Asset Retirement Obligations (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Asset Retirement Obligation Disclosure [Abstract]

Change in Asset Retirement Obligations

The following table summarizes the change in AROs. Amounts include conditional AROs.

(In thousands)		2018		2017
Balance as of January 1,	$	26,738	$	26,886
Liabilities incurred(a)		1,943		145
Accretion expense		1,415		1,359
Liabilities settled(b)		(175)		(1,789)
Revisions in estimated cash flows		59		137
Balance as of December 31,	$	29,980	$	26,738

(a)In 2018, MGE recorded an obligation of $1.6 million for the fair value of its legal liability for AROs associated with Forward Wind. See Footnote 5 for additional information on the purchase of Forward Wind.

(b)In 2017, MGE removed asbestos at Blount for $1.6 million.