Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015
Utility Plant:
Utility plant in service		$ 5,495,303	$ 5,426,584
Less accumulated depreciation		1,278,629	1,251,940
Utility plant in service, net		4,216,674	4,174,644
Construction work in progress		204,628	170,250
Plant held for future use		3,155	3,155
Total utility plant, net		4,424,457	4,348,049
Other Physical Property, at cost (net of accumulated depreciation of $932 in 2016 and $926 in 2015		327	332
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		20,448	13,744
Trade accounts receivable(1) (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $3,762 in 2016 and $1,648 in 2015)	[1]	158,492	59,248
Income taxes receivable		12,877	11,447
Other receivables		18,701	10,667
Unbilled utility revenues		74,632	17,422
Inventories:
Gas in storage		61,135	68,240
Materials, supplies and merchandise		1,251	1,251
Gas purchase derivative assets, at fair value		1,602	1,343
Regulatory assets		61,815	10,936
Prepayments		10,697	28,903
Other current assets		271	344
Total current assets		421,921	223,545
Noncurrent Assets:
Equity method investments in non-utility activities		223,277	206,956
Goodwill		48,852	48,852
Regulatory assets		322,310	196,726
Income taxes receivable		26,023	26,023
Marketable securities, at fair value		4,842	4,666
Overfunded postretirement asset		28,620	17,770
Other noncurrent assets		5,751	5,439
Total noncurrent assets		659,675	506,432
Total		5,506,380	5,078,358
Stockholders’ equity:
Cumulative preferred stock – no par value – 175 shares authorized		0	0
Common stock - no par value - shares authorized: 200,000 shares; outstanding: 81,072 in 2016 and 80,883 in 2015		732,056	721,419
Retained earnings		776,839	705,748
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(487)	(855)
Total stockholders’ equity		1,508,408	1,426,312
Long-term debt		1,523,896	1,523,677
Total capitalization		3,032,304	2,949,989
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		40,000	40,000
Short-term debt		495,000	340,000
Trade accounts payable (1)	[1]	120,954	99,895
Other accounts payable		38,377	52,149
Accrued interest		26,293	29,488
Customers’ deposits		22,212	20,896
General taxes accrued		12,734	27,940
Gas supply derivative liabilities, at fair value		28,300	0
Regulatory liabilities		5,680	13,367
Other current liabilities		7,541	11,861
Total current liabilities		797,091	635,596
Noncurrent Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes		894,429	829,223
Unamortized federal investment tax credits		987	1,027
Accumulated provision for postretirement benefits		14,944	14,975
Gas supply derivative liabilities, at fair value		127,000	0
Regulatory liabilities		590,400	590,301
Conditional cost of removal obligations		19,984	19,712
Other noncurrent liabilities		29,241	37,535
Total noncurrent liabilities		$ 1,676,985	$ 1,492,773
Commitments and Contingencies
Total		$ 5,506,380	$ 5,078,358

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