Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits

Note 8 – Retirement Plan and Other Post-Retirement Benefits

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (in thousands):

Three months ended December 31,
	Retirement Plan		Other Post-Retirement Benefits
	2012	2011		2012	2011
Service Cost	$ 3,961	$ 3,551		$ 1,176	$ 1,004
Interest Cost	9,124	10,381		4,803	5,329
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(14,336)	(14,925)		(8,218)	(7,243)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost	60	67		(534)	(534)
Amortization of Transition Amount	-	-		2	3
Amortization of Losses	13,194	9,904		5,223	6,014
Net Amortization and Deferral for
Regulatory Purposes (Including
Volumetric Adjustments) (1)	(3,682)	(1,802)		2,703	2,132
	$ 8,321	$ 7,176		$ 5,155	$ 6,705

⁽¹⁾The Company’s policy is to record retirement plan and other post-retirement benefit costs in the Utility segment on a volumetric

     basis to reflect  the fact that  the Utility segment  experiences higher  throughput of  natural gas in the winter months and lower

     throughput of natural gas in the summer months.

Employer Contributions.  During the three months ended December 31, 2012, the Company contributed $12.2 million to its tax-qualified, noncontributory defined-benefit retirement plan (Retirement Plan) and $4.3 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts for its other post-retirement benefits. In the remainder of 2013, the Company expects to contribute between $28.0 million and $32.0 million to the Retirement Plan.  Changes in the discount rate, other actuarial assumptions, and asset performance could ultimately cause the Company to fund larger amounts to the Retirement Plan in fiscal 2013 in order to be in compliance with the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (as impacted by the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act).  In July 2012, the Surface Transportation Extension Act, which is also referred to as the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21^st Century Act (the Act), was passed by Congress and signed by the President.  The Act included pension funding stabilization provisions.  The Company is currently in the process of evaluating its future contributions in light of the provisions of the Act. In the remainder of 2013, the Company expects to contribute between $11.0 million and $15.0 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts.