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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
10. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Pension and Other Postemployment Benefit Plans

The components of the net periodic cost for pension benefits, including the Company's Pension Equalization Plan, and OPEB costs (principally health care and life insurance) for employees and covered dependents were as follows:
 
Pension
OPEB
 
Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
Three Months Ended
Nine Months Ended
 
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
June 30,
(Thousands)
2020
2019
2020
2019
2020
2019
2020
2019
Service cost
$
2,056

$
1,845

$
6,167

$
5,536

$
1,213

$
1,101

$
3,640

$
3,303

Interest cost
2,647

3,043

7,940

9,129

1,757

2,081

5,270

6,243

Expected return on plan assets
(5,145
)
(4,763
)
(15,434
)
(14,290
)
(1,628
)
(1,379
)
(4,883
)
(4,137
)
Recognized actuarial loss
2,606

1,442

7,818

4,324

1,861

1,617

5,582

4,850

Prior service cost amortization
25

25

76

76

(49
)
(91
)
(148
)
(273
)
Net periodic benefit cost
$
2,189

$
1,592

$
6,567

$
4,775

$
3,154

$
3,329

$
9,461

$
9,986


The Company does not expect to be required to make additional contributions to fund the pension plans during fiscal 2020 or 2021 based on current actuarial assumptions; however, funding requirements are uncertain and can depend significantly on changes in actuarial assumptions, returns on plan assets and changes in the demographics of eligible employees and covered dependents. In addition, as in the past, the Company may elect to make contributions in excess of the minimum required amount to the plans. There were no discretionary contributions made during the nine months ended June 30, 2020 and 2019.

There are no federal requirements to pre-fund OPEB benefits. However, the Company is required to fund certain amounts due to regulatory agreements with the BPU and estimates that it will contribute between $5 million and $10 million over each of the next five years. Additional contributions may be required based on market conditions and changes to assumptions.

The Company's OPEB liability was revalued for changes related to the Affordable Care Act-mandated excise tax applicable to high-cost health plans, commonly known as the Cadillac Tax. The Company applied a practical expedient to remeasure the plan assets and obligations as of December 31, 2019, which was the nearest calendar month-end date. The impact of the revaluation of the OPEB liability was recorded as of January 1, 2020.