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Interim Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits (Table)
 6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Retirement Benefits, Description [Abstract]  
Components of net periodic pension cost table
The components of our net periodic pension cost for our pension and other postretirement benefit plans for the three and six months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 are presented in the following tables. Most of these costs are recoverable through our tariff rates; however, a portion of these costs is capitalized into our rate base. The remaining costs are recorded as a component of operation and maintenance expense. In the second quarter of fiscal 2018, due to the retirement of certain executives, we recognized a settlement loss of $2.4 million associated with our Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan and revalued the net periodic pension cost for the remainder of fiscal 2018. The revaluation of the net periodic pension cost for our Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan resulted in an increase in the discount rate, effective March 1, 2018, to 4.12%, which will increase our net periodic pension cost by approximately $0.1 million for the remainder of the fiscal year.
 
Three Months Ended March 31
 
Pension Benefits
 
Other Benefits
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
 
(In thousands)
Components of net periodic pension cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
$
4,575

 
$
5,217

 
$
3,019

 
$
3,109

Interest cost
6,433

 
6,297

 
2,727

 
2,670

Expected return on assets
(6,916
)
 
(6,994
)
 
(2,001
)
 
(1,797
)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)
(58
)
 
(58
)
 
3

 
(411
)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss
3,085

 
4,249

 
(1,619
)
 
(707
)
Settlements
2,415

 
—

 
—

 
—

Net periodic pension cost
$
9,534

 
$
8,711

 
$
2,129

 
$
2,864

 
Six Months Ended March 31
 
Pension Benefits
 
Other Benefits
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
 
(In thousands)
Components of net periodic pension cost:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service cost
$
9,135

 
$
10,433

 
$
6,039

 
$
6,218

Interest cost
12,863

 
12,594

 
5,454

 
5,340

Expected return on assets
(13,833
)
 
(13,988
)
 
(4,003
)
 
(3,593
)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)
(116
)
 
(116
)
 
6

 
(822
)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss
6,174

 
8,498

 
(3,237
)
 
(1,414
)
Settlements
2,415

 
—

 
—

 
—

Net periodic pension cost
$
16,638

 
$
17,421

 
$
4,259

 
$
5,729
Schedule of assumptions used table text block
The assumptions used to develop our net periodic pension cost for the three and six months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 are as follows:
 
 
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
 
Pension Benefits
 
Other Benefits
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
Discount rate
 
4.12%
 
3.73%
 
3.89%
 
3.73%
 
3.89%
 
3.73%
Rate of compensation increase
 
3.50%
 
3.50%
 
3.50%
 
3.50%
 
N/A
 
N/A
Expected return on plan assets
 
N/A
 
N/A
 
6.75%
 
7.00%
 
4.29%
 
4.45%