Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

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- Definition

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

+ References

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

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.

+ References

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Long-Term Debt (Senior Notes) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Aug. 10, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount	$ 3,352,889	$ 3,677,889
Unamortized Debt Issuance Costs	$ 21,547	$ 24,113
Senior Notes [Member] \| 3.60% Percentage Senior Notes Due 2026 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount			$ 750,000
Stated interest rate (percent)			3.60%
Senior Notes [Member] \| 5.0% Percentage Senior Notes Due 2046 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount			$ 700,000
Stated interest rate (percent)			5.00%