Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of amount of regulatory assets and liabilities

	June 30, 2013						Remaining Recovery/  Refund Period
(in thousands)	Current		Long-Term		Total
Regulatory Assets:
Prior Service Costs and Actuarial Losses on Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits1	$	8,410	$	105,334	$	113,744	see note
Deferred Marked-to-Market Losses1		5,572		7,037		12,609	66 months
Conservation Improvement Program Costs and Incentives2		2,439		3,782		6,221	24 months
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs – Minnesota1		541		4,182		4,723	87 months
Accumulated ARO Accretion/Depreciation Adjustment1		--		4,386		4,386	asset lives
Debt Reacquisition Premiums1		351		2,417		2,768	231 months
MISO Schedule 26/26A Transmission Cost Recovery Rider True-up1		676		1,442		2,118	30 months
Deferred Income Taxes1		--		1,777		1,777	asset lives
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs – North Dakota1		1,069		--		1,069	9 months
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs – South Dakota2		101		893		994	119 months
North Dakota Renewable Resource Rider Accrued Revenues2		451		227		678	21 months
Deferred Environmental Compliance Costs		419		--		419	12 months
Minnesota Transmission Rider Accrued Revenues2		161		--		161	12 months
Minnesota Renewable Resource Rider Accrued Revenues2		--		68		68	see note
Deferred Holding Company Formation Costs1		55		--		55	12 months
General Rate Case Recoverable Expenses – South Dakota1		43		--		43	7 months
North Dakota Transmission Rider Accrued Revenues2		25		--		25	12 months
Total Regulatory Assets	$	20,313	$	131,545	$	151,858
Regulatory Liabilities:
Accumulated Reserve for Estimated Removal Costs – Net of Salvage	$	--	$	67,112	$	67,112	asset lives
Deferred Income Taxes		--		2,350		2,350	asset lives
Deferred Marked-to-Market Gains		19		436		455	62 months
Refundable Fuel Clause Adjustment Revenues		398		--		398	12 months
Deferred Gain on Sale of Utility Property – Minnesota Portion		5		109		114	246 months
South Dakota – Nonasset-Based Margin Sharing Excess		57		--		57	6 months
Revenue for Rate Case expenses Subject to Refund – Minnesota		--		41		41	see note
South Dakota Transmission Rider Accrued Refund		36		--		36	12 months
Total Regulatory Liabilities	$	515	$	70,048	$	70,563
Net Regulatory Asset Position	$	19,798	$	61,497	$	81,295

1Costs subject to recovery without a rate of return.

2Amount eligible for recovery under an alternative revenue program which includes an incentive or rate of return.

	December 31, 2012						Remaining  Recovery/  Refund Period
(in thousands)	Current		Long-Term		Total
Regulatory Assets:
Prior Service Costs and Actuarial Losses on Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits1	$	8,411	$	109,538	$	117,949	see note
Deferred Marked-to-Market Losses1		7,949		10,050		17,999	72 months
Conservation Improvement Program Costs and Incentives2		3,707		2,560		6,267	18 months
Accumulated ARO Accretion/Depreciation Adjustment1		--		4,137		4,137	asset lives
Debt Reacquisition Premiums1		268		1,978		2,246	237 months
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs – Minnesota1		526		1,618		2,144	45 months
Recoverable Fuel and Purchased Power Costs1		1,737		--		1,737	12 months
Deferred Income Taxes1		--		1,691		1,691	asset lives
North Dakota Renewable Resource Rider Accrued Revenues2		532		1,087		1,619	15 months
MISO Schedule 26/26A Transmission Cost Recovery Rider True-up1		--		1,352		1,352	see note
Minnesota Renewable Resource Rider Accrued Revenues2		915		--		915	5 months
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs – North Dakota1		908		--		908	7 months
Big Stone II Unrecovered Project Costs – South Dakota2		100		711		811	97 months
General Rate Case Recoverable Expenses1		279		6		285	13 months
North Dakota Transmission Rider Accrued Revenues2		110		--		110	12 months
Deferred Holding Company Formation Costs1		55		27		82	18 months
South Dakota Transmission Rider Accrued Revenue2		2		--		2	12 months
Total Regulatory Assets	$	25,499	$	134,755	$	160,254
Regulatory Liabilities:
Accumulated Reserve for Estimated Removal Costs – Net of Salvage	$	--	$	65,960	$	65,960	asset lives
Deferred Income Taxes		--		2,553		2,553	asset lives
Minnesota Transmission Rider Accrued Refund		489		--		489	12 months
Deferred Marked-to-Market Gains		8		210		218	68 months
Deferred Gain on Sale of Utility Property – Minnesota Portion		6		112		118	252 months
South Dakota – Nonasset-Based Margin Sharing Excess		56		--		56	12 months
Total Regulatory Liabilities	$	559	$	68,835	$	69,394
Net Regulatory Asset Position	$	24,940	$	65,920	$	90,860

1Costs subject to recovery without a rate of return.

2Amount eligible for recovery under an alternative revenue program which includes an incentive or rate of return.