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Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

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Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility.

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Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

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The cash outflow for debt initially having maturity due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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The remaining balance of debt issuance expenses that were capitalized and are being amortized against income over the lives of the respective bond issues. This does not include the amounts capitalized as part of the cost of the utility plant or asset.

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Actual ratio of total interest expense to earnings before interest and taxes.

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No definition available.

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Debt issuance costs, amortization period.

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Maximum limit of aggregate principal amount of senior notes outstanding under the master note purchase agreement.

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Prepayment of debt, minimum percentage of outstanding principal amount.

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Required ratio of total debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

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Required ratio of total interest expense to earnings before interest and taxes.

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Revolving Credit Term Loan Maximum Borrowing Capacity

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Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Detail) - USD ($)	4 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			57 Months Ended	74 Months Ended
Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Detail) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Aug. 20, 2015	Apr. 01, 2011	Oct. 26, 2009	Oct. 01, 2008
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 2,157,285,000	$ 2,157,285,000	$ 1,979,565,000		$ 2,157,285,000	$ 2,157,285,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs	$ 8,031,000	8,031,000	4,764,000		$ 8,031,000	$ 8,031,000
Repayment of principal and accrued interest on debt		1,429,195,000	525,909,000	$ 493,560,000
Debt issuance costs		$ 6,867,000	$ 125,000	$ 2,035,000
LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin rate for loans		1.20%	1.375%
Revolver Under Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt			$ 680,000,000
Amount of standby letters of credit outstanding			$ 73,031,000
Commitment fee		0.15%	0.20%
Revolver Under Credit Facility [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.70%	3.70%	3.63%		3.70%	3.70%
Interest rate on bond at December 31, 2015	3.70%	3.70%	3.63%		3.70%	3.70%
Revolver Under Credit Facility [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 385,000,000	$ 385,000,000	$ 677,000,000		$ 385,000,000	$ 385,000,000
Interest rate	1.44%	1.44%	1.54%		1.44%	1.44%
Interest rate on bond at December 31, 2015	1.44%	1.44%	1.54%		1.44%	1.44%
Letter of Credit [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin rate for loans		0.50%	0.50%
Letter of Credit [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin rate for loans		1.20%	1.375%
Revolver Under Credit Facility [Member] \| Swing Line Loans [Member] \| Base Rate [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 5,000,000	$ 5,000,000	$ 3,000,000		$ 5,000,000	$ 5,000,000
Revolver Under Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	390,000,000	390,000,000	680,000,000		390,000,000	390,000,000
Term Loan Under Credit Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 800,000,000	$ 800,000,000	$ 660,000,000		$ 800,000,000	$ 800,000,000
Term Loan Under Credit Agreement [Member] \| LIBOR [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	1.44%	1.44%	1.66%		1.44%	1.44%
Interest rate on bond at December 31, 2015	1.44%	1.44%	1.66%		1.44%	1.44%
Senior Notes due 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt			$ 175,000,000
Debt principal amount										$ 175,000,000
Maturity date		Oct. 01, 2015
Aggregate principal amount										$ 175,000,000
Interest rate	6.22%	6.22%	6.22%		6.22%	6.22%
Senior Notes due 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 175,000,000	$ 175,000,000	$ 175,000,000		$ 175,000,000	$ 175,000,000
Debt principal amount									$ 175,000,000
Maturity date		Nov. 01, 2019
Debt issuance costs amortization period		10 years
Aggregate principal amount									$ 175,000,000
Interest rate	5.25%	5.25%	5.25%		5.25%	5.25%
Debt issuance costs						$ 152,000
Senior Notes due 2016, 2018 and 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt principal amount								$ 250,000,000
Aggregate principal amount								250,000,000
Debt issuance costs					$ 1,489,000
Senior Notes due 2016 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000		$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000
Debt principal amount								100,000,000
Maturity date		Apr. 01, 2016
Aggregate principal amount								100,000,000
Interest rate	3.30%	3.30%	3.30%		3.30%	3.30%
Senior Notes due 2018 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 50,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 50,000,000		$ 50,000,000	$ 50,000,000
Debt principal amount								50,000,000
Maturity date		Apr. 01, 2018
Aggregate principal amount								50,000,000
Interest rate	4.00%	4.00%	4.00%		4.00%	4.00%
Senior Notes due 2021 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000		$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000
Debt principal amount								100,000,000
Maturity date		Apr. 01, 2021
Aggregate principal amount								$ 100,000,000
Interest rate	4.64%	4.64%	4.64%		4.64%	4.64%
Senior Notes due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 125,000,000	$ 125,000,000			$ 125,000,000	$ 125,000,000
Interest rate	3.09%	3.09%			3.09%	3.09%
Senior Notes due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 375,000,000	$ 375,000,000			$ 375,000,000	$ 375,000,000
Interest rate	3.41%	3.41%			3.41%	3.41%
Senior Notes due 2022 and 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized debt issuance costs	$ 3,746,000	$ 3,746,000			$ 3,746,000	$ 3,746,000
Tax-exempt Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long term debt	$ 31,430,000	$ 31,430,000	$ 31,430,000		$ 31,430,000	$ 31,430,000
Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Margin rate for loans		0.50%
Actual leverage ratio	2.88	2.88	2.67		2.88	2.88
Actual interest coverage ratio	7.88	7.88	7.94		7.88	7.88
Maximum limit of aggregate principal amount of notes outstanding		$ 1,250,000,000
Senior Notes [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Required interest coverage ratio		2.75
Prepayment of notes, minimum percentage of outstanding principal amount		5.00%
Senior Notes [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Required leverage ratio		3.75
Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility	$ 1,200,000,000	$ 1,200,000,000			$ 1,200,000,000	$ 1,200,000,000
Amount of standby letters of credit outstanding	78,373,000	78,373,000			78,373,000	78,373,000
Revolving credit term loan maximum borrowing capacity	$ 2,300,000,000	$ 2,300,000,000			$ 2,300,000,000	$ 2,300,000,000
Actual leverage ratio	2.88	2.88	2.67		2.88	2.88
Actual interest coverage ratio	7.88	7.88	7.94		7.88	7.88
Debt principal amount	$ 800,000,000	$ 800,000,000			$ 800,000,000	$ 800,000,000
Maturity date		Jan. 31, 2020
Aggregate principal amount	800,000,000	$ 800,000,000			800,000,000	800,000,000
Debt issuance costs		$ 4,136,000
Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Required interest coverage ratio		2.75
Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Required leverage ratio		3.50
Reguired leverage ratio during material acquisition period		3.75
Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement [Member] \| Letter of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit term loan maximum borrowing capacity	250,000,000	$ 250,000,000			250,000,000	250,000,000
Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement [Member] \| Swing Line Loans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Revolving credit term loan maximum borrowing capacity	35,000,000	35,000,000			35,000,000	35,000,000
Third Supplement To Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt principal amount							$ 500,000,000
Aggregate principal amount							$ 500,000,000
Third Supplement To Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member] \| Senior Notes due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt principal amount	$ 125,000,000	125,000,000			125,000,000	125,000,000
Maturity date	Aug. 20, 2022
Aggregate principal amount	$ 125,000,000	$ 125,000,000			$ 125,000,000	$ 125,000,000
Interest rate	3.09%	3.09%			3.09%	3.09%
Third Supplement To Master Note Purchase Agreement [Member] \| Senior Notes due 2025 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt principal amount	$ 375,000,000	$ 375,000,000			$ 375,000,000	$ 375,000,000
Maturity date	Aug. 20, 2025
Aggregate principal amount	$ 375,000,000	$ 375,000,000			$ 375,000,000	$ 375,000,000
Interest rate	3.41%	3.41%			3.41%	3.41%