Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Oct. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
Utility Plant:
Utility plant in service		$ 5,426,584	$ 5,011,497
Less accumulated depreciation		1,251,940	1,166,922
Utility plant in service, net		4,174,644	3,844,575
Construction work in progress		170,250	141,693
Plant held for future use		3,155	3,155
Total utility plant, net		4,348,049	3,989,423
Other Physical Property, at cost (net of accumulated depreciation of $926 in 2015 and $904 in 2014)		332	355
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		13,744	9,643
Trade accounts receivable (1) (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $1,648 in 2015 and $2,152 in 2014)	[1]	59,248	65,260
Income taxes receivable		11,447	36,100
Other receivables		10,667	3,361
Unbilled utility revenues		17,422	21,093
Inventories:
Gas in storage		68,240	84,081
Materials, supplies and merchandise		1,251	1,652
Gas purchase derivative assets, at fair value		1,343	4,898
Regulatory assets		10,936	27,837
Prepayments		28,903	39,030
Deferred income taxes		32,392	53,418
Other current assets		344	326
Total current assets		255,937	346,699
Noncurrent Assets:
Equity method investments in non-utility activities		206,956	170,171
Goodwill		48,852	48,852
Regulatory assets		196,726	174,281
Income taxes receivable		26,023	0
Marketable securities, at fair value		4,666	3,727
Overfunded postretirement asset		17,770	33,757
Other noncurrent assets		5,439	7,042
Total noncurrent assets		506,432	437,830
Total		5,110,750	4,774,307
Stockholders’ equity:
Cumulative preferred stock - no par value - 175 shares authorized		0	0
Common stock – no par value – shares authorized: 200,000; shares outstanding: 80,883 in 2015 and 78,531 in 2014		721,419	636,835
Retained earnings		705,748	672,004
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(855)	(237)
Total stockholders’ equity		1,426,312	1,308,602
Long-term debt, net		1,523,677	1,414,484
Total capitalization		2,949,989	2,723,086
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		40,000	0
Short-term debt		340,000	355,000
Trade accounts payable (1)	[1]	99,895	85,299
Other accounts payable		52,149	54,349
Accrued interest		29,488	27,982
Customers’ deposits		20,896	19,994
General taxes accrued		27,940	23,828
Regulatory liabilities		13,367	46,231
Other current liabilities		11,861	9,303
Total current liabilities		635,596	621,986
Noncurrent Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes		861,615	809,467
Unamortized federal investment tax credits		1,027	1,193
Accumulated provision for postretirement benefits		14,975	15,471
Regulatory liabilities		590,301	558,598
Conditional cost of removal obligations		19,712	14,647
Other noncurrent liabilities		37,535	29,859
Total noncurrent liabilities		$ 1,525,165	$ 1,429,235
Commitments and Contingencies
Total		$ 5,110,750	$ 4,774,307

[1] See Note 13 for amounts attributable to affiliates.