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311 Transportation Agreement/Compressor Station
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
Transportation Agreement for Compressor Station [Abstract]  
311 Transportation Agreement/Compressor Station
Note 10 – 311 Transportation Agreement /Compressor Station
 
On January 11, 2010, the Company entered into a contract (311 Transportation Agreement) with a local gas producer that provides for the building of a compressor station as well as the transfer of 6” pipeline owned by the gas producer to the Company for nominal consideration. The contract also sets forth the terms, rates and condition of the transport of the local producer gas to the interstate pipeline system. On May 21, 2010, the 311 Transportation Agreement was revised to reflect a change in the projected gas delivery schedule and delivery volumes. The previously agreed to transportation rates did not change. The contract's maximum daily delivery quantity remained the same. The schedule for attaining the maximum daily delivery quantity was altered to accommodate the project's construction schedule. The Company bought the $11 million compressor station and $2.1 million pipeline from the local producer for two dollars. The local producer has the right to repurchase these facilities for two dollars in ten years. This transaction became effective on May 12, 2011, when the station began operations. Although the Company has $13.1 million in new  plant, only two dollars was recognized in accordance with the Uniform System of Accounts (313.2) which states that in the case of gas plant contributed to the utility, gas plant accounts shall be charged only with such expenses, if any, incurred by the utility. The Company has recognized the tax impact of this transaction this quarter as a deferred tax of approximately $1 million (the New York current tax liability) that will be recoverable from customers over the life of the agreement. The Company expects no federal tax liability related to this gift because of bonus depreciation rules for the current year. This is the largest project undertaken by the Company in its history and will provide direct access to interstate markets for locally produced gas. The project will improve management of gas supply and has the potential to lower gas costs for customers throughout the southern tier of the state. The Company expects this agreement to have a significant positive impact on its cash flow and also positively impact earnings.