Regulation and Rates	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Regulation and Rates [Abstract]
Regulation and Rates	REGULATION AND RATES: Panhandle. In October 2011, Trunkline and Sea Robin jointly filed with FERC to transfer all of Trunkline's offshore facilities, and certain related onshore facilities, by abandonment and sale to Sea Robin to consolidate and streamline the ownership and operation of all regulated offshore assets under one entity and better position the offshore assets competitively. Several parties filed interventions and protests of this filing. On June 21, 2012, FERC issued an order granting Trunkline permission and approval to proceed with abandonment, subject to compliance with certain regulatory requirements. On July 31, 2012 Sea Robin and Trunkline made the necessary compliance filings with FERC. It is expected that the transfer of the offshore facilities to Sea Robin will be completed in the third quarter of this year. On July 26, 2012, Trunkline filed to abandon by sale to an affiliate of underutilized loop piping facilities. This transfer is subject to FERC approval, and the Company expects several parties to intervene and participate in this filing. In November 2011, FERC commenced an audit of PEPL to evaluate its compliance with the Uniform System of Accounts as prescribed by FERC, annual and quarterly financial reporting to FERC, reservation charge crediting policy and record retention. The audit is related to the period from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2011 and is estimated to take approximately one year to complete. Missouri Gas Energy. On April 2, 2009, Missouri Gas Energy made a filing with the MPSC seeking to implement an annual base rate increase of approximately $32.4 million. On February 10, 2010, the MPSC issued its Report and Order in this case, authorizing a revenue increase of $16.2 million and approving distribution rate structures for Missouri Gas Energy’s residential and small general service customers (which comprised approximately 99% of its total customers and approximately 91% of its net operating revenues at the time the rates went into effect) that eliminate the impact of weather and conservation for residential and small general service margin revenues and related earnings in Missouri. The new rates became effective February 28, 2010. Judicial review of the MPSC’s Report and Order is being sought by the Office of the Public Counsel, with respect to rate structure issues, and by Missouri Gas Energy, with respect to cost of capital issues. By opinion issued on March 20, 2012, the Southern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed the MPSC’s Report and Order. That opinion is now final. New England Gas Company. On September 15, 2008, New England Gas Company made a filing with the MDPU seeking recovery of approximately $4 million, or 50% of the amount by which its 2007 earnings fell below a return on equity of 7%. This filing was made pursuant to New England Gas Company’s rate settlement approved by the MDPU in 2007. On February 2, 2009, the MDPU issued its order denying the Company’s requested earnings sharing adjustments (ESA) in its entirety. The Company appealed that decision to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (MSJC). On November 13, 2009, New England Gas Company made a similar filing with the MDPU, also pursuant to the above-referenced settlement, to recover approximately $1.7 million, representing 50% of the amount by which its 2008 earnings deficiency fell below a return on equity of 7 percent. The MDPU held the 2008 ESA matter in abeyance pending judicial resolution of the issues pertaining to the 2007 ESA. On February 11, 2011, the MSJC issued an opinion reversing the MDPU’s rejection of New England Gas Company’s 2007 ESA and remanded the matter back to the MDPU to determine the appropriate amount of the 2007 ESA and the method for recovery. On July 13, 2011, New England Gas Company filed its motion for proceeding on remand requesting that the MDPU (i) find that $4.1 million is the appropriate ESA amount for recovery related to calendar year 2007 and that such amount should be recovered over a twelve month period beginning November 1, 2011; and (ii) investigate New England Gas Company’s request for recovery of an ESA amount of $1.7 million over a twelve-month period beginning November 1, 2012. On January 27, 2012, the MDPU issued its order approving the 2007 ESA in its entirety and authorizing recovery of approximately $4 million over a twelve-month period beginning February 1, 2012. The 2008 ESA is awaiting further action by the MDPU.

REGULATION AND RATES:

Panhandle. In October 2011, Trunkline and Sea Robin jointly filed with FERC to transfer all of Trunkline's offshore facilities, and certain related onshore facilities, by abandonment and sale to Sea Robin to consolidate and streamline the ownership and operation of all regulated offshore assets under one entity and better position the offshore assets competitively. Several parties filed interventions and protests of this filing. On June 21, 2012, FERC issued an order granting Trunkline permission and approval to proceed with abandonment, subject to compliance with certain regulatory requirements. On July 31, 2012 Sea Robin and Trunkline made the necessary compliance filings with FERC. It is expected that the transfer of the offshore facilities to Sea Robin will be completed in the third quarter of this year.

On July 26, 2012, Trunkline filed to abandon by sale to an affiliate of underutilized loop piping facilities. This transfer is subject to FERC approval, and the Company expects several parties to intervene and participate in this filing.

In November 2011, FERC commenced an audit of PEPL to evaluate its compliance with the Uniform System of Accounts as prescribed by FERC, annual and quarterly financial reporting to FERC, reservation charge crediting policy and record retention. The audit is related to the period from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2011 and is estimated to take approximately one year to complete.

Missouri Gas Energy. On April 2, 2009, Missouri Gas Energy made a filing with the MPSC seeking to implement an annual base rate increase of approximately $32.4 million. On February 10, 2010, the MPSC issued its Report and Order in this case, authorizing a revenue increase of $16.2 million and approving distribution rate structures for Missouri Gas Energy’s residential and small general service customers (which comprised approximately 99% of its total customers and approximately 91% of its net operating revenues at the time the rates went into effect) that eliminate the impact of weather and conservation for residential and small general service margin revenues and related earnings in Missouri. The new rates became effective February 28, 2010. Judicial review of the MPSC’s Report and Order is being sought by the Office of the Public Counsel, with respect to rate structure issues, and by Missouri Gas Energy, with respect to cost of capital issues. By opinion issued on March 20, 2012, the Southern District of the Missouri Court of Appeals affirmed the MPSC’s Report and Order. That opinion is now final.

New England Gas Company. On September 15, 2008, New England Gas Company made a filing with the MDPU seeking recovery of approximately $4 million, or 50% of the amount by which its 2007 earnings fell below a return on equity of 7%. This filing was made pursuant to New England Gas Company’s rate settlement approved by the MDPU in 2007. On February 2, 2009, the MDPU issued its order denying the Company’s requested earnings sharing adjustments (ESA) in its entirety. The Company appealed that decision to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (MSJC). On November 13, 2009, New England Gas Company made a similar filing with the MDPU, also pursuant to the above-referenced settlement, to recover approximately $1.7 million, representing 50% of the amount by which its 2008 earnings deficiency fell below a return on equity of 7 percent. The MDPU held the 2008 ESA matter in abeyance pending judicial resolution of the issues pertaining to the 2007 ESA. On February 11, 2011, the MSJC issued an opinion reversing the MDPU’s rejection of New England Gas Company’s 2007 ESA and remanded the matter back to the MDPU to determine the appropriate amount of the 2007 ESA and the method for recovery. On July 13, 2011, New England Gas Company filed its motion for proceeding on remand requesting that the MDPU (i) find that $4.1 million is the appropriate ESA amount for recovery related to calendar year 2007 and that such amount should be recovered over a twelve month period beginning November 1, 2011; and (ii) investigate New England Gas Company’s request for recovery of an ESA amount of $1.7 million over a twelve-month period beginning November 1, 2012. On January 27, 2012, the MDPU issued its order approving the 2007 ESA in its entirety and authorizing recovery of approximately $4 million over a twelve-month period beginning February 1, 2012. The 2008 ESA is awaiting further action by the MDPU.