Segment Information (Table)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Schedule of segment reporting income statement, by segment

Summarized income statements and capital expenditures by segment are shown in the following tables.

	Year Ended September 30, 2013
	Natural Gas Distribution		Regulated Transmission and Storage			Nonregulated			Eliminations			Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Operating revenues from external parties	$	2,394,418	$	89,011		$	1,402,828		$	—		$	3,886,257
Intersegment revenues	5,075		179,889			195,883			(380,847		)	—
	2,399,493		268,900			1,598,711			(380,847		)	3,886,257
Purchased gas cost	1,318,257		—			1,535,380			(379,430		)	2,474,207
Gross profit	1,081,236		268,900			63,331			(1,417		)	1,412,050
Operating expenses
Operation and maintenance	375,188		76,686			37,569			(1,423		)	488,020
Depreciation and amortization	195,581		35,302			4,196			—			235,079
Taxes, other than income	167,374		17,059			2,639			—			187,072
Total operating expenses	738,143		129,047			44,404			(1,423		)	910,171
Operating income	343,093		139,853			18,927			6			501,879
Miscellaneous income (expense)	2,535		(2,285		)	2,316			(2,763		)	(197		)
Interest charges	98,296		30,678			2,168			(2,757		)	128,385
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	247,332		106,890			19,075			—			373,297
Income tax expense	96,476		38,630			7,493			—			142,599
Income from continuing operations	150,856		68,260			11,582			—			230,698
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	7,202		—			—			—			7,202
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax	5,649		—			(355		)	—			5,294
Net income	$	163,707	$	68,260		$	11,227		$	—		$	243,194
Capital expenditures	$	528,599	$	313,230		$	3,204		$	—		$	845,033

	Year Ended September 30, 2012
	Natural Gas Distribution			Regulated Transmission and Storage			Nonregulated		Eliminations			Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Operating revenues from external parties	$	2,144,376		$	92,604		$	1,201,503	$	—		$	3,438,483
Intersegment revenues	954			154,747			149,800		(305,501		)	—
	2,145,330			247,351			1,351,303		(305,501		)	3,438,483
Purchased gas cost	1,122,587			—			1,296,179		(304,022		)	2,114,744
Gross profit	1,022,743			247,351			55,124		(1,479		)	1,323,739
Operating expenses
Operation and maintenance	353,879			71,521			29,697		(1,484		)	453,613
Depreciation and amortization	202,026			31,438			4,061		—			237,525
Taxes, other than income	162,377			15,568			3,128		—			181,073
Asset impairments	—			—			5,288		—			5,288
Total operating expenses	718,282			118,527			42,174		(1,484		)	877,499
Operating income	304,461			128,824			12,950		5			446,240
Miscellaneous income (expense)	(12,657		)	(1,051		)	1,035		(1,971		)	(14,644		)
Interest charges	110,642			29,414			3,084		(1,966		)	141,174
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	181,162			98,359			10,901		—			290,422
Income tax expense	57,314			35,300			5,612		—			98,226
Income from continuing operations	123,848			63,059			5,289		—			192,196
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	18,172			—			—		—			18,172
Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax	6,349			—			—		—			6,349
Net income	$	148,369		$	63,059		$	5,289	$	—		$	216,717
Capital expenditures	$	546,818		$	175,768		$	10,272	$	—		$	732,858

	Year Ended September 30, 2011
	Natural Gas Distribution		Regulated Transmission and Storage		Nonregulated			Eliminations			Consolidated
	(In thousands)
Operating revenues from external parties	$	2,469,781	$	87,141	$	1,729,513		$	—		$	4,286,435
Intersegment revenues	883		132,232		295,380			(428,495		)	—
	2,470,664		219,373		2,024,893			(428,495		)	4,286,435
Purchased gas cost	1,452,721		—		1,959,893			(426,999		)	2,985,615
Gross profit	1,017,943		219,373		65,000			(1,496		)	1,300,820
Operating expenses
Operation and maintenance	341,758		70,401		32,308			(1,502		)	442,965
Depreciation and amortization	193,642		25,997		4,193			—			223,832
Taxes, other than income	160,455		14,700		2,612			—			177,767
Asset impairments	—		—		30,270			—			30,270
Total operating expenses	695,855		111,098		69,383			(1,502		)	874,834
Operating income (loss)	322,088		108,275		(4,383		)	6			425,986
Miscellaneous income	16,242		4,715		657			(430		)	21,184
Interest charges	115,740		31,432		4,015			(424		)	150,763
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	222,590		81,558		(7,741		)	—			296,407
Income tax expense (benefit)	77,885		29,143		(209		)	—			106,819
Income (loss) from continuing operations	144,705		52,415		(7,532		)	—			189,588
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	18,013		—		—			—			18,013
Net income (loss)	$	162,718	$	52,415	$	(7,532	)	$	—		$	207,601
Capital expenditures	$	496,899	$	118,452	$	7,614		$	—		$	622,965

Revenue from External Customers by Products and Services

The following table summarizes our revenues by products and services for the fiscal year ended September 30.

	2013		2012		2011
	(In thousands)
Natural gas distribution revenues:
Gas sales revenues:
Residential	$	1,512,495	$	1,351,479	$	1,535,887
Commercial	661,930		587,651		685,380
Industrial	81,155		71,960		96,636
Public authority and other	60,557		54,334		68,676
Total gas sales revenues	2,316,137		2,065,424		2,386,579
Transportation revenues	55,938		53,924		57,331
Other gas revenues	22,343		25,028		25,871
Total natural gas distribution revenues	2,394,418		2,144,376		2,469,781
Regulated transmission and storage revenues	89,011		92,604		87,141
Nonregulated revenues	1,402,828		1,201,503		1,729,513
Total operating revenues	$	3,886,257	$	3,438,483	$	4,286,435

Schedule of segment reporting balance sheet information, by segment

Balance sheet information at September 30, 2013 and 2012 by segment is presented in the following tables.

	September 30, 2013
	Natural Gas Distribution		Regulated Transmission and Storage		Nonregulated			Eliminations			Consolidated
	(In thousands)
ASSETS
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	4,719,873	$	1,249,767	$	61,015		$	—		$	6,030,655
Investment in subsidiaries	831,136		—		(2,096		)	(829,040		)	—
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	4,237		—		61,962			—			66,199
Assets from risk management activities	1,837		—		16,262			—			18,099
Other current assets	428,366		11,709		452,126			(293,233		)	598,968
Intercompany receivables	783,738		—		—			(783,738		)	—
Total current assets	1,218,178		11,709		530,350			(1,076,971		)	683,266
Intangible assets	—		—		121			—			121
Goodwill	574,190		132,462		34,711			—			741,363
Noncurrent assets from risk management activities	109,354		—		—			—			109,354
Deferred charges and other assets	347,687		19,227		8,728			—			375,642
	$	7,800,418	$	1,413,165	$	632,829		$	(1,906,011	)	$	7,940,401
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
Shareholders’ equity	$	2,580,409	$	396,421	$	434,715		$	(831,136	)	$	2,580,409
Long-term debt	2,455,671		—		—			—			2,455,671
Total capitalization	5,036,080		396,421		434,715			(831,136		)	5,036,080
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	—		—		—			—			—
Short-term debt	645,984		—		—			(278,000		)	367,984
Liabilities from risk management activities	1,543		—		—			—			1,543
Other current liabilities	491,681		20,288		110,306			(13,316		)	608,959
Intercompany payables	—		712,768		70,970			(783,738		)	—
Total current liabilities	1,139,208		733,056		181,276			(1,075,054		)	978,486
Deferred income taxes	871,360		283,554		8,960			179			1,164,053
Noncurrent liabilities from risk management activities	—		—		6,133			—			6,133
Regulatory cost of removal obligation	359,299		—		—			—			359,299
Pension and postretirement liabilities	358,787		—		—			—			358,787
Deferred credits and other liabilities	35,684		134		1,745			—			37,563
	$	7,800,418	$	1,413,165	$	632,829		$	(1,906,011	)	$	7,940,401

	September 30, 2012
	Natural Gas Distribution		Regulated Transmission and Storage		Nonregulated			Eliminations			Consolidated
	(In thousands)
ASSETS
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	4,432,017	$	979,443	$	64,144		$	—		$	5,475,604
Investment in subsidiaries	747,496		—		(2,096		)	(745,400		)	—
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents	12,787		—		51,452			—			64,239
Assets from risk management activities	6,934		—		17,773			—			24,707
Other current assets	546,187		11,788		404,097			(223,056		)	739,016
Intercompany receivables	636,557		—		—			(636,557		)	—
Total current assets	1,202,465		11,788		473,322			(859,613		)	827,962
Intangible assets	—		—		164			—			164
Goodwill	573,550		132,422		34,711			—			740,683
Noncurrent assets from risk management activities	2,283		—		—			—			2,283
Deferred charges and other assets	417,893		24,353		6,733			—			448,979
	$	7,375,704	$	1,148,006	$	576,978		$	(1,605,013	)	$	7,495,675
CAPITALIZATION AND LIABILITIES
Shareholders’ equity	$	2,359,243	$	328,161	$	419,335		$	(747,496	)	$	2,359,243
Long-term debt	1,956,305		—		—			—			1,956,305
Total capitalization	4,315,548		328,161		419,335			(747,496		)	4,315,548
Current liabilities
Current maturities of long-term debt	—		—		131			—			131
Short-term debt	782,719		—		—			(211,790		)	570,929
Liabilities from risk management activities	85,366		—		15			—			85,381
Other current liabilities	526,089		12,478		90,116			(9,170		)	619,513
Intercompany payables	—		584,578		51,979			(636,557		)	—
Total current liabilities	1,394,174		597,056		142,241			(857,517		)	1,275,954
Deferred income taxes	789,288		220,647		5,148			—			1,015,083
Noncurrent liabilities from risk management activities	—		—		9,206			—			9,206
Regulatory cost of removal obligation	381,164		—		—			—			381,164
Pension and postretirement liabilities	457,196		—		—			—			457,196
Deferred credits and other liabilities	38,334		2,142		1,048			—			41,524
	$	7,375,704	$	1,148,006	$	576,978		$	(1,605,013	)	$	7,495,675