Long-Term Debt (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Long-Term Debt [Abstract]

Long-Term Debt

			Year Ended
			December 31, 2014						Interest
									Rate at
	December 31,		Payments		New		December 31,		December 31,
($ in thousands)	2013		and Retirements		Borrowings		2014		2014 *
Senior Unsecured Debt	$	8,107,066	$	(257,500)	$	1,900,000	$	9,749,566	7.63%
Other Secured Debt		13,550		(2,019)		11,125		22,656	3.77%
Rural Utilities Service Loan Contracts		8,930		(416)		-		8,514	6.15%
Total Long-Term Debt	$	8,129,546	$	(259,935)	$	1,911,125	$	9,780,736	7.62%
Less: Debt (Discount)/Premium		2,037						2,501
Less: Current Portion		(257,916)						(297,622)
	$	7,873,667					$	9,485,615

*  Interest rate includes amortization of debt issuance costs and debt premiums or discounts.  The interest rates at December 31, 2014 represent a weighted average of multiple issuances.

Senior Unsecured Debt

($ in thousands)	2014			2013
	Principal		Interest	Principal		Interest
	Outstanding		Rate	Outstanding		Rate
Senior Notes and Debentures Due:
5/1/2014	$	-	-	$	200,000	8.250%
3/15/2015		105,026	6.625%		105,026	6.625%
4/15/2015		96,872	7.875%		96,872	7.875%
10/14/2016  *		402,500	3.045% (Variable)		460,000	3.045% (Variable)
4/15/2017		606,874	8.250%		606,874	8.250%
10/1/2018		582,739	8.125%		582,739	8.125%
3/15/2019		434,000	7.125%		434,000	7.125%
10/24/2019 **		350,000	3.545% (Variable)		-	-
4/15/2020		1,021,505	8.500%		1,021,505	8.500%
7/1/2021		500,000	9.250%		500,000	9.250%
9/15/2021		775,000	6.250%		-	-
4/15/2022		500,000	8.750%		500,000	8.750%
1/15/2023		850,000	7.125%		850,000	7.125%
4/15/2024		750,000	7.625%		750,000	7.625%
1/15/2025		775,000	6.875%		-	-
11/1/2025		138,000	7.000%		138,000	7.000%
8/15/2026		1,739	6.800%		1,739	6.800%
1/15/2027		345,858	7.875%		345,858	7.875%
8/15/2031		945,325	9.000%		945,325	9.000%
10/1/2034		628	7.680%		628	7.680%
7/1/2035		125,000	7.450%		125,000	7.450%
10/1/2046		193,500	7.050%		193,500	7.050%
		9,499,566			7,857,066
Subsidiary Debentures Due:
2/15/2028		200,000	6.730%		200,000	6.730%
10/15/2029		50,000	8.400%		50,000	8.400%
Total	$	9,749,566	7.45% ***	$	8,107,066	7.78% ***

*      Represents borrowings under the 2011 CoBank Credit Agreement, as defined below.

**    Represents borrowings under the 2014 CoBank Credit Agreement, as defined below.

***  Interest rate represents a weighted average of the stated interest rates of multiple issuances.

Debt Maturities by Year

	Principal
($ in thousands)	Payments
2015	$	297,622
2016	$	383,248
2017	$	645,156
2018	$	619,035
2019	$	644,565
Thereafter	$	7,191,110

Contractual Obligations by Year

($ in thousands)	Finance Lease Obligations		Capital Lease Obligations
Year ending December 31:
2015	$	7,043	$	3,245
2016		7,225		3,300
2017		7,418		3,357
2018		7,632		3,415
2019		7,838		3,474
Thereafter		63,055		16,790
Total future payments		100,211		33,581
Less: Amounts representing interest		(56,951)		(9,092)
Present value of minimum lease payments	$	43,260	$	24,489