Regulatory Matters (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Other Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities

The Company has recorded the following regulatory assets and liabilities:

	At September 30
	2023		2022
	(Thousands)
Regulatory Assets(1):
Pension Costs(2) (Note K)	$	20,459	$	11,677
Post-Retirement Benefit Costs(2) (Note K)	2,536		6,814
Recoverable Future Taxes (Note G)	69,045		106,247
Environmental Site Remediation Costs(2) (Note L)	—		3,646
Asset Retirement Obligations(2) (Note E)	19,384		18,517
Unamortized Debt Expense (Note A)	7,240		8,884
Other(3)	66,132		47,805
Total Regulatory Assets	184,796		203,590
Less: Amounts Included in Other Current Assets	(36,373)		(21,358)
Total Long-Term Regulatory Assets	$	148,423	$	182,232

	At September 30
	2023		2022
	(Thousands)
Regulatory Liabilities:
Cost of Removal Regulatory Liability	$	277,694	$	259,947
Taxes Refundable to Customers (Note G)	268,562		362,098
Post-Retirement Benefit Costs(5) (Note K)	159,760		167,305
Pension Costs(4) (Note K)	—		8,242
Amounts Payable to Customers (See Regulatory Mechanisms in Note A)	59,019		419
Environmental Site Remediation Costs(4) (Note L)	619		—
Other(6)	43,167		44,549
Total Regulatory Liabilities	808,821		842,560
Less: Amounts included in Current and Accrued Liabilities	(97,124)		(31,712)
Total Long-Term Regulatory Liabilities	$	711,697	$	810,848

(1)The Company recovers the cost of its regulatory assets but generally does not earn a return on them. There are a few exceptions to this rule. For example, the Company does earn a return on Unrecovered Purchased Gas Costs and, in the New York jurisdiction of its Utility segment, earns a return, within certain parameters, on the excess of cumulative funding to the pension plan over the cumulative amount collected in rates.

(2)Included in Other Regulatory Assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(3)$36,373 and $21,358 are included in Other Current Assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, since such amounts are expected to be recovered from ratepayers in the next 12 months. $29,759 and $26,447 are included in Other Regulatory Assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

(4)Included in Other Regulatory Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(5)$5,800 is included in Other Accruals and Current Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at both September 30, 2023 and 2022, since such amounts are expected to be passed back to ratepayers in the next 12 months. $153,960 and $161,505 are included in Other Regulatory Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.

(6)$32,305 and $25,493 are included in Other Accruals and Current Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively, since such amounts are expected to be passed back to ratepayers in the next 12 months. $10,862 and $19,056 are included in Other Regulatory Liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.