PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Defined Benefit Plan [Abstract]

Schedule of defined benefit plans disclosures

For the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, 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 March 31,
	2018			2017
Service Cost	$	2,177		$	1,382
Interest Cost	5,108			2,955
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(7,633		)	(3,524		)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	71			33
Actuarial Loss	4,132			2,613
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3,855			3,459
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(483		)	(1,271		)
Deferred Benefit Cost	(751		)	(161		)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	2,621		$	2,027

	Other Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2018			2017
Service Cost	$	81		$	247
Interest Cost	217			601
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(305		)	(853		)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	(31		)	(86		)
Actuarial Loss	111			312
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	73			221
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(5		)	(55		)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	68		$	166