SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES, CAPITALIZED INTEREST (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Public Utilities, Allowance for Funds Used During Construction, Capitalized Interest	$ 44	$ 35
Public Utilities, Allowance for Funds Used During Construction, Capitalized Cost of Equity	42	18
NJNG [Member]
Interest Costs, Capitalized During Period	$ 86	$ 53
Weighted Average Interest Rate	0.39%	0.27%

The component of the allowance for funds used during construction during the period based on an assumed rate of return on equity funds used in financing the construction of regulated assets.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 71

-Paragraph 15

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 980

-SubTopic 835

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501569&loc=d3e55921-110430

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 980

-SubTopic 835

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501662&loc=d3e56162-110433

Name:	us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesAllowanceForFundsUsedDuringConstructionCapitalizedCostOfEquity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration