Energy Purchase Contracts (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Energy Purchase Contracts [Line Items]


	2011		2010		2009
Utility power resources	$	557,619	$	649,408	$	704,886

Future Contractual Commitments For Power Resources And Natural Gas Resources


	2012		2013		2014		2015		2016		Thereafter		Total
Power resources	$	218,599	$	157,401	$	139,180	$	116,184	$	111,698	$	1,037,268	$	1,780,330
Natural gas resources		134,047		102,923		87,926		72,632		54,475		639,790		1,091,793

Total	$	352,646	$	260,324	$	227,106	$	188,816	$	166,173	$	1,677,058	$	2,872,123

PUD Contracts Expenses


	2011		2010		2009
PUD contract costs	$	10,533	$	8,287	$	12,633

Components Of PUD Contracts


	Company's Current Share of
	Output			Kilowatt Capability		Annual Costs (1)		Debt Service Costs (1)		Bonds Outstanding		Expiration Date
Chelan County PUD:
Rocky Reach Project		2.9	%		37,000	$	2,017	$	887	$	—		2011
Douglas County PUD:
Wells Project		3.4	%		28,000		2,456		876		3,613		2018
Grant County PUD:
Priest Rapids and
Wanapum Projects		3.3	%		65,800		6,060		2,203		30,263		2055

Totals					130,800	$	10,533	$	3,966	$	33,876

(1)	The annual costs will change in proportion to the percentage of output allocated to Avista Utilities in a particular year. Amounts represent the operating costs for 2011. Debt service costs are included in annual costs.

Estimated Aggregate Amounts Of Required Minimum Payments


	2012		2013		2014		2015		2016		Thereafter		Total
Minimum payments	$	3,337	$	3,332	$	3,305	$	3,195	$	3,106	$	44,835	$	61,110

Contractual Obligations [Member]

Energy Purchase Contracts [Line Items]

Future Contractual Commitments For Power Resources And Natural Gas Resources


	2012		2013		2014		2015		2016		Thereafter		Total
Contractual obligations	$	29,103	$	30,346	$	30,891	$	28,392	$	32,528	$	246,503	$	397,763

- Definition

Tabular disclosure of information concerning the terms and significance of long term contracts to purchase power (generally referred to as purchase power agreements (PPAs) or power sale agreements (PSAs)) including date of contract expiration, share of plant output being purchased, estimated annual cost, annual minimum debt service payment required and amount of related long-term debt or lease obligations outstanding.

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- Definition

Tabular disclosure of unconditional purchase obligations that are not recognized as a liability on the balance sheet, including the nature and significant terms of an unconditional purchase obligation; the amount of the fixed and determinable portion of the obligation as of the date of the latest balance sheet presented in the aggregate and, if determinable, for each of the five succeeding fiscal years; the nature of any variable components of the obligation; the amount purchased under the obligation (for example, the take-or-pay or throughput contract) for the reporting period; and may include the amount of imputed interest necessary to reduce the obligation to present value.

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