<ARTICLE>    UT
<LEGEND>
     This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
consolidated financial statements and is qualified in its entirety by reference
to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>

                                            
<CIK>                             0000073020
<NAME>                            NORTHWEST NATURAL GAS COMPANY
<PERIOD-TYPE>                     3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                 DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                      MAR-31-2000
<BOOK-VALUE>                      PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                            901,066
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                           16,959
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                               151,712
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                              93,292
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                        51,060
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                     1,214,089
<COMMON>                                              79,688
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                            235,872
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                  142,020
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                       457,580
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                 34,750
<PREFERRED>                                                0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                 396,276
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                         0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                  0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                        16,493
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                         10,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                814
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                           0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                       298,176
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                      1,214,089
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                            186,649
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                  16,911
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           132,670
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                           149,581
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                               37,068
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                     3,159
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                        40,227
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                               8,565
<NET-INCOME>                                          31,662
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                              622
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                         31,040
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                               7,782
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                              7,085
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                78,064
<EPS-BASIC>                                            $1.24
<EPS-DILUTED>                                          $1.22