INCOME TAXES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2025

INCOME TAXES [Abstract]

INCOME TAXES

NOTE 7 – INCOME TAXES

Deferred income taxes are provided in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes, on all differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and the amounts at which they are carried in the condensed consolidated financial statements based on the enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when such temporary differences are expected to reverse. The Company’s rate regulated subsidiaries recognize regulatory liabilities, to the extent considered in ratemaking, for deferred taxes provided in excess of the current statutory tax rate and regulatory assets for deferred taxes provided at rates less than the current statutory rate.  Such tax-related regulatory assets and liabilities are reported at the revenue requirement level and amortized to income as the related temporary differences reverse, generally over the lives of the related properties.

Under ASC 740, Income Taxes, an uncertain tax position represents our expected treatment of a tax position taken, or planned to be taken in the future, that has not been reflected in measuring income tax expense for financial reporting purposes.  The Company establishes reserves for uncertain tax positions based upon management's judgment as to the sustainability of these positions. These accounting estimates related to the uncertain tax position reserve require judgments to be made as to the sustainability of each uncertain tax position based on its technical merits. The Company believes its tax positions comply with applicable law and that it has adequately recorded reserves as required. However, to the extent the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the estimates recorded, the Company would then adjust its tax reserves or unrecognized tax benefits in the period that this information becomes known.  The Company has elected to recognize accrued interest (net of related tax benefits) and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of its income tax expense. For the full year 2024, the Company accrued approximately $17 thousand in penalties and interest related to positions taken on the 2022 corporate income tax return.  For the three months ended March 31, 2025, the Company has accrued approximately $4 thousand in penalties and interest related to positions taken on the 2022 corporate income tax return.  The Company remains subject to examination by federal and state authorities for the tax years 2021 through 2024.