LEASES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2023

Leases [Abstract]

Lease, Cost

The following table presents the Company's lease costs included in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations:

		Three Months Ended				Nine Months Ended
		June 30,				June 30,
(Thousands)	Income Statement Location	2023		2022		2023		2022
Operating lease cost (1)	Operation and maintenance	$	2,276	$	2,343	$	7,000	$	7,377
Finance lease cost (2)
Amortization of right-of-use assets	Depreciation and amortization	540		458		1,565		1,311
Interest on lease liabilities	Interest expense, net of capitalized interest	283		220		816		404
Total finance lease cost		823		678		2,381		1,715
Short-term lease cost	Operation and maintenance	—		—		—		23
Variable lease cost	Operation and maintenance	158		182		653		545
Total lease cost		$	3,257	$	3,203	$	10,034	$	9,660

(1)Net of capitalized costs.

(2)Includes immaterial costs associated with the sale leaseback of natural gas meters, certain of which are considered financing transactions for accounting purposes.

The following table presents supplemental cash flow information related to leases:

	Nine Months Ended
	June 30,
(Thousands)	2023		2022
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities
Operating cash flows for operating leases	$	5,739	$	5,205
Operating cash flows for finance leases (1)	$	816	$	623
Financing cash flows for finance leases (1)	$	5,470	$	5,540

(1)Includes immaterial activity associated with the sale leaseback of natural gas meters, certain of which are considered financing transactions for accounting purposes.

Assets and Liabilities, Lessee

The following table presents the balance and classifications of the Company's right of use assets and lease liabilities included in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets:

(Thousands)	Balance Sheet Location	June 30, 2023		September 30, 2022
Assets
Noncurrent
Operating lease assets	Operating lease assets	$	164,119	$	168,520
Finance lease assets (1)	Utility plant	28,788		21,913
Total lease assets (1)		$	192,907	$	190,433
Liabilities
Current
Operating lease liabilities	Operating lease liabilities	$	5,273	$	4,562
Finance lease liabilities (1)	Current maturities of long-term debt	8,626		6,538
Noncurrent
Operating lease liabilities	Operating lease liabilities	135,916		138,382
Finance lease liabilities (1)	Long-term debt	24,635		23,752
Total lease liabilities (1)		$	174,450	$	173,234

(1)Includes immaterial amounts associated with the sale leaseback of natural gas meters, certain of which are considered financing transactions for accounting purposes.