Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

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
	2011	2010	2011	2010
Service Cost	$3,551	$3,693	$1,004	$1,069
Interest Cost	10,381	10,669	5,329	5,471
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(14,925)	(14,776)	(7,243)	(7,291)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost	67	147	(534)	(427)
Amortization of Transition Amount	-	-	3	135
Amortization of Losses	9,904	8,718	6,014	5,948
Net Amortization and Deferral
For Regulatory Purposes (Including
Volumetric Adjustments) (1)	(1,802)	(1,793)	2,132	1,921
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$7,176	$6,658	$6,705	$6,826

⁽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 lowerthroughput of natural gas in the summer months.

Employer Contributions.During the three months ended December 31, 2011, the Company contributed $22.5 million to its tax-qualified, noncontributory defined-benefit retirement plan (Retirement Plan) and $5.2 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts for its other post-retirement benefits.In the remainder of 2012, the Company expects to contribute between $16.0 and $27.0 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 2012 in order to be in compliance with the Pension Protection Act of 2006.In the remainder of 2012, the Company expects to contribute between $14.0 and $15.0 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts.