Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Income Taxes [Abstract]

Provision (Benefit) For Income Taxes

		2013		2012		2011
	(in thousands)
Current:
Federal	$	(12,151)	$	15,500	$	3,378
State		1,080		3,189		820
		(11,071)		18,689		4,198
Deferred:
Federal		409,359		(388,209)		345,922
State		87,823		(71,582)		60,941
Foreign		763		(2,037)		2,160
		497,945		(461,828)		409,023
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	$	486,874	$	(443,139)	$	413,221

Reconciliation Of Provision For Income Taxes

		2013		2012		2011
	(in thousands)
Expected provision (benefit) at federal statutory rate	$	416,632	$	(402,571)	$	367,854
Increase (decrease) resulting from:
State income taxes, net of federal income tax effect		53,130		(44,454)		40,145
Nondeductible expenses		3,404		2,100		1,244
Other		13,708		1,786		3,978
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	$	486,874	$	(443,139)	$	413,221

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

		2013		2012
	(in thousands)
Deferred tax liabilities:
Differences between book and tax basis of property	$	2,114,685	$	1,441,149
Cash flow hedges		13,171		112,625
Other		10,715		4,460
		2,138,571		1,558,234
Deferred tax assets:
Accrued compensation		15,718		16,387
Alternative minimum tax credit carryforward		76,864		89,016
Stored natural gas		9,272		7,812
Accrued pension costs		1,821		7,686
Asset retirement obligations		53,419		39,249
Net operating loss carryforward		411,994		217,276
Differences between book and tax basis of property - state		11,045		16,872
Other		7,405		12,354
		587,538		406,652
Net deferred tax liability	$	1,551,033	$	1,151,582