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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
REVENUE AND THROUGHPUT BASED TAXES
REVENUE AND THROUGHPUT - BASED TAXES - SJG collects certain revenue-based energy taxes from its customers. Such taxes include New Jersey State Sales Tax and Public Utilities Assessment (PUA). State sales tax is recorded as a liability when billed to customers and is not included in revenue or operating expenses.
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS
NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS — Other than as described below, no new accounting pronouncement issued or effective during 2015 or 2014 had, or is expected to have, a material impact on the condensed financial statements.

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), This ASU supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in FASB ASC 605, Revenue Recognition, and in most industry-specific topics. The new guidance identifies how and when entities should recognize revenue. The new rules establish a core principle requiring the recognition of revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or service to customers in an amount reflecting the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for such goods or services. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016. Management is currently determining the impact that adoption of this guidance will have on the Company's financial statement results.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40); Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. The new guidance requires management of a company to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern. This ASU is effective for the annual reporting period ending after December 15, 2016, and for interim and annual reporting periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted. Management does not expect this standard to have an impact on the Company's financial statements upon adoption.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810)—Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis, which changes the analysis to be performed in determining whether certain types of legal entities should be consolidated. Specifically, the standard amends the evaluation of whether (a) fees paid to a decision maker or service providers represent a variable interest, (b) a limited partnership or similar entity has the characteristics of a Variable Interest Entity ("VIE") and (c) a reporting entity is the primary beneficiary of a VIE. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods therein, with early adoption permitted. Management is currently determining the impact that adoption of this guidance will have on the Company's financial statement results.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. This ASU requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the associated debt liability. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and interim periods therein. Management is currently determining the impact that adoption of this guidance will have on the Company's financial statement results.

FAIR VALUE
(A)  Available-for-Sale Securities include securities that are traded in active markets and securities that are not traded publicly.  The securities traded in active markets are valued using the quoted principal market close prices that are provided by the trustees and are categorized in Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy. The remaining securities consist of funds that are not publicly traded. These funds, which consist of stocks and bonds that are traded individually in active markets, are valued using quoted prices for similar assets and are categorized in Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

(B)  Derivatives – Energy Related Assets and Liabilities are traded in both exchange-based and non-exchange-based markets. Exchange-based contracts are valued using unadjusted quoted market sources in active markets and are categorized in Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy. Certain non-exchange-based contracts are valued using indicative price quotations available through brokers or over-the-counter, on-line exchanges and are categorized in Level 2. These price quotations reflect the average of the bid-ask mid-point prices and are obtained from sources that management believes provide the most liquid market. Management reviews and corroborates the price quotations to ensure the prices are observable which includes consideration of actual transaction volumes, market delivery points, bid-ask spreads and contract duration.

(C)  Derivatives – Other, include interest rate swaps that are valued using quoted prices on commonly quoted intervals, which are interpolated for periods different than the quoted intervals, as inputs to a market valuation model.  Market inputs can generally be verified and model selection does not involve significant management judgment.