PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

2. Property, Plant and Equipment

Our total property, plant and equipment are summarized below (in thousands).

	December 31,

	2011		2010
Electric plant
Production	$	1,023,154	$	1,015,040
Transmission		232,390		220,514
Distribution		719,731		682,175
General⁽¹⁾		87,933		83,413

Electric plant		2,063,208		2,001,142
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization⁽²⁾		610,084		575,061

Electric plant net of depreciation and amortization		1,453,124		1,426,081
Construction work in progress		23,494		9,214

Net electric plant		1,476,618		1,435,295
Gas plant		66,918		63,581
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		10,851		8,994

Gas plant net of accumulated depreciation		56,067		54,587
Construction work in progress		79		6

Net gas plant		56,146		54,593
Water plant		11,540		11,128
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		4,158		3,855

Water plant net of depreciation and amortization		7,382		7,273
Construction work in progress		126		40

Net water plant		7,508		7,313
Other
Fiber		34,984		32,264
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		12,046		10,453

Non-regulated net of depreciation and amortization		22,938		21,811
Construction work in progress		442		77

Net non-regulated property		23,380		21,888

TOTAL NET PLANT AND PROPERTY	$	1,563,652	$	1,519,089

(1): Includes intangible property of $22.1 and $20.1 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively, primarily related to capitalized software and investments in facility upgrades owned by other utilities. Accumulated amortization related to this property in 2011 and 2010 was $9.9 and $9.2 million respectively.
(2): Includes regulatory amortization of $37.3 million and $30.7 million as of December 30, 2011 and 2010, respectively, resulting from our regulatory plan (See Note 3 for additional discussion of our regulatory plan).

The table below summarizes the total provision for depreciation and the depreciation rates for continuing operations, both capitalized and expensed, for the years ended December 31 (in thousands):

	2011		2010		2009

Provision for depreciation
Regulated — Electric and Water	$	54,628	$	49,254	$	44,973
Regulated — Gas		3,485		3,046		2,072
Non-Regulated		1,807		1,641		1,443

TOTAL		59,920		53,941		48,488
Amortization⁽¹⁾		7,445		8,347		5,159

TOTAL	$	67,365	$	62,288	$	53,647

(1): Includes $6.6 million, $7.5 million, and $4.5 million of regulatory amortization for 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. This was granted by the MPSC effective January 1, 2007 and updated August 23, 2008, and September 10, 2010. This regulatory amortization terminated as of June 15, 2011 as a result or our 2010 Missouri rate case.



Annual depreciation rates
Electric and water	2.7	%	2.8	%	2.9	%
Gas	5.5	%	5.1	%	3.7	%
Non-Regulated	5.4	%	5.3	%	5.0	%
TOTAL COMPANY	2.9	%	2.9	%	3.0	%

The table below sets forth the average depreciation rate for each class of assets for each period presented:



Annual Weighted Average Depreciation Rate
Electric fixed assets:
Production plant	2.1	%	2.0	%	2.2	%
Transmission plant	2.3	%	2.4	%	2.4	%
Distribution plant	3.6	%	3.6	%	3.6	%
General plant	6.1	%	6.2	%	6.1	%
Water	2.7	%	2.7	%	2.7	%
Gas	5.5	%	5.1	%	3.7	%
Non-regulated	5.4	%	5.3	%	5.0	%

- Definition

The entire disclosure for long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale. Examples include land, buildings, machinery and equipment, and other types of furniture and equipment including, but not limited to, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment and software. This disclosure may include property plant and equipment accounting policies and methodology, a schedule of property, plant and equipment gross, additions, deletions, transfers and other changes, depreciation, depletion and amortization expense, net, accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization expense and useful lives, income statement disclosures, assets held for sale and public utility disclosures.

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