SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Schedule of Restricted Cash

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash reported in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets to the total amounts in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows as follows:

(Thousands)	March 31, 2024		September 30, 2023		March 31, 2023
Balance Sheet
Cash and cash equivalents	$	5,036	$	954	$	27,095
Restricted cash in other noncurrent assets	$	710	$	563	$	461
Statements of Cash Flow
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	$	5,746	$	1,517	$	27,556

Schedule of Natural Gas in Storage

The following table summarizes natural gas in storage, at average cost by segment as of:

	March 31, 2024				September 30, 2023
($ in thousands)	Natural Gas in Storage			Bcf	Natural Gas in Storage			Bcf
NJNG		$	60,539	9.2		$	175,025	29.1
ES		20,457		11.3		24,476		14.6
Total		$	80,996	20.5		$	199,501	43.7

Schedule of Software Costs Included in the Consolidated Financial Statements

The following tables present the software costs included in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements:

(Thousands)	March 31, 2024		September 30, 2023
Balance Sheets
Utility plant, at cost	$	88,234	$	51,282
Construction work in progress	$	45,573	$	55,012
Nonutility plant and equipment, at cost	$	344	$	344
Accumulated depreciation and amortization, utility plant	$	(9,728)	$	(7,480)
Accumulated depreciation and amortization, nonutility plant and equipment	$	(42)	$	(36)
Software costs	$	9,734	$	8,375

	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	March 31,				March 31,
Statements of Operations	2024		2023		2024		2023
Operation and maintenance	$	2,674	$	3,886	$	5,927	$	7,638
Depreciation and amortization	$	1,265	$	957	$	2,254	$	1,828

Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The following table presents the changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of related tax effects during the three months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:

(Thousands)	Cash Flow Hedges		Postemployment Benefit Obligation			Total
Balance as of December 31, 2023	$	(7,005)	$	(2,559)		$	(9,564)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Other comprehensive income, before reclassifications, net of tax of $0, $(3,020), $(3,020), respectively	—		9,992			9,992
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax of $(80), $112, $32, respectively	262		(368)		(1)	(106)
Net current-period other comprehensive income, net of tax of $(80), $(2,908), $(2,988), respectively	262		9,624			9,886
Balance as of March 31, 2024	$	(6,743)	$	7,065		$	322
Balance as of December 31, 2022	$	(8,059)	$	3,537		$	(4,522)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax of $(80), $(13), $(93)	264		41		(1)	305
Balance as of March 31, 2023	$	(7,795)	$	3,578		$	(4,217)

(1)Included in the computation of net periodic pension cost, a component of operations and maintenance expense on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The following table presents the changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of related tax effects during the six months ended March 31, 2024 and 2023:

(Thousands)	Cash Flow Hedges		Postemployment Benefit Obligation			Total
Balance as of September 30, 2023	$	(7,269)	$	(2,690)		$	(9,959)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax
Other comprehensive income, before reclassifications, net of tax of $0, $(3,020) and $(3,020), respectively	—		9,992			9,992
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax of $(159), $72 and $(87), respectively	526		(237)		(1)	289
Net current-period other comprehensive income, net of tax of $(159), $(2,948), $(3,107), respectively	526		9,755			10,281
Balance as of March 31, 2024	$	(6,743)	$	7,065		$	322
Balance as of September 30, 2022	$	(8,322)	$	3,496		$	(4,826)
Other comprehensive income, net of tax
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax of $(159), $(25) and $(184), respectively	527		82		(1)	609
Balance as of March 31, 2023	$	(7,795)	$	3,578		$	(4,217)

(1)Included in the computation of net periodic pension cost, a component of operations and maintenance expense on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.