INCOME TAXES AND CREDITS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of effective income tax rate reconciliation

Total income taxes applicable to operations differ from the tax that would have resulted by applying the statutory Federal income tax rate to pre-tax income for the following reasons (in thousands):

	2012			2011			2010
Tax at Statutory Rate	$	32,183		$	30,510		$	25,760
Increase (Decrease) Resulting from:
State Income Taxes	5,302			5,316			4,340
Amortization of Investment Tax Credits	(287		)	(302		)	(310		)
ESOP Dividend	(1,027		)	(956		)	(874		)
AFUDC	(1,048		)	(729		)	—
Amortization of Flowthrough Depreciation	—			526			664
Other - Net	(1,412		)	(84		)	98
Net Income Taxes	$	33,711		$	34,281		$	29,678

Schedule of components of provision for income taxes

The provision for Income Taxes is comprised of the following (in thousands):

	2012			2011			2010
Current:
Federal	$	(4,635	)	$	(924	)	$	399
State	(7		)	168			4,739
Total Current	(4,642		)	(756		)	5,138
Deferred:
Federal	30,477			27,329			22,912
State	8,163			8,010			1,938
Total Deferred	38,640			35,339			24,850
Investment Tax Credits	(287		)	(302		)	(310		)
Net Income Taxes	$	33,711		$	34,281		$	29,678

Schedule of deferred tax assets and liabilities

The net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting and income tax purposes resulted in the following net deferred tax liabilities at December 31 (in thousands):

	2012			2011
Current:
Net Operating Loss Carryforward	$	(2,586	)	$	(6,600	)
Budget Billing - Customer Accounts	1,033			(4,261		)
Provision for Uncollectibles	(1,409		)	(970		)
Conservation Incentive Program	13,942			5,975
Section 461 Prepayments	930			822
Other	(1,478		)	(1,267		)
Current Deferred Tax (Asset) Liability - Net	$	10,432		$	(6,301	)
Noncurrent:
Book Versus Tax Basis of Property	$	323,470		$	290,882
Deferred Fuel Costs - Net	3,325			12,005
Environmental Remediation	17,643			19,869
Deferred Regulatory Costs	15,374			7,396
Deferred State Tax	(15,106		)	(13,219		)
Investment Tax Credit Basis Gross-Up	(318		)	(466		)
Deferred Pension & Other Post Retirement Benefits	39,174			36,048
Pension & Other Post Retirement Benefits	(28,846		)	(24,380		)
Deferred Revenues	(8,922		)	(7,899		)
Net Operating Loss Carryforward	(35,901		)	(35,943		)
Other	464			866
Noncurrent Deferred Tax Liability – Net	$	310,357		$	285,159

Reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits

A reconciliation of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows (in thousands):

	2012		2011			2010
Balance at January 1,	$	421	$	478		$	576
Increase as a result of tax position taken in prior years	82		119			—
Decrease due to a lapse in the statue of limitations	—		(90		)	—
Settlements	—		(86		)	(98		)
Balance at December 31,	$	503	$	421		$	478