Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Operating Activities
Net Income		$ 44,675	$ 41,140	$ 36,092
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net operating cash:
Goodwill & long-lived asset impairment		0	0	6,881
Depreciation and amortization		32,159	29,972	26,316
Depreciation and accretion included in other costs		7,334	6,978	6,577
Deferred income taxes, net	[1]	31,257	20,520	22,235
Realized loss (gain) on sale of assets/investments		695	(340)	(7,293)
Unrealized (gain) loss on investments/commodity contracts		(385)	96	501
Employee benefits and compensation		1,887	1,235	684
Share-based compensation		2,367	1,937	1,958
Other, net		(79)	47	3
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable and accrued revenue		(27,013)	17,097	20,683
Propane inventory, storage gas and other inventory		(2,531)	1,527	4,177
Regulatory assets/liabilities, net		(7,523)	3,883	(11,014)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets		(1,387)	(759)	(699)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities		18,829	(11,916)	(13,623)
Income taxes receivable		2,466	(4,967)	(15,936)
Customer deposits and refunds		2,065	1,976	(927)
Accrued compensation		358	(331)	37
Other assets and liabilities, net		(1,803)	(3,972)	(2,944)
Net cash provided by operating activities		103,371	104,123	73,708
Investing Activities
Property, plant and equipment expenditures		(169,861)	(143,599)	(91,588)
Change in intangibles		0	0	14
Proceeds from sale of assets		174	164	10,797
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		0	(20,930)	0
Environmental expenditures		(350)	(174)	(233)
Net cash used by investing activities		(170,037)	(164,539)	(81,010)
Financing Activities
Common stock dividends		(17,482)	(15,924)	(13,887)
Issuance (Purchase) of stock for Dividend Reinvestment Plan		811	813	(165)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of expenses		57,360	0	0
Change in cash overdrafts due to outstanding checks		3,920	2,450	(921)
Net borrowing (repayment) under line of credit agreements		32,526	82,178	(16,513)
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt		0	0	49,975
Repayment of long-term debt and capital lease obligation		(9,146)	(10,820)	(9,969)
Net cash provided by financing activities		67,989	58,697	8,520
Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents		1,323	(1,719)	1,218
Cash and Cash Equivalents — Beginning of Period		2,855	4,574	3,356
Cash and Cash Equivalents — End of Period		$ 4,178	$ 2,855	$ 4,574

[1] (1)Includes $2.1 million, $2.1 million and $2.6 million of deferred state income taxes for the years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.