SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Schedule of net WRAM and MCBA balances

	2011		2010
Net short-term receivable	$	19,357	$	14,784
Net long-term receivable		30,268		16,786
Total receivable	$	49,625	$	31,570
Net short-term payable	$	543	$	3,025
Net long-term payable		145		579
Total payable	$	688	$	3,604

Schedule of activities in the allowance for doubtful accounts

	2011			2010			2009
Beginning Balance	$	804		$	847		$	1,210
Provision for uncollectible accounts		1,250			1,500			1,462
Net write off of uncollectible accounts		(1,385	)		(1,543	)		(1,825	)
Ending Balance	$	669		$	804		$	847

Schedule of depreciable plant and equipment

	2011		2010
Equipment	$	382,195	$	321,958
Transmission and distribution plant		1,287,010		1,263,895
Office buildings and other structures		138,364		109,222
Total	$	1,807,569	$	1,695,075

Schedule of estimated useful lives of depreciable plant and equipment

	Useful Lives
Equipment	5 to 50 years
Transmission and distribution plant	40 to 65 years
Office Buildings and other structures	50 years

Schedule of regulatory assets and liabilities

	2011		2010
Regulatory Assets
Pension and retiree group health	$	213,819	$	145,451
Income tax temporary differences		34,664		30,934
Other accrued benefits		31,453		29,919
Net WRAM and MCBA long-term accounts receivable		30,268		16,786
Asset retirement obligations, net		9,694		6,487
Total Regulatory Assets	$	319,898	$	229,577
Regulatory Liabilities
Future tax benefits due ratepayers	$	16,978	$	15,253
Conservation program		4,328		—
Pension balancing account		1,936		—
Other liabilities		4,795		1,826
Total Regulatory Liabilities	$	28,037	$	17,079

Schedule of dilutive effect of options and SARs

	2011		2010		2009
	(In thousands, except per share data)
Net income as reported and available to common stockholders	$	37,712	$	37,656	$	40,554
Weighted average common shares, basic		41,762		41,612		41,490
Dilutive common stock equivalents (treasury method)		10		26		42
Shares used for dilutive calculation		41,772		41,638		41,532
Earnings per share—basic	$	0.90	$	0.90	$	0.98
Earnings per share—diluted	$	0.90	$	0.90	$	0.98