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INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Sep. 30, 2012
Sep. 30, 2011
Sep. 30, 2013
State
Sep. 03, 2013
State
Federal          
Current $ (4,173,000) $ (3,835,000) $ 4,724,000    
Deferred 19,925,000 26,365,000 20,602,000    
Investment tax credits (213,000) (213,000) (213,000)    
State and local          
Current (301,000) (430,000) 573,000    
Deferred 2,340,000 4,402,000 3,496,000    
Total Income Tax Expense 17,578,000 26,289,000 29,182,000    
Effective income tax rate variance from federal statutory rate [Abstract]          
Federal income tax statutory rate 35.00% 35.00% 35.00%    
State and local income taxes, net of federal income tax benefits 3.50% 2.90% 2.80%    
Certain expenses capitalized on books and deducted on tax return (9.70%) (6.90%) (5.00%)    
Taxes related to prior years (1.60%) (0.80%) (0.70%)    
Other items – net (2.20%) (0.60%) (0.70%)    
Effective income tax rate 25.00% 29.60% 31.40%    
Deferred tax assets:          
Reserves not currently deductible 13,933,000 16,400,000      
Pension and other postretirement benefits 71,367,000 73,480,000      
Unamortized investment tax credits 1,799,000 1,955,000      
Other 12,522,000 [1] 18,224,000 [1]      
Total deferred tax assets 99,621,000 110,059,000      
Deferred tax liabilities:          
Relating to property 341,975,000 303,474,000      
Regulatory pension and other postretirement benefits 124,871,000 121,554,000      
Deferred gas costs 7,112,000 20,652,000      
Other 5,789,000 26,563,000      
Total deferred tax liabilities 479,747,000 472,243,000      
Total deferred tax liabilities 380,126,000 362,184,000      
Net deferred tax liability - current (1,012,000) [1] (6,675,000) [1]      
Net deferred tax liability - non-current 379,114,000 [1] 355,509,000 [1]      
Unrecognized tax benefits [Roll Forward]          
Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning of year 5,810,000 5,596,000      
Increases related to prior year tax positions 145,000 78,000      
Increases related to tax positions taken in current year 1,450,000 547,000      
Reductions due to lapse of applicable statute of limitations (5,018,000) (411,000)      
Unrecognized tax benefits, end of year 2,387,000 5,810,000 5,596,000    
Tax credits included in net deferred tax liability         7,100,000
Tax credits classified as current       4,700,000  
Tax credits classified as noncurrent       2,400,000  
Unrecognized tax benefits affect on the Company's effective tax rate 1,900,000 1,400,000      
Interest accrued associated with uncertain tax positions 100,000 600,000      
Interest expense accrued during fiscal year 100,000 200,000 200,000    
Reversal of accrued penalties $ 600,000        
[1] The Company periodically invests in tax credits. As of September 30, 2013, $7.1 million of state tax credits are included in Other and Net deferred tax liability. $4.7 million of state tax credits were classified as current. $2.4 million of state tax credits were classified as non-current.