DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS - CREDIT RISK EXPOSURE (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Credit Risk Exposure [Line Items]
Gross Credit Exposure	$ 136,897
Derivative, net liability position, aggregate fair value	22,700	$ 4,200
Additional collateral, aggregate fair value	22,700	$ 4,200
Investment Grade [Member]
Credit Risk Exposure [Line Items]
Gross Credit Exposure	91,603
Noninvestment Grade [Member]
Credit Risk Exposure [Line Items]
Gross Credit Exposure	12,590
Internally Rated Investment Grade [Member]
Credit Risk Exposure [Line Items]
Gross Credit Exposure	9,433
Internally Rated Noninvestment Grade [Member]
Credit Risk Exposure [Line Items]
Gross Credit Exposure	$ 23,271

The aggregate fair value of additional assets that would be required to be posted as collateral for derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features if the credit-risk-related contingent features were triggered at the end of the reporting period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4H
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624258-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdditionalCollateralAggregateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum amount of loss due to credit risk that, based on the gross fair value of the financial instrument, the entity would incur if parties to the financial instruments that make up the concentration failed completely to perform according to the terms of the contracts and the collateral or other security, if any, for the amount due proved to be of no value to the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 21
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49121117&loc=d3e13537-108611

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentMaximumExposure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate fair value amounts of derivative instruments that contain credit-risk-related contingent features that are in a net liability position at the end of the reporting period. For nonderivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the fair value amounts are the carrying value of the nonderivative hedging instrument, including the adjustment for the foreign currency transaction gain (loss) on that instrument.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4H
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624258-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingInvestmentGradeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingNonInvestmentGradeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=njr_InternallyRatedInvestmentGradeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis=njr_InternallyRatedNoninvestmentGradeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: