Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract]

Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits

Note 8             Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits

The Company maintains qualified defined benefit pension plans, nonqualified pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans for certain of its employees. The net periodic benefit cost is based on estimated values and an extensive use of assumptions about the discount rate, expected return on plan assets, the rate of future compensation increases received by the Company's employees, mortality, turnover, and medical costs. The following tables provide the components of net periodic benefit costs:

	Pension Benefits
	Nine Months Ended		Three Months Ended
	September 30,		September 30,
	2011	2010	2011	2010
Service cost	$3,469	$3,396	$ 1,382	$     1,052
Interest cost	10,160	9,702	4,232	3,262
Expected return on plan assets	(9,842)	(8,545)	(4,651)	(2,953)
Amortization of prior service cost	260	141	173	71
Amortization of actuarial loss	3,057	3,222	1,024	1,162
Capitalized costs	(2,761)	(2,493)	(954)	(808)
Settlement charge	-	1,068	-	184
Curtailment charge	100	-	100	-
Net periodic benefit cost	$  4,443	$  6,491	$ 1,306	$     1,970
	Other
	Postretirement Benefits
	Nine Months Ended		Three Months Ended
	September 30,		September 30,
	2011	2010	2011	2010
Service cost	$927	$847	$    176	$        237
Interest cost	2,071	1,831	447	591
Expected return on plan assets	(1,523)	(1,402)	(281)	(478)
Amortization of transition obligation	78	78	9	26
Amortization of prior service cost	(201)	(201)	(23)	(67)
Amortization of actuarial loss	627	464	216	122
Amortization of regulatory asset	102	102	34	34
Capitalized costs	(528)	(369)	(185)	(119)
Curtailment charge	27	-	27	-
Net periodic benefit cost	$  1,580	$  1,350	$    420	$        346

Included within the Company's net periodic benefit costs for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 is $1,118 and $1,121, respectively, and for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 is $405 and $333, respectively, of net periodic benefit costs associated with discontinued operations.

The Company made cash contributions of $16,840 to its defined benefit pension plans during the first nine months of 2011, and intends to make cash contributions of $300 to the plans during the remainder of 2011. In addition, the Company expects to make cash contributions of $2,012 for the funding of its other postretirement benefit plans during the remainder of 2011.