546
Total current	$	59,236	$	37,573	$	44,657
Non-current:
Gas costs	$	69	$	50	$	2,013
Unrealized gain on derivatives(1)	12,921		1,610		3,337
Decoupling(3)	874		80		6,378
Income taxes(6)	196,558		206,572		198,219
Accrued asset removal costs(7)	421,353		396,418		401,893
Other(5)	16,876		11,083		13,877
Total non-current - NW Natural	$	648,651	$	615,813	$	625,717
Other (NW Holdings)	870		—		—
Total non-current - NW Holdings	$	649,521	$	615,813	$	625,717

(1)Unrealized gains or losses on derivatives are non-cash items and therefore do not earn a rate of return or a carrying charge. These amounts are recoverable through NGD rates as part of the annual Purchased Gas Adjustment (PGA) mechanism when realized at settlement.

(2)Refer to footnote (3) of the Deferred Regulatory Asset table in Note 16 for a description of environmental costs.

(3)This deferral represents the margin adjustment resulting from differences between actual and expected volumes. 

(4)Refer to Note 9 for information regarding the deferral of pension expenses.

(5)Balances consist of deferrals and amortizations under approved regulatory mechanisms and typically earn a rate of return or carrying charge.

(6)This balance represents estimated amounts associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. See Note 10.

(7)Estimated costs of removal on certain regulated properties are collected through rates.

Accounts Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the activity related to the NW Holdings provision for uncollectible accounts by pool, substantially all of which is related to NW Natural's accounts receivable:

	As of						As of
	December 31, 2019		Nine Months Ended September 30, 2020				September 30, 2020
In thousands	Beginning Balance		Provision recorded		Write-offs recognized, net of recoveries		Ending Balance
Allowance for uncollectible accounts
related to accounts receivable:
Residential	$	432	$	506	$	179	$	1,117
Commercial	57		145		260		462
Industrial	72		26		(40)		58
Accrued unbilled and other	112		57		(20)		149
Total	$	673	$	734	$	379	$	1,786