Employee benefit plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Employee benefit plans

Employee benefit plans

Pension and other postretirement plans

The Company has noncontributory qualified defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans for certain eligible employees.

Components of net periodic benefit credit for the Company's pension benefit plans were as follows:

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
	(In thousands)
Components of net periodic benefit credit:
Interest cost	$	2,631	$	2,455
Expected return on assets	(4,864)		(4,894)
Amortization of net actuarial loss	1,671		2,004
Net periodic benefit credit	$	(562)	$	(435)

Components of net periodic benefit credit for the Company's other postretirement benefit plans were as follows:

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2022		2021
	(In thousands)
Components of net periodic benefit credit:
Service cost	$	354	$	400
Interest cost	474		466
Expected return on assets	(1,322)		(1,275)
Amortization of prior service credit	(350)		(349)
Amortization of net actuarial (gain) loss	(54)		6
Net periodic benefit credit, including amount capitalized	(898)		(752)
Less amount capitalized	31		39
Net periodic benefit credit	$	(929)	$	(791)

The components of net periodic benefit credit, other than the service cost component, are included in other income on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The service cost component is included in operation and maintenance expense on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Nonqualified defined benefit plans

In addition to the qualified defined benefit pension plans reflected in the table at the beginning of this note, the Company also has unfunded, nonqualified defined benefit plans for executive officers and certain key management employees. The Company's net periodic benefit cost for these plans was $773,000 and $769,000 for the three months ended March 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The components of net periodic benefit cost for these plans are included in other income on the Consolidated Statements of Income.