RETIREMENT PLAN AND POST-RETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

NVE
	Pension Benefits					Other Postretirement Benefits
		For the Three Months Ended September 30,				For the Three Months Ended September 30,
		2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	4,406	$	4,607	$	595	$	653
Interest cost		10,228		10,169		1,905		2,090
Expected return on plan assets		(12,447)		(12,192)		(1,563)		(1,596)
Amortization of prior service cost		(724)		(738)		(987)		(987)
Amortization of net loss		3,473		4,155		731		1,083
Net periodic benefit cost	$	4,936	$	6,001	$	681	$	1,243
	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
	For the Nine Months Ended September 30,				For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
		2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	13,220	$	13,820	$	1,787	$	1,958
Interest cost		30,684		30,507		5,715		6,270
Expected return on plan assets		(37,341)		(36,575)		(4,690)		(4,789)
Amortization of prior service cost		(2,173)		(2,214)		(2,961)		(2,961)
Amortization of net loss		10,418		12,465		2,193		3,250
Net periodic benefit cost	$	14,808	$	18,003	$	2,044	$	3,728
The average percentage of NVE net periodic costs capitalized during 2012 and 2011 was 34.97% and 33.26%, respectively.

NPC
	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
		For the Three Months Ended September 30,				For the Three Months Ended September 30,
		2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	2,358	$	2,445	$	350	$	363
Interest cost		4,881		4,880		602		615
Expected return on plan assets		(6,237)		(6,169)		(592)		(590)
Amortization of prior service cost		(456)		(470)		229		229
Amortization of net loss		1,363		1,690		221		302
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,909	$	2,376	$	810	$	919
	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
		For the Nine Months Ended September 30,				For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
		2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	7,072	$	7,336	$	1,050	$	1,090
Interest cost		14,643		14,640		1,807		1,844
Expected return on plan assets		(18,711)		(18,508)		(1,775)		(1,769)
Amortization of prior service cost		(1,367)		(1,409)		687		687
Amortization of net loss		4,089		5,069		662		906
Net periodic benefit cost	$	5,726	$	7,128	$	2,431	$	2,758
The average percentage of NPC net periodic costs capitalized during 2012 and 2011 was 36.92% and 37.18%, respectively.

SPPC
	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
	For the Three Months Ended September 30,				For the Three Months Ended September 30,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	1,695	$	1,840	$	227	$	271
Interest cost		5,043		5,013		1,283		1,457
Expected return on plan assets		(5,937)		(5,741)		(941)		(976)
Amortization of prior service cost		(277)		(277)		(1,220)		(1,219)
Amortization of net loss		2,026		2,412		504		773
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,550	$	3,247	$	(147)	$	306
	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
	For the Nine Months Ended September 30,				For the Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	5,086	$	5,520	$	682	$	815
Interest cost		15,130		15,038		3,848		4,372
Expected return on plan assets		(17,813)		(17,223)		(2,823)		(2,929)
Amortization of prior service cost		(831)		(831)		(3,658)		(3,658)
Amortization of net loss		6,078		7,235		1,511		2,319
Net periodic benefit cost	$	7,650	$	9,739	$	(440)	$	919
The average percentage of SPPC net periodic costs capitalized during 2012 and 2011 was 35.09% and 31.22%, respectively.