Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Apr. 30, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015
Utility Plant:
Utility plant in service		$ 5,565,136	$ 5,426,584
Less accumulated depreciation		1,301,610	1,251,940
Utility plant in service, net		4,263,526	4,174,644
Construction work in progress		268,689	170,250
Plant held for future use		3,155	3,155
Total utility plant, net		4,535,370	4,348,049
Other Physical Property, at cost (net of accumulated depreciation of $937 in 2016 and $926 in 2015		321	332
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		12,317	13,744
Trade accounts receivable(1) (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $5,027 in 2016 and $1,648 in 2015)	[1]	90,090	59,248
Income taxes receivable		41,275	11,447
Other receivables		13,070	10,667
Unbilled utility revenues		12,073	17,422
Inventories:
Gas in storage		32,110	68,240
Materials, supplies and merchandise		1,227	1,251
Gas purchase derivative assets, at fair value		3,146	1,343
Regulatory assets		57,497	10,936
Prepayments		15,894	28,903
Other current assets		266	344
Total current assets		278,965	223,545
Noncurrent Assets:
Equity method investments in non-utility activities		226,731	206,956
Goodwill		48,852	48,852
Regulatory assets		333,236	196,726
Income taxes receivable		0	26,023
Marketable securities, at fair value		5,073	4,666
Overfunded postretirement asset		29,470	17,770
Other noncurrent assets		6,242	5,439
Total noncurrent assets		649,604	506,432
Total		5,464,260	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: 81,196 in 2016 and 80,883 in 2015		739,213	721,419
Retained earnings		812,719	705,748
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(640)	(855)
Total stockholders’ equity		1,551,292	1,426,312
Long-term debt		1,524,113	1,523,677
Total capitalization		3,075,405	2,949,989
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		40,000	40,000
Short-term debt		390,000	340,000
Trade accounts payable (1)	[1]	85,611	99,895
Other accounts payable		31,500	52,149
Accrued interest		28,948	29,488
Customers’ deposits		20,636	20,896
General taxes accrued		15,312	27,940
Gas supply derivative liabilities, at fair value		25,200	0
Regulatory liabilities		8,126	13,367
Other current liabilities		7,558	11,861
Total current liabilities		652,891	635,596
Noncurrent Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes		933,959	829,223
Unamortized federal investment tax credits		947	1,027
Accumulated provision for postretirement benefits		14,965	14,975
Gas supply derivative liabilities, at fair value		139,700	0
Regulatory liabilities		594,922	590,301
Conditional cost of removal obligations		20,259	19,712
Other noncurrent liabilities		31,212	37,535
Total noncurrent liabilities		$ 1,735,964	$ 1,492,773
Commitments and Contingencies
Total		$ 5,464,260	$ 5,078,358

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