Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2013

Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Components Of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

Three Months Ended June 30,
					Other Post-Retirement
	Retirement Plan				Benefits
	2013		2012		2013		2012
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)		(3,854)		(2,252)		2,393		718
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$	8,149	$	6,726	$	4,845	$	5,291

Nine Months Ended June 30,
					Other Post-Retirement
	Retirement Plan				Benefits
	2013		2012		2013		2012
Service Cost	$	11,884	$	10,652	$	3,529	$	3,012
Interest Cost		27,373		31,144		14,409		15,986
Expected Return on Plan Assets		(43,009)		(44,776)		(24,654)		(21,728)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost		179		202		(1,604)		(1,604)
Amortization of Transition Amount		-		-		6		8
Amortization of Losses		39,582		29,711		15,669		18,043
Net Amortization and Deferral for
Regulatory Purposes (Including
Volumetric Adjustments) (1)		(5,813)		(1,896)		11,555		7,993
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$	30,196	$	25,037	$	18,910	$	21,710

⁽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.