PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Disclosures [Abstract]

Schedule of defined benefit plan disclosures

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, net periodic benefit cost related to the SJI employee and officer pension and other postretirement benefit plans consisted of the following components (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Service Cost	$	1,519	$	974	$	4,701	$	4,349
Interest Cost	3,404		3,862		9,876		11,388
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(6,154)		(5,569)		(17,821)		(16,473)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	25		26		73		79
Actuarial Loss	3,325		2,647		9,713		8,077
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	2,119		1,940		6,542		7,420
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(577)		(410)		(1,708)		(1,470)
Deferred Benefit Cost	(339)		(377)		(971)		(1,193)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	1,203	$	1,153	$	3,863	$	4,757

	Other Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2021		2020		2021		2020
Service Cost	$	212	$	182	$	638	$	511
Interest Cost	475		560		1,424		1,775
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(1,436)		(1,345)		(4,308)		(4,036)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	(156)		(180)		(468)		(468)
Actuarial Loss	273		255		817		640
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	(632)		(528)		(1,897)		(1,578)
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(108)		57		(320)		(157)
Deferred Benefit Cost	337		(90)		1,010		701
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	(403)	$	(561)	$	(1,207)	$	(1,034)