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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
Savings Plan
The Company sponsors a 401(k) qualified defined contribution savings plan that allows participants to contribute up to 20% of pre-tax compensation. Effective January 1, 2010, the Company matches 75 cents for each dollar contributed by the employee up to a maximum Company match of 6.0% of base salary. Company contributions were $6.5 million for the years 2020 and 2019, respectively, and $6.0 million for 2018.
Pension Plans
The Company provides a qualified, defined-benefit, non-contributory pension plan for substantially all employees. The accumulated benefit obligations of the pension plan are $622.0 million and $615.5 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The fair value of pension plan assets was $716.8 million and $573.6 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Prior to 2010, pension payment obligations were generally funded by the purchase of an annuity from a life insurance company. Beginning in 2010, the pension plan trust pays monthly benefits to retirees, rather than the purchase of an annuity.
The Company also maintains an unfunded, non-qualified, supplemental executive retirement plan (SERP). The unfunded SERP accumulated benefit obligations were $78.0 million and $71.8 million as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Benefit payments under the supplemental executive retirement plan are paid currently.
Expected payments to be made for the pension and SERP plans are shown in the table below:
Year Ending December 31,PensionSERPTotal
2021$15,115 $2,057 $17,172 
202216,694 2,192 18,886 
202318,337 2,339 20,676 
202420,008 2,514 22,522 
202521,729 2,706 24,435 
2026-2030134,864 17,001 151,865 
Total payments$226,747 $28,809 $255,556 
The expected benefit payments are based upon the same assumptions used to measure the Company's benefit obligation at December 31, 2020, and include estimated future employee service.
The costs of the pension and retirement plans are charged to expense and utility plant. The Company makes annual contributions to fund the amounts accrued for pension cost.
Other Postretirement Plan
The Company provides substantially all active, permanent employees with medical, dental, and vision benefits through a self-insured plan. Employees retiring at or after age 58, along with their spouses and dependents, continue participation in the plan by payment of a premium. Plan assets are invested in mutual funds, short-term money market instruments and commercial paper based upon a similar asset mix to the pension plan. Retired employees are also provided with a $10,000 dollar life insurance benefit.
The Company records the costs of postretirement benefits other than pensions (PBOP) during the employees' years of active service. Postretirement benefit expense recorded in 2020, 2019, and 2018, was $5.2 million, $7.9 million, and $8.8 million, respectively. The remaining net periodic benefit cost was $1.5 million at December 31, 2020, and is being recovered through future customer rates and is recorded as a regulatory asset.
The expected benefit payments, net of retiree premiums and Medicare Part D subsidies, are shown in the table below.
Year Ending December 31,    
Expected Benefit Payments Before Medicare Part D Subsidy		Effect of Medicare Part D Subsidy on Expected Benefit PaymentsExpected Benefit Payments Net of Medicare Part D Subsidy
2021$3,462 $(303)$3,159 
20223,775 (337)3,438 
20234,140 (369)3,771 
20244,619 (399)4,220 
20254,896 (439)4,457 
2026-203028,681 (2,796)25,885 
Total payments$49,573 $(4,643)$44,930 
Benefit Plan Assets
The Company actively manages pensions and PBOP trust (Plan) assets. The Company's investment objectives are:
•Maximize the return on the assets, commensurate with the risk that the Company deems appropriate to meet the obligations of the Plans, minimize the volatility of the pension expense, and account for contingencies;
•Generate a rate of return for the total portfolio that equals or exceeds the actuarial investment rate assumption;
Additionally, the rate of return of the total fund is measured periodically against an index comprised of 35% of the Standard & Poor's Index, 15% of the Russell 2000 Index, 10% of the MSCI EAFE Index, and 40% of the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. The index is consistent with the Company's rate of return objective and indicates the Company's long-term asset allocation objective.
The Company applies a risk management framework for managing the risks associated with employee benefit plan trust assets. The guiding principles of this risk management framework are the clear articulation of roles and responsibilities, appropriate delegation of authority, and proper accountability and documentation. Trust investment policies and investment manager guidelines include provisions to ensure prudent diversification, manage risk through appropriate use of physical direct asset holdings and derivative securities, and identify permitted and prohibited investments.
The Company's target asset allocation percentages for major categories of the pension plan are reflected in the table below:
Minimum
Exposure		TargetMaximum
Exposure
Fixed Income35 %40 %45 %
Total Domestic Equity:40 %50 %60 %
Small/Mid Cap Stocks
10 %15 %20 %
Large Cap Stocks
30 %35 %45 %
Non-U.S. Equities5 %10 %15 %
The fixed income category includes money market funds, short-term bond funds, and cash. The majority of fixed income investments range in maturities from less than 1 to 5 years.
The Company's target allocation percentages for the PBOP trust is similar to the pension plan.
The Company uses the following criteria to select investment funds:
•Fund past performance;
•Fund meets criteria of Employee Retirements Income Security Act (ERISA);
•Timeliness and completeness of fund communications and reporting to investors;
•Stability of fund management company;
•Fund management fees; and
•Administrative costs incurred by the Plan.
Plan Fair Value Measurements
The fair value measurements standard establishes a framework for measuring fair value. That framework provides a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy under the standard are described below:
Level 1—Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Plan has the ability to access.
Level 2—Inputs to the valuation methodology include:
•Quoted market prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;
•Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets;
•Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability; and
•Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
If the asset or liability has a specified (contractual) term, the level 2 input must be observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.
Level 3—Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.
The following tables present the fair value of plan assets by major asset category at December 31, 2020 and 2019:
December 31, 2020
 Pension BenefitsOther Benefits
 Level 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3Total
Fixed Income$108,695 $— $— $108,695 $54,731 $— $— $54,731 
Domestic Equity: Small/Mid Cap Stocks57,201 — — 57,201 — — — — 
Domestic Equity: Large Cap Stocks195,497 — — 195,497 92,326 — — 92,326 
Non U.S. Equities44,342 — — 44,342 — — — — 
Assets measured at net asset value (NAV)311,059 — 
Total Plan Assets$405,735 $— $— $716,794 $147,057 $— $— $147,057 
December 31, 2019
 Pension BenefitsOther Benefits
 Level 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3Total
Fixed Income$91,231 $— $— $91,231 $50,277 $— $— $50,277 
Domestic Equity: Small/Mid Cap Stocks43,238 — — 43,238 — — — — 
Domestic Equity: Large Cap Stocks155,645 — — 155,645 78,277 — — 78,277 
Non U.S. Equities28,874 — — 28,874 — — — 
Assets measured at NAV254,587 — 
Total Plan Assets$318,988 $— $— $573,575 $128,554 $— $— $128,554 
The pension benefits fixed income category includes $9.6 million and $8.9 million of money market fund investments as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The other benefits fixed income category includes $3.1 million and $4.5 million of money market fund investments as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Assets measured at NAV include investments in commingled funds that are comprised of fixed income and equity securities. These commingled funds are not publicly traded, and therefore no publicly quoted market price is readily available. The values of the commingled funds are measured at estimated fair value, which is determined based on the unit value of the funds and have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy tables above. There are no restrictions on the terms and conditions upon which the investments may be redeemed.
Changes in Plan Assets, Benefits Obligations, and Funded Status
The following table reconciles the funded status of the plans with the accrued pension liability and the net postretirement benefit liability as of December 31, 2020 and 2019:
 Pension BenefitsOther Benefits
 2020201920202019
Change in projected benefit obligation:    
Beginning of year$812,029 $639,921 $150,515 $127,204 
Service cost36,002 26,718 7,945 7,475 
Interest cost25,741 26,966 4,305 5,441 
Actuarial (gain) loss (1)(23,470)133,230 (30,485)11,701 
Plan amendment(833)— — — 
Benefits paid, net of retiree premiums(15,530)(14,806)(1,622)(1,306)
End of year$833,939 $812,029 $130,658 $150,515 
Change in plan assets:    
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year$573,575 $469,774 $128,554 $102,625 
Actual return on plan assets121,751 97,811 13,272 19,730 
Employer contributions36,998 20,796 6,853 7,505 
Retiree contributions and Medicare part D subsidies— — 2,075 1,874 
Benefits paid(15,530)(14,806)(3,849)(3,180)
Other adjustments— — 152 — 
Fair value of plan assets at end of year$716,794 $573,575 $147,057 $128,554 
Funded status (2)$(117,145)$(238,454)$16,399 $(21,961)
Unrecognized actuarial loss52,816 177,750 (20,699)15,822 
Unrecognized prior service cost5,181 10,242 1,932 2,129 
Net amount recognized$(59,148)$(50,462)$(2,368)$(4,010)
_______________________________________________________________________________

1.The actuarial gain for pension and other benefits in 2020 was due to a decrease in the cost of living adjustment, the use of an updated mortality assumption in determining the benefit obligation, and a reduction in anticipated health care trend (Other benefits only) partially offset by actuarial losses due to a lower discount rate and a higher rate of compensation increases (Pension benefits only) used in the calculation. The actuarial losses in 2019 for both pension and other benefits was due to a decrease in the discount rate used in determining the benefit obligation.
2.The short-term portion of the pension benefits was $2.1 million as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019 and is recorded as part of other accrued liabilities on the Company's 2020 and 2019 Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Amounts recognized on the balance sheet consist of:
 Pension BenefitsOther Benefits
 2020201920202019
Noncurrent assets$— $— $16,399 $— 
Accrued benefit costs(104)62 (1,782)(2,441)
Accrued benefit liability(117,145)(238,454)— (21,961)
Regulatory assets58,101 187,930 1,487 20,392 
Regulatory liabilities— — (18,472)— 
Net amount recognized$(59,148)$(50,462)$(2,368)$(4,010)
Valuation Assumptions
Below are the actuarial assumptions used in determining the benefit obligation for the benefit plans:
 Pension BenefitsOther Benefits
 2020201920202019
Weighted average assumptions as of December 31:    
Discount rate - pension plan3.08 %3.20 %3.03 %3.25 %
Discount rate - SERP2.97 %3.20 %— — 
Long-term rate of return on plan assets6.50 %6.25 %6.00 %5.50 %
Rate of compensation increases - pension plan4.00 %3.25 %— — 
Rate of compensation increases - SERP5.00 %3.75 %— — 
Cost of living adjustment2.10 %2.50 %— — 
For December 31, 2020 measurement purposes, the Company assumed a 5.5% annual rate of increase for 2020 in the per capita cost of covered benefits with rate decreasing to 5.0% by 2023, then gradually grading down to 3.8% over the next 40 years.
In 2020, the Company changed both the yield curve used to develop the discount rate and the method used to estimate the service and interest cost components of net periodic pension cost. The new yield curve used a higher-yielding subset of bonds that the Company believes will better approximate the rate at which the obligations could be effectively settled, currently. The new method uses the spot rate approach to estimate the service and interest costs by applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve used to determine the benefit obligation to the relevant projected cash outflows. Previously, these cost components were determined using a single-weighted average discount rate. This change does not affect the measurement of the projected benefit obligation. The Company made this change to provide a more precise measurement of service and interest costs by improving the correlation between projected benefit cash flows to the corresponding spot rates. The Company has accounted for this change as a change in accounting estimate and accordingly has accounted for it prospectively.
The long-term rate of return assumption is the expected rate of return on a balanced portfolio invested roughly 60% in equities and 40% in fixed income securities. Returns on equity investments were estimated based on estimates of dividend yield and real earnings added to a 2.10% long-term inflation rate. For the pension plans, the assumed returns were 8.18% for domestic equities and 9.17% for foreign equities. For the other benefits plan, the assumed returns was 7.86% for domestic equities. Returns on fixed-income investments were projected based on investment maturities and credit spreads added to a 2.10% long-term inflation rate. For the pension and other benefit plans, the assumed returns were 3.44% for fixed income investments and 2.57% for short-term cash investments. The average return for the pension and other benefit plans for the last 5 and 10 years was 11.90% and 9.40%, respectively. The Company is using a long-term rate of return of 6.50% for the pension plan and 6.00% for the other benefit plan, which is between the 25th and 75th percentile of expected results.
In 2020, the Company used the Society of Actuaries' Pri-2012 Total Dataset Mortality Tables for private-sector retirement plans in the United States and Mortality Improvement Scale (MP-2020) with adjustments to long-term improvements for measuring retirement plan obligations.
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost
Net periodic benefit costs for the pension and other postretirement plans for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, included the following components:
 Pension PlanOther Benefits
 202020192018202020192018
Service cost$36,002 $26,718 $29,027 $7,945 $7,475 $8,317 
Interest cost25,741 26,966 23,994 4,305 5,441 4,873 
Expected return on plan assets(33,086)(30,285)(27,702)(7,236)(5,794)(5,639)
Net amortization and deferral17,027 10,975 16,233 197 758 1,281 
Net periodic benefit cost$45,684 $34,374 $41,552 $5,211 $7,880 $8,832 
Service cost portion of the pension plan and other postretirement benefits is recognized in administrative and general within the Consolidated Statements of Income. Other components of net periodic benefit costs include interest costs, expected return on plan assets, amortization of prior service costs, and recognized net actuarial loss and are reported together as other components of net periodic benefit cost within the Consolidated Statements of Income.
Below are the actuarial assumptions used in determining the net periodic benefit costs for the benefit plans, which uses the end of the prior year as the measurement date:
 Pension BenefitsOther Benefits
 2020201920202019
Weighted average assumptions as of December 31:    
Discount rate3.20 %4.20 %3.25 %4.25 %
Long-term rate of return on plan assets6.25 %6.50 %5.50 %5.50 %
Rate of compensation increases - pension plan3.25 %3.25 %— — 
Rate of compensation increases - SERP3.75 %3.75 %— — 
Cost of living adjustment2.50 %2.50 %
The health care cost trend rate assumption has a significant effect on the amounts reported. For 2020 measurement purposes, the Company assumed a 5.5% annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of covered benefits with the rate decreasing to 5.0% by 2023, then gradually grading down to 4.0% over the next 53 years.
The Company intends to make annual contributions that meet the funding requirements of ERISA. The Company estimates in 2021 that the annual contribution to the pension plans will be $23.5 million and the annual contribution to the other postretirement plan will be $2.2 million.