PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT

Summary of property, plant and equipment

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

	December 31,
	2012		2011
Electric plant
Production	$	1,034,114	$	1,023,154
Transmission		251,769		232,390
Distribution		766,026		719,731
General(1)		111,963		87,933
Electric plant		2,163,872		2,063,208
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization(2)		651,627		610,084
Electric plant net of depreciation and amortization		1,512,245		1,453,124
Construction work in progress		55,957		23,494
Net electric plant		1,568,202		1,476,618
Gas plant		69,851		66,918
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		12,940		10,851
Gas plant net of accumulated depreciation		56,911		56,067
Construction work in progress		184		79
Net gas plant		57,095		56,146
Water plant		12,316		11,540
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		4,440		4,158
Water plant net of depreciation and amortization		7,876		7,382
Construction work in progress		1		126
Net water plant		7,877		7,508
Other
Fiber		37,983		34,984
Less accumulated depreciation and amortization		13,730		12,046
Non-regulated net of depreciation and amortization		24,253		22,938
Construction work in progress		205		442
Net non-regulated property		24,458		23,380
TOTAL NET PLANT AND PROPERTY	$	1,657,632	$	1,563,652

(1)

Includes intangible property of $36.4 and $22.1 million as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively, primarily related to capitalized software and investments in facility upgrades owned by other utilities. Accumulated amortization related to this property in 2012 and 2011 was $10.7 and $9.9 million respectively.

(2)

Includes regulatory amortization of $37.3 million as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, resulting from our regulatory plan (See Note 3 for additional discussion of our regulatory plan).

Summary of total provision for depreciation and the depreciation rates for continuing operations

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):

	2012		2011		2010
Provision for depreciation
Regulated — Electric and Water	$	57,467	$	54,628	$	49,254
Regulated — Gas		3,602		3,485		3,046
Non-Regulated		1,538		1,807		1,641
TOTAL		62,607		59,920		53,941
Amortization(1)		1,041		7,445		8,347
TOTAL	$	63,648	$	67,365	$	62,288

(1)

Includes $6.6 million, and $7.5 million of regulatory amortization for 2011 and 2010, 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.

	2012			2011			2010
Annual depreciation rates
Electric and water		2.8	%		2.7	%		2.8	%
Gas		5.4	%		5.5	%		5.1	%
Non-Regulated		4.2	%		5.4	%		5.3	%
TOTAL COMPANY		2.9	%		2.9	%		2.9	%

Summary of average depreciation rate for each class of assets

	2012			2011			2010
Annual Weighted Average Depreciation Rate
Electric fixed assets:
Production plant		2.0	%		2.1	%		2.0	%
Transmission plant		2.4	%		2.3	%		2.4	%
Distribution plant		3.6	%		3.6	%		3.6	%
General plant		5.9	%		6.1	%		6.2	%
Water		2.7	%		2.7	%		2.7	%
Gas		5.4	%		5.5	%		5.1	%
Non-regulated		4.2	%		5.4	%		5.3	%