On July 6, 2011, Northwest Natural Gas Company filed a revised Schedule P "Determination of Company's Purchased Gas Cost Adjustments and Weighted Costs of Gas," with a stated effective date of August 6, 2011.  The filed revisions to Schedule P, if allowed to become effective, would change the definition of gas commodity costs to include the costs of gas reserves acquired through a joint venture with Encana Oil and Gas (USA) Inc. (Encana).  Northwest Natural Gas Company requests that the Commission make an express finding that the company's decision to enter into the transaction with Encana was prudent, allow the company to recover in rates the associated costs, and approve the revisions to Schedule P. 

The commission suspended operation of the tariff on July 28, 2011.

The commission initially scheduled a prehearing conference for August 22, 2011.  That prehearing conference was cancelled and a second prehearing conference was scheduled for December 1, 2011.  At the December 2, 2011, prehearing conference, the commission adopted the parties' proposed procedural schedule (Order 04).

By notice issued April 18, 2012, the commission cancels the evidentiary hearings originally scheduled for May 8 and 9, 2012, and extends the date for Staff answering testimony.  On April 24, 2012, Northwest Natural Gas Company filed a settlement stipulation that resolves all contested issues in this proceeding.  The commission issued a notice on May 10 indicating that the commission will resolve this matter on a paper record.

On May 25, 2012, the commission entered Order 05 Approving and Adopting Settlement Stipulation; Granting Leave to Withdraw Tariff Filing.

Docket UG-111233 - all documents