Taxes	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Taxes	10. Taxes Income Taxes The Company and CenStar are each subject to U.S. federal income tax as a corporation. Spark HoldCo and its subsidiaries, with the exception of CenStar, are treated as flow-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and, as such, are generally not subject to U.S. federal income tax at the entity level. Rather, the tax liability with respect to their taxable income is passed through to their members or partners. Accordingly, the Company is subject to U.S. federal income taxation on its allocable share of Spark HoldCo’s net U.S. taxable income. The Company accounts for income taxes using the assets and liabilities method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and those assets and liabilities tax bases. The Company applies existing tax law and the tax rate that the Company expects to apply to taxable income in the years in which those differences are expected to be recovered or settled in calculating the deferred tax assets and liabilities. Effects of changes in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized in income in the period of the tax rate enactment. In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes ("ASU 2015-17") that is intended to simplify the presentation of deferred taxes by requiring that all deferred taxes be classified as noncurrent and presented as a single noncurrent amount for each tax-payment component of an entity. The ASU 2015-17 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016; however, the Company elected early adoption on January 1, 2016, on a retrospective basis. The adoption of ASU 2015-17 resulted in the reclassification of previously-classified net current deferred taxes of approximately $0.9 million from other current liabilities, resulting in a $23.4 million noncurrent deferred tax asset and a $0.9 million noncurrent deferred tax liability on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2015. There was no impact to our condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 or 2015. The Company periodically assesses whether it is more likely than not that it will generate sufficient taxable income to realize its deferred income tax assets. In making this determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence and makes certain assumptions. The Company considers, among other things, its deferred tax liabilities, the overall business environment, its historical earnings and losses, current industry trends, and its outlook for future years. The Company believes it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be utilized. On February 3, 2016, Retailco exchanged 1,000,000 of its Spark HoldCo units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B common stock) for shares of Class A common stock. The exchange resulted in a step up in tax basis, which gave rise to a deferred tax asset of approximately $8.0 million on the exchange date. In addition, the Company recorded an additional long-term liability as a result of the exchange of approximately $10.3 million pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement and a corresponding long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $3.9 million. The initial estimate for the deferred tax asset, net of the liability, under the Tax Receivable Agreement was recorded within additional paid-in capital on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2016. On April 1, 2016, Retailco exchanged 1,725,000 of its Spark HoldCo units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B common stock) for shares of Class A common stock. The exchange resulted in a step up in tax basis, which gave rise to a deferred tax asset of approximately $7.6 million on the exchange date. In addition, the Company recorded an additional long-term liability as a result of the exchange of approximately $10.3 million pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement and a corresponding long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $3.9 million. The initial estimate for the deferred tax asset, net of the liability, under the Tax Receivable Agreement was recorded within additional paid-in capital on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2016. On June 8, 2016, Retailco exchanged 500,000 of its Spark HoldCo units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B common stock) for shares of Class A common stock. The exchange resulted in a step up in tax basis, which gave rise to a deferred tax asset of approximately $5.3 million on the exchange date. In addition, the Company recorded an additional long-term liability as a result of the exchange of approximately $6.9 million pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement and a corresponding long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $2.6 million. The initial estimate for the deferred tax asset, net of the liability, under the Tax Receivable Agreement was recorded within additional paid-in capital on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2016. The Company had a net deferred tax asset of approximately $15.6 million related to the step up in tax basis resulting from the purchase by the Company of Spark HoldCo units from NuDevco Retail and NuDevco Retail Holdings (predecessor to Retailco) on the IPO date. In addition, as of September 30, 2016, the Company had a total liability of $50.6 million for the effect of the Tax Receivable Agreement liability classified as a long-term liability. The Company had a long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $20.0 million related to the Tax Receivable Agreement liability. See Note 12 “Transactions with Affiliates” for further discussion. The effective U.S. federal and state income tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 is 14.2% and 6.5%, respectively, with respect to pre-tax income attributable to the Company's stockholders. The higher effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 is primarily attributable to the CenStar acquisition, discrete items and a decrease in the non-controlling interest. The discrete items were related to federal tax rate increase that is driven by the additional taxable income from the two acquistions, Provider Companies and Major Energy Companies. The remaining increase is primarily attributable to units exchanged by Retailco, which corresponds with an increase in taxable income allocable to the Company from Spark HoldCo that is subject to U.S. federal income taxation. Total income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 differed from amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal statutory tax rates to pre-tax income primarily due to state taxes and the impact of permanent differences between book and taxable income, most notably the income attributable to non-controlling interest. The effective tax rate includes a rate benefit attributable to the fact that Spark HoldCo operates as a limited liability company treated as a partnership for federal and state income tax purposes and is not subject to federal and state income taxes. Accordingly, the portion of earnings attributable to non-controlling interest is subject to tax when reported as a component of the non-controlling interest’s taxable income. The February, April and June 2016 exchanges by Retailco decreased the effective tax rate benefit attributable to non-controlling interest.

10. Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company and CenStar are each subject to U.S. federal income tax as a corporation. Spark HoldCo and its subsidiaries, with the exception of CenStar, are treated as flow-through entities for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and, as such, are generally not subject to U.S. federal income tax at the entity level. Rather, the tax liability with respect to their taxable income is passed through to their members or partners. Accordingly, the Company is subject to U.S. federal income taxation on its allocable share of Spark HoldCo’s net U.S. taxable income.

The Company accounts for income taxes using the assets and liabilities method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and those assets and liabilities tax bases. The Company applies existing tax law and the tax rate that the Company expects to apply to taxable income in the years in which those differences are expected to be recovered or settled in calculating the deferred tax assets and liabilities. Effects of changes in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized in income in the period of the tax rate enactment.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes ("ASU 2015-17") that is intended to simplify the presentation of deferred taxes by requiring that all deferred taxes be classified as noncurrent and presented as a single noncurrent amount for each tax-payment component of an entity. The ASU 2015-17 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016; however, the Company elected early adoption on January 1, 2016, on a retrospective basis. The adoption of ASU 2015-17 resulted in the reclassification of previously-classified net current deferred taxes of approximately $0.9 million from other current liabilities, resulting in a $23.4 million noncurrent deferred tax asset and a $0.9 million noncurrent deferred tax liability on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2015. There was no impact to our condensed consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 or 2015.

The Company periodically assesses whether it is more likely than not that it will generate sufficient taxable income to realize its deferred income tax assets. In making this determination, the Company considers all available positive and negative evidence and makes certain assumptions. The Company considers, among other things, its deferred tax liabilities, the overall business environment, its historical earnings and losses, current industry trends, and its outlook for future years. The Company believes it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be utilized.

On February 3, 2016, Retailco exchanged 1,000,000 of its Spark HoldCo units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B common stock) for shares of Class A common stock. The exchange resulted in a step up in tax basis, which gave rise to a deferred tax asset of approximately $8.0 million on the exchange date. In addition, the Company recorded an additional long-term liability as a result of the exchange of approximately $10.3 million pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement and a corresponding long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $3.9 million. The initial estimate for the deferred tax asset, net of the liability, under the Tax Receivable Agreement was recorded within additional paid-in capital on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2016.

On April 1, 2016, Retailco exchanged 1,725,000 of its Spark HoldCo units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B common stock) for shares of Class A common stock. The exchange resulted in a step up in tax basis, which gave rise to a deferred tax asset of approximately $7.6 million on the exchange date. In addition, the Company recorded an additional long-term liability as a result of the exchange of approximately $10.3 million pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement and a corresponding long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $3.9 million. The initial estimate for the deferred tax asset, net of the liability, under the Tax Receivable Agreement was recorded within additional paid-in capital on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2016.

On June 8, 2016, Retailco exchanged 500,000 of its Spark HoldCo units (together with a corresponding number of shares of Class B common stock) for shares of Class A common stock. The exchange resulted in a step up in tax basis, which gave rise to a deferred tax asset of approximately $5.3 million on the exchange date. In addition, the Company recorded an additional long-term liability as a result of the exchange of approximately $6.9 million pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement and a corresponding long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $2.6 million. The initial estimate for the deferred tax asset, net of the liability, under the Tax Receivable Agreement was recorded within additional paid-in capital on our condensed consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2016.

The Company had a net deferred tax asset of approximately $15.6 million related to the step up in tax basis resulting from the purchase by the Company of Spark HoldCo units from NuDevco Retail and NuDevco Retail Holdings (predecessor to Retailco) on the IPO date. In addition, as of September 30, 2016, the Company had a total liability of $50.6 million for the effect of the Tax Receivable Agreement liability classified as a long-term liability. The Company had a long-term deferred tax asset of approximately $20.0 million related to the Tax Receivable Agreement liability. See Note 12 “Transactions with Affiliates” for further discussion.

The effective U.S. federal and state income tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 is 14.2% and 6.5%, respectively, with respect to pre-tax income attributable to the Company's stockholders. The higher effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 is primarily attributable to the CenStar acquisition, discrete items and a decrease in the non-controlling interest. The discrete items were related to federal tax rate increase that is driven by the additional taxable income from the two acquistions, Provider Companies and Major Energy Companies. The remaining increase is primarily attributable to units exchanged by Retailco, which corresponds with an increase in taxable income allocable to the Company from Spark HoldCo that is subject to U.S. federal income taxation.

Total income tax expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 differed from amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal statutory tax rates to pre-tax income primarily due to state taxes and the impact of permanent differences between book and taxable income, most notably the income attributable to non-controlling interest. The effective tax rate includes a rate benefit attributable to the fact that Spark HoldCo operates as a limited liability company treated as a partnership for federal and state income tax purposes and is not subject to federal and state income taxes. Accordingly, the portion of earnings attributable to non-controlling interest is subject to tax when reported as a component of the non-controlling interest’s taxable income. The February, April and June 2016 exchanges by Retailco decreased the effective tax rate benefit attributable to non-controlling interest.