Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Retirement Plan and Other Post-Retirement Benefits

Retirement Plan and Other Post-Retirement Benefits

    Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (in thousands):

	Retirement Plan				Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Three Months Ended March 31,	2022		2021		2022		2021
Service Cost	$	2,190	$	2,466	$	332	$	400
Interest Cost	5,707		5,422		2,267		2,326
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(13,074)		(14,537)		(7,340)		(7,241)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)	134		158		(107)		(107)
Amortization of (Gains) Losses	6,601		9,203		(1,903)		212
Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)	8,418		7,710		4,274		9,451
Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Income)	$	9,976	$	10,422	$	(2,477)	$	5,041

	Retirement Plan				Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Six Months Ended March 31,	2022		2021		2022		2021
Service Cost	$	4,379	$	4,932	$	664	$	801
Interest Cost	11,414		10,843		4,533		4,652
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(26,147)		(29,074)		(14,680)		(14,482)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)	268		316		(214)		(214)
Amortization of (Gains) Losses	13,202		18,407		(3,805)		424
Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)	12,838		11,422		10,519		16,303
Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Income)	$	15,954	$	16,846	$	(2,983)	$	7,484

(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.

    The components of net periodic benefit cost other than service cost are presented in Other Income (Deductions) on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Employer Contributions.    During the six months ended March 31, 2022, the Company contributed $15.0 million to its tax-qualified, noncontributory defined-benefit retirement plan (Retirement Plan) and $1.6 million to its VEBA trusts for its other post-retirement benefits.  In the remainder of 2022, the Company expects its contributions to the Retirement Plan to be in the range of $5.0 million to $10.0 million. In the remainder of 2022, the Company expects its contributions to its VEBA trusts to be in the range of $1.0 million to $1.5 million.