Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Table)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Regulatory Assets

Significant regulatory assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2019 and 2018 included the following:

	September 30
	2019		2018
	(In thousands)
Regulatory assets:
Pension and postretirement benefit costs	$	86,089	$	6,496
Infrastructure mechanisms(1)	131,894		96,739
Deferred gas costs	23,766		1,927
Recoverable loss on reacquired debt	6,551		8,702
Deferred pipeline record collection costs	26,418		20,467
Rate case costs	1,346		2,741
Other	8,483		6,739
	$	284,547	$	143,811
Regulatory liabilities:
Regulatory excess deferred taxes(2)	$	726,307	$	744,895
Regulatory cost of service reserve	5,238		22,508
Regulatory cost of removal obligation	528,893		522,175
Deferred gas costs	14,112		94,705
Asset retirement obligation	17,054		12,887
APT annual adjustment mechanism	78,402		35,228
Pension and postretirement benefit costs	—		69,113
Other	16,120		9,486
	$	1,386,126	$	1,510,997

(1) Infrastructure mechanisms in Texas and Louisiana allow for the deferral of all eligible expenses associated with capital expenditures incurred pursuant to these rules, including the recording of interest on the deferred expenses until the next rate proceeding (rate case or annual rate filing), at which time investment and costs would be recovered through base rates.

(2)

The TCJA resulted in the remeasurement of the net deferred tax liability included in our rate base. Of this amount, $21.2 million as of September 30, 2019 and $5.2 million as of September 30, 2018 is recorded in other current liabilities. The period and timing of the return of the excess deferred taxes is being determined by regulators in each of our jurisdictions. See Note 13 for further information.

Schedule of Regulatory Liabilities

Significant regulatory assets and liabilities as of September 30, 2019 and 2018 included the following:

	September 30
	2019		2018
	(In thousands)
Regulatory assets:
Pension and postretirement benefit costs	$	86,089	$	6,496
Infrastructure mechanisms(1)	131,894		96,739
Deferred gas costs	23,766		1,927
Recoverable loss on reacquired debt	6,551		8,702
Deferred pipeline record collection costs	26,418		20,467
Rate case costs	1,346		2,741
Other	8,483		6,739
	$	284,547	$	143,811
Regulatory liabilities:
Regulatory excess deferred taxes(2)	$	726,307	$	744,895
Regulatory cost of service reserve	5,238		22,508
Regulatory cost of removal obligation	528,893		522,175
Deferred gas costs	14,112		94,705
Asset retirement obligation	17,054		12,887
APT annual adjustment mechanism	78,402		35,228
Pension and postretirement benefit costs	—		69,113
Other	16,120		9,486
	$	1,386,126	$	1,510,997

(1) Infrastructure mechanisms in Texas and Louisiana allow for the deferral of all eligible expenses associated with capital expenditures incurred pursuant to these rules, including the recording of interest on the deferred expenses until the next rate proceeding (rate case or annual rate filing), at which time investment and costs would be recovered through base rates.

(2)

The TCJA resulted in the remeasurement of the net deferred tax liability included in our rate base. Of this amount, $21.2 million as of September 30, 2019 and $5.2 million as of September 30, 2018 is recorded in other current liabilities. The period and timing of the return of the excess deferred taxes is being determined by regulators in each of our jurisdictions. See Note 13 for further information.

Schedule of Capitalization

The following table details amounts capitalized for the fiscal year ended September 30.

		2019		2018		2017
Component of AFUDC	Statement of Comprehensive Income Location	(In thousands)
Debt	Interest charges	$	7,643	$	6,810	$	2,479
Equity	Other non-operating income (expense)	11,165		—		—
		$	18,808	$	6,810	$	2,479