Employee Retirement Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Defined Benefit Postretirement Plans Disclosure [Abstract]

Change in Pension Benefits and Other Postretirement Benefit Obligations, Plan Assets, and Funded Status

The following table provides a reconciliation of the projected benefit obligations (“PBOs”) of the Pension Plan, the accumulated benefit obligations (“ABOs”) of the Other Postretirement Plans, plan assets and the funded status of the Pension Plan and Other Postretirement Plans as of September 30, 2016 and 2015. ABO is the present value of benefits earned to date with benefits based upon current compensation levels. PBO is ABO increased to reflect future compensation.

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
	2016			2015			2016			2015
Change in benefit obligations:
Benefit obligations — beginning of year	$	563,621		$	539,725		$	10,676		$	11,136
Service cost	7,772			7,863			198			220
Interest cost	25,733			24,656			483			511
Actuarial loss (gain)	72,418			14,667			1,117			(835		)
Benefits paid	(24,100		)	(23,290		)	(399		)	(356		)
Benefit obligations — end of year	$	645,444		$	563,621		$	12,075		$	10,676
Change in plan assets:
Fair value of plan assets — beginning of year	$	430,789		$	442,465		$	12,523		$	12,848
Actual gain (loss) on assets	46,874			483			1,347			(95		)
Employer contributions	9,869			11,131			98			126
Benefits paid	(24,100		)	(23,290		)	(253		)	(356		)
Fair value of plan assets — end of year	$	463,432		$	430,789		$	13,715		$	12,523
Funded status of the plans — end of year	$	(182,012	)	$	(132,832	)	$	1,640		$	1,847
Assets (liabilities) recorded in the balance sheet:
Assets in excess of liabilities — included in other noncurrent assets	$	—		$	—		$	4,139		$	4,011
Unfunded liabilities — included in other noncurrent liabilities	(182,012		)	(132,832		)	(2,499		)	(2,164		)
Net amount recognized	$	(182,012	)	$	(132,832	)	$	1,640		$	1,847
Amounts recorded in stockholder’s equity (pre-tax):
Prior service cost (credit)	$	138		$	178		$	(35	)	$	(48	)
Net actuarial loss (gain)	19,866			15,757			(1		)	(158		)
Total	$	20,004		$	15,935		$	(36	)	$	(206	)
Amounts recorded in regulatory assets and liabilities (pre-tax):
Prior service cost (credit)	$	1,262		$	1,570		$	(2,247	)	$	(2,890	)
Net actuarial loss	180,964			138,440			2,425			2,289
Total	$	182,226		$	140,010		$	178		$	(601	)

Actuarial Assumptions for Domestic Plans

The expected rate of return on assets assumption is based on current and expected asset allocations as well as historical and expected returns on various categories of plan assets as further described below.

	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
Weighted-average assumptions:	2016		2015		2014		2016		2015		2014
Discount rate - benefit obligations	3.80	%	4.60	%	4.60	%	3.80	%	4.70	%	4.60	%
Discount rate - benefit cost	4.60	%	4.60	%	5.20	%	4.70	%	4.60	%	5.10% - 5.40%
Expected return on plan assets	7.55	%	7.75	%	7.75	%	5.00	%	5.00	%	5.00	%
Rate of increase in salary levels	3.25	%	3.25	%	3.25	%	3.25	%	3.25	%	3.25	%

Components of Net Periodic Pension Expense and Other Postretirement Benefit Costs

Net periodic pension and other postretirement benefit costs relating to the Company’s employees include the following components:

	Pension Benefits									Other Postretirement Benefits
	2016			2015			2014			2016			2015			2014
Service cost	$	6,927		$	6,962		$	6,492		$	183		$	202		$	162
Interest cost	23,270			22,511			22,885			465			479			488
Expected return on assets	(28,668		)	(28,898		)	(26,599		)	(596		)	(612		)	(557		)
Amortization of:
Prior service cost (benefit)	348			348			348			(641		)	(641		)	(641		)
Actuarial loss	9,571			8,793			6,642			98			122			116
Net benefit cost (income)	11,448			9,716			9,768			(491		)	(450		)	(432		)
Change in associated regulatory liabilities	—			—			—			971			3,740			3,704
Net benefit cost after change in regulatory liabilities	$	11,448		$	9,716		$	9,768		$	480		$	3,290		$	3,272

Expected Payments for Pension Benefits and Other Postretirement Welfare Benefits

Expected payments for pension and other postretirement welfare benefits are as follows:

	Pension Benefits		Other Postretirement Benefits
Fiscal 2017	$	25,980	$	588
Fiscal 2018	27,254		577
Fiscal 2019	28,555		575
Fiscal 2020	29,902		561
Fiscal 2021	31,168		545
Fiscal 2021 - 2025	174,070		2,719

Schedule of Effect of One-percentage-point Change in Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates

The assumed health care cost trend rates at September 30 are as follows:

	2016		2015
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year	7.25	%	7.5	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	5.0	%	5.0	%
Fiscal year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2026		2026

Allocation of Pension Plan and VEBA Trust Assets

The targets, target ranges and actual allocations for the Pension Plan and VEBA trust assets at September 30 are as follows:

					Target
	Actual				Asset		Permitted
Pension Plan:	2016		2015		Allocation		Range
Equity investments:
Domestic	54.1	%	56.2	%	52.5	%	40.0% - 65.0%
International	10.2	%	10.2	%	12.5	%	7.5% - 17.5%
Total	64.3	%	66.4	%	65.0	%	60.0% - 70.0%
Fixed income funds & cash equivalents	35.7	%	33.6	%	35.0	%	30.0% - 40.0%
Total	100.0	%	100.0	%	100.0	%

					Target
	Actual				Asset		Permitted
VEBA:	2016		2015		Allocation		Range
Domestic equity investments	69.9	%	67.4	%	65.0	%	60.0% - 70.0%
Fixed income funds & cash equivalents	30.1	%	32.6	%	35.0	%	30.0% - 40.0%
Total	100.0	%	100.0	%	100.0	%

Fair Value of Pension Plan and VEBA Trust Assets

The fair values of the U.S. Pension Plan and VEBA trust assets by asset class and level within the fair value hierarchy, as described in Note 2, as of September 30, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:

	Pension Plan
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
September 30, 2016:
Domestic equity investments:
S&P 500 Index equity mutual funds	$	158,906	$	—	$	—	$	158,906
Small and midcap equity mutual funds	43,170		—		—		43,170
Smallcap common stocks	11,414		—		—		11,414
UGI Corporation Common Stock	37,013		—		—		37,013
Total domestic equity investments	250,503		—		—		250,503
International index equity mutual funds	47,324		—		—		47,324
Fixed income investments:
Bond index mutual funds	147,794		—		—		147,794
Cash equivalents	—		17,811		—		17,811
Total fixed income investments	147,794		17,811		—		165,605
Total	$	445,621	$	17,811	$	—	$	463,432
September 30, 2015:
Equity investments:
S&P 500 Index equity mutual funds	$	147,266	$	—	$	—	$	147,266
Small and midcap equity mutual funds	40,625		—		—		40,625
Smallcap common stocks	10,727		—		—		10,727
UGI Corporation Common Stock	43,419		—		—		43,419
Total domestic equity investments	242,037		—		—		242,037
International index equity mutual funds	43,906		—		—		43,906
Fixed income investments:
Bond index mutual funds	140,776		—		—		140,776
Cash equivalents	—		4,070		—		4,070
Total fixed income investments	140,776		4,070		—		144,846
Total	$	426,719	$	4,070	$	—	$	430,789

	VEBA
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Total
September 30, 2016:
S&P 500 Index equity mutual fund	$	9,583	$	—	$	—	$	9,583
Bond index mutual fund	4,019		—		—		4,019
Cash equivalents	—		113		—		113
Total	$	13,602	$	113	$	—	$	13,715
September 30, 2015:
S&P 500 Index equity mutual fund	$	8,434	$	—	$	—	$	8,434
Bond index mutual fund	3,832		—		—		3,832
Cash equivalents	—		257		—		257
Total	$	12,266	$	257	$	—	$	12,523