CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated February 20, 1998, which appears on page 33 of Northwest Natural Gas Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997. We also consent to the reference to us under the headings "Experts" in such Prospectus. /s/ Price Waterhouse LLP PRICE WATERHOUSE LLP Portland, Oregon March 19, 1998