PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Defined Benefit Plan [Abstract]

Schedule of defined benefit plans disclosures

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, net periodic benefit cost related to the employee and officer pension and other postretirement benefit plans for SJI consisted of the following components (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Service Cost	$	1,247		$	1,210		$	3,741		$	3,632
Interest Cost	2,943			3,031			8,829			9,094
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(3,526		)	(3,377		)	(10,579		)	(10,131		)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	33			53			98			158
Actuarial Loss	2,570			2,349			7,712			7,046
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3,267			3,266			9,801			9,799
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(1,143		)	(1,251		)	(3,542		)	(3,651		)
Deferred Benefit Cost	(95		)	(161		)	(395		)	(484		)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	2,029		$	1,854		$	5,864		$	5,664

	Other Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Service Cost	$	228		$	213		$	683		$	638
Interest Cost	604			654			1,813			1,961
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(853		)	(776		)	(2,558		)	(2,328		)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	(86		)	(86		)	(258		)	(258		)
Actuarial Loss	310			277			928			832
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	203			282			608			845
Capitalized Benefit Cost	66			(73		)	(35		)	(219		)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	269		$	209		$	573		$	626