Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract]

Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefits

Note 9 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
		Six Months Ended						Three Months Ended
		June 30,						June 30,
		2012			2011			2012			2011
Service cost	$	2,536		$	2,087		$	1,287		$	1,044
Interest cost		6,523			5,928			3,258			2,964
Expected return on plan assets		(6,732	)		(5,191	)		(3,482	)		(2,596	)
Amortization of prior service cost		119			87			72			43
Amortization of actuarial loss		3,516			2,033			1,654			1,016
Capitalized costs		(1,808	)		(1,808	)		(924	)		(951	)
Settlement charge		4,980			-			4,980			-
Curtailment credit		(480	)		-			(480	)		-
		8,654			3,136			6,365			1,520
Less discontinued operations		4,876			574			4,594			287
Net periodic benefit cost	$	3,778		$	2,562		$	1,771		$	1,233

					Other
					Postretirement Benefits
		Six Months Ended						Three Months Ended
		June 30,						June 30,
		2012			2011			2012			2011
Service cost	$	659		$	751		$	322		$	376
Interest cost		1,316			1,623			616			812
Expected return on plan assets		(1,067	)		(1,243	)		(529	)		(621	)
Amortization of transition obligation		18			69			-			34
Amortization of prior service cost		(104	)		(178	)		(36	)		(89	)
Amortization of actuarial loss		536			411			268			206
Amortization of regulatory asset		68			68			34			34
Capitalized costs		(330	)		(343	)		(167	)		(188	)
Settlement charge		325			-			325			-
		1,421			1,158			833			564
Less discontinued operations		390			98			337			49
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,031		$	1,060		$	496		$	515

The Company made cash contributions of $15,370 to its defined benefit pension plans during the first six months of 2012, which represents the completion of the Company's 2012 cash contributions. In addition, the Company expects to make cash contributions of $2,685 for the funding of its other postretirement benefit plans during the remainder of 2012.