Unaudited Interim Financial Information (Table)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Regulatory Assets And Liabilities Table [Abstract]

Regulatory assets and liabilities table

			March 31,		September 30,
			2013		2012
			(In thousands)
Regulatory assets:
	Pension and postretirement benefit costs(1)	$	289,003	$	296,160
	Merger and integration costs, net		5,502		5,754
	Deferred gas costs		525		31,359
	Regulatory cost of removal asset		10,183		10,500
	Rate case costs		6,256		4,661
	Deferred franchise fees		265		2,714
	Texas Rule 8.209(2)		14,912		5,370
	APT annual adjustment mechanism		4,965		4,539
	Other		5,716		7,262
		$	337,327	$	368,319
Regulatory liabilities:
	Deferred gas costs	$	43,112	$	23,072
	Deferred franchise fees		2,943		-
	Regulatory cost of removal obligation		433,617		459,688
	Other		5,429		5,637
		$	485,101	$	488,397