Fair Value (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Fair Value [Abstract]

Carrying Value And Estimated Fair Value Of Financial Instruments

	September 30, 2011				December 31, 2010
	Carrying Value		Estimated Fair Value		Carrying Value		Estimated Fair Value
Long-term debt	$	1,099,100	$	1,302,447	$	1,099,100	$	1,139,765
Nonrecourse long-term debt		49,676		55,725		58,934		64,795
Long-term debt to affiliated trusts		51,547		43,805		51,547		37,114

Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring Basis

							Counterparty Netting (1)
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3					Total
September 30, 2011
Assets:
Energy commodity derivatives	$	—	$	46,744	$	12,388	$	(53,048	)	$	6,084
Investments and funds held for customers:
Money market funds (2)		57,323		—		—		—			57,323
Securities available for sale:
U.S. government agency		—		34,817		—		—			34,817
Municipal		—		429		—		—			429
Corporate fixed income – financial		—		7,202		—		—			7,202
Corporate fixed income – industrial -		—		4,750		—		—			4,750
Funds held in trust account of Spokane Energy		1,600		—		—		—			1,600
Deferred compensation assets:
Fixed income securities (3)		2,299		—		—		—			2,299
Equity securities (3)		5,355		—		—		—			5,355
Total	$	66,577	$	93,942	$	12,388	$	(53,048	)	$	119,859
Liabilities:
Energy commodity derivatives	$	—	$	116,564	$	12,148	$	(53,048	)	$	75,664
Foreign currency derivatives		—		523		—		—			523
Interest rate swaps		—		14,225		—		—			14,225
Energy commodity derivatives	$	—	$	131,312	$	12,148	$	(53,048	)	$	90,412
December 31, 2010
Assets:
Energy commodity derivatives	$	—	$	15,124	$	19,739	$	(17,010	)	$	17,853
Interest rate swaps		—		127		—		—			127
Foreign currency derivatives		—		116		—		—			116
Investments and funds held for customers (2)		100,543		—		—		—			100,543
Funds held in trust account of Spokane Energy		1,600		—		—		—			1,600
Deferred compensation assets:
Fixed income securities (3)		1,854		—		—		—			1,854
Equity securities (3)		6,211		—		—		—			6,211
Total	$	110,208	$	15,367	$	19,739	$	(17,010	)	$	128,304
Liabilities:
Energy commodity derivatives	$	—	$	93,198	$	6,280	$	(17,010	)	$	82,468
Interest rate swaps		—		53		—		—			53
Total	$	—	$	93,251	$	6,280	$	(17,010	)	$	82,521

(1) The Company is permitted to net derivative assets and derivative liabilities with the same counterparty when a legally enforceable master netting agreement exists.

(2) Represents amounts held in money market funds.

(3) These assets are trading securities and are included in other intangibles, property and investments-net on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Reconciliation For All Assets Measured At Fair Value On A Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)

	Assets						Liabilities
	2011			2010			2011			2010
Three months ended September 30:
Balance as of July 1	$	17,032		$	33,851		$	(9,687	)	$	(4,381	)
Total gains or losses (realized/unrealized):
Included in net income		—			—			—			—
Included in other comprehensive income		—			—			—			—
Included in regulatory assets/liabilities (1)		(4,644	)		(22,105	)		(2,461	)		(2,788	)
Purchases		—			—			—			—
Issuances		—			—			—			—
Settlements		—			—			—			—
Transfers from other categories		—			—			—			—
Ending balance as of September 30	$	12,388		$	11,746		$	(12,148	)	$	(7,169	)
Nine months ended September 30:
Balance as of January 1	$	19,739		$	57,276		$	(6,280	)	$	(7,806	)
Total gains or losses (realized/unrealized):
Included in net income		—			—			—			—
Included in other comprehensive income		—			—			—			—
Included in regulatory assets/liabilities (1)		(7,351	)		(43,181	)		(3,409	)		556
Purchases		—			—			—			—
Issuances		—			—			—			—
Settlements		—			(2,349	)		1,945			81
Transfers from other categories (2)		—			—			(4,404	)		—
Ending balance as of September 30	$	12,388		$	11,746		$	(12,148	)	$	(7,169	)

(1) The WUTC and the IPUC issued accounting orders authorizing Avista Utilities to offset commodity derivative assets or liabilities with a regulatory asset or liability. This accounting treatment is intended to defer the recognition of mark-to-market gains and losses on energy commodity transactions until the period of settlement. The orders provide for Avista Utilities to not recognize the unrealized gain or loss on utility derivative commodity instruments in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Realized gains or losses are recognized in the period of settlement, subject to approval for recovery through retail rates. Realized gains and losses, subject to regulatory approval, result in adjustments to retail rates through purchased gas cost adjustments, the ERM in Washington, the PCA mechanism in Idaho, and periodic general rate cases.

(2) A derivative contract was reclassified from Level 2 to Level 3 during the nine months ended September 30, 2011 due to a particular unobservable input becoming more significant to the fair value measurement.