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Utility Plant - Asset Retirement Obligation (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward]
Asset retirement obligation at beginning of period	$ 25,416	$ 24,095
New asset retirement obligation recognized in the period	350	0
Liability settled in the period	(1,722)	(2,341)
Revisions in estimated cash flows	1,154	2,413
Accretion expense	1,342	1,249
Asset retirement obligation at end of period	$ 26,540	$ 25,416

The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees.

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- Definition

Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability.

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