Regulatory assets and liabilities (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

The following table summarizes the individual components of unamortized regulatory assets and liabilities:



	Estimated Recovery Period	*	September 30, 2019			December 31, 2018
			(In thousands)
Regulatory assets:
Pension and postretirement benefits (a)	(e)		$	165,843		$	165,898
Natural gas costs recoverable through rate adjustments (a) (b)	Up to 3 years		93,001			42,652
Asset retirement obligations (a)	Over plant lives		64,771			60,097
Cost recovery mechanisms (a) (b)	Up to 4 years		20,912			17,948
Manufactured gas plant site remediation (a)	-		15,739			17,068
Taxes recoverable from customers (a)	Over plant lives		11,600			11,946
Plants to be retired (a)	-		26,152			—
Conservation programs (b)	Up to 1 year		9,467			7,494
Long-term debt refinancing costs (a)	Up to 19 years		4,439			4,898
Costs related to identifying generation development (a)	Up to 8 years		2,166			2,508
Other (a) (b)	Up to 20 years		17,501			9,608
Total regulatory assets			$	431,591		$	340,117
Regulatory liabilities:
Taxes refundable to customers (c) (d)			$	258,012		$	277,833
Plant removal and decommissioning costs (c) (d)			176,016			173,143
Natural gas costs refundable through rate adjustments (d)			19,194			29,995
Pension and postretirement benefits (c)			12,942			15,264
Other (c) (d)			24,153			25,197
Total regulatory liabilities			$	490,317		$	521,432
Net regulatory position			$	(58,726	)	$	(181,315	)


*	Estimated recovery period for regulatory assets currently being recovered in rates charged to customers.


(a)	Included in deferred charges and other assets - other on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(b)	Included in prepayments and other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(c)	Included in deferred credits and other liabilities - other on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(d)	Included in other accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(e)	Recovered as expense is incurred or cash contributions are made.

The following table summarizes the individual components of unamortized regulatory assets and liabilities:



	Estimated Recovery Period	*	September 30, 2019			December 31, 2018
			(In thousands)
Regulatory assets:
Pension and postretirement benefits (a)	(e)		$	165,843		$	165,898
Natural gas costs recoverable through rate adjustments (a) (b)	Up to 3 years		93,001			42,652
Asset retirement obligations (a)	Over plant lives		64,771			60,097
Cost recovery mechanisms (a) (b)	Up to 4 years		20,912			17,948
Manufactured gas plant site remediation (a)	-		15,739			17,068
Taxes recoverable from customers (a)	Over plant lives		11,600			11,946
Plants to be retired (a)	-		26,152			—
Conservation programs (b)	Up to 1 year		9,467			7,494
Long-term debt refinancing costs (a)	Up to 19 years		4,439			4,898
Costs related to identifying generation development (a)	Up to 8 years		2,166			2,508
Other (a) (b)	Up to 20 years		17,501			9,608
Total regulatory assets			$	431,591		$	340,117
Regulatory liabilities:
Taxes refundable to customers (c) (d)			$	258,012		$	277,833
Plant removal and decommissioning costs (c) (d)			176,016			173,143
Natural gas costs refundable through rate adjustments (d)			19,194			29,995
Pension and postretirement benefits (c)			12,942			15,264
Other (c) (d)			24,153			25,197
Total regulatory liabilities			$	490,317		$	521,432
Net regulatory position			$	(58,726	)	$	(181,315	)


*	Estimated recovery period for regulatory assets currently being recovered in rates charged to customers.


(a)	Included in deferred charges and other assets - other on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(b)	Included in prepayments and other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(c)	Included in deferred credits and other liabilities - other on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(d)	Included in other accrued liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.


(e)	Recovered as expense is incurred or cash contributions are made.