Retirement Benefits (Notes)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

RETIREMENT BENEFITS:

The following tables set forth the components of net period benefit cost of the Partnership’s pension and other postretirement benefit plans:

	Three Months Ended September 30,
	2013						2012(1)
	Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits			Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Service cost	$	—		$	(1	)	$	1		$	—
Interest cost	10			2			2			1
Expected return on plan assets	(15		)	(3		)	(3		)	(2		)
Prior service cost amortization	—			1			—			—
Actuarial loss amortization	1			—			—			—
	(4		)	(1		)	—			(1		)
Regulatory adjustment(2)	1			—			3			1
Net periodic benefit cost	$	(3	)	$	(1	)	$	3		$	—

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2013						2012(1)
	Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits			Pension Benefits			Other Postretirement Benefits
Net Periodic Benefit Cost:
Service cost	$	5		$	—		$	2		$	—
Interest cost	28			5			5			1
Expected return on plan assets	(45		)	(7		)	(6		)	(3		)
Prior service cost amortization	—			1			—			—
Actuarial loss amortization	2			—			—			—
Settlement credits	(2		)	—			—			—
Curtailment recognition(3)	—			—			—			(15		)
	(12		)	(1		)	1			(17		)
Regulatory adjustment(2)	5			—			6			1
Net periodic benefit cost	$	(7	)	$	(1	)	$	7		$	(16	)

⁽¹⁾  The three and nine months ended September 30, 2012 include components of net periodic benefit cost of Southern Union subsequent to the Southern Union Merger on March 26, 2012.

⁽²⁾  Southern Union has historically recovered certain qualified pension benefit plan and other postretirement benefit plan costs through rates charged to utility customers in its MGE and NEG divisions.  Certain utility commissions require that the recovery of these costs be based on the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or other utility commission specific guidelines.  The difference between these regulatory-based amounts and the periodic benefit cost calculated pursuant to GAAP is deferred as a regulatory asset or liability and amortized to expense over periods in which this difference will be recovered in rates, as promulgated by the applicable utility commission.

⁽³⁾  Subsequent to the Southern Union Merger, Southern Union amended certain of its other postretirement employee benefit plans, which prospectively restrict participation in the plans for the impacted active employees.  The plan amendments resulted in the plans becoming currently over-funded and, accordingly, Southern Union recorded a pre-tax curtailment gain of $75 million.  Such gain was offset by establishment of a non-current refund liability in the amount of $60 million.  As such, the net curtailment gain recognition was $15 million.