RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

NJRES may periodically enter into storage or park and loan agreements with its affiliated FERC-regulated natural gas storage facility, Steckman Ridge, or transportation agreements with its affiliated FERC-regulated interstate pipeline, Iroquois Gas Transmission. As of September 30, 2012, NJRES has entered into storage and park and loan transactions with Steckman Ridge for varying terms, all of which expire by October 2013. Additionally, NJRES has transportation capacity with Iroquois Gas Transmission that expires by March 2019. Demand fees associated with both Steckman Ridge and Iroquois Gas Transmission were $3.2 million and $4.7 million during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 and $971,000 and $4.7 million for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011. As of September 30, 2012, NJRES had fees payable of $170,000 and $394,000 to Steckman Ridge and Iroquois Gas Transmission, respectively, and had fees payable of $237,000 and $389,000 respectively, as of September 30, 2011, which are included in gas purchases payable.

In January 2010, NJNG entered into a ten-year agreement effective April 1, 2010, for 3 Bcf of firm storage capacity with Steckman Ridge. Under the terms of the agreement, NJNG incurs demand fees, at market rates, of approximately $9.3 million annually. These fees are recoverable through NJNG's BGSS mechanism and are included in regulatory assets. Additionally, NJNG has transportation capacity with Iroquois Gas Transmission that expires by January 2019. Demand fees associated with both Steckman Ridge and Iroquois Gas Transmission were $9 million and $9.9 million during the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively. As of September 30, 2012 and 2011, NJNG had fees payable to Steckman Ridge and Iroquois Gas Transmission in the amount of $775,000 and $61,000, respectively, for both fiscal years.

In December 2009, NJNG and NJRES entered into an asset management agreement that began in January 2010 and ends in March 2014. Under the terms of this agreement, NJNG released certain transportation and storage contracts to NJRES for the entire term of the agreement. NJNG also sold approximately 1 Bcf of natural gas in storage at cost to NJRES. In return, NJNG has the option to purchase index priced gas from NJRES at NJNG's citygate and other delivery locations to maintain operational reliability. In September 2010, NJNG and NJRES entered into an another asset management agreement that began in September 2010 and ends October 2014, whereby NJNG released additional transportation contracts to NJRES for the entire term of the agreement and has the option to purchase index priced gas from NJRES at NJNG's citygate.