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Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits
 6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Retirement Plan and Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Retirement Plan and Other Post-Retirement Benefits
 
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (in thousands):
 
 
Retirement Plan
 
Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Three Months Ended March 31,
2016
2015
 
2016
2015





 




Service Cost
$
2,928

$
3,012

 
$
583

$
673

Interest Cost
10,579

10,304

 
5,096

4,821

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(14,842
)
(14,904
)
 
(7,883
)
(8,522
)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)
308

46

 
(228
)
(478
)
Amortization of Losses
8,062

9,032

 
1,382

1,037

Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)
5,609

7,055

 
6,599

7,396






 




Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
12,644

$
14,545

 
$
5,549

$
4,927

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Retirement Plan
 
Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Six Months Ended March 31,
2016
2015
 
2016
2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service Cost
$
5,855

$
6,024

 
$
1,166

$
1,346

Interest Cost
21,158

20,608

 
10,193

9,642

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(29,685
)
(29,808
)
 
(15,768
)
(17,044
)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)
617

92

 
(456
)
(956
)
Amortization of Losses
16,124

18,065

 
2,765

2,074

Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)
7,516

8,346

 
10,720

12,316

 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
21,585

$
23,327

 
$
8,620

$
7,378

 
 
 
 
 
 
(1) 
The Company’s policy is to record retirement plan and other post-retirement benefit costs in the Utility segment on a volumetric basis to reflect the fact that the Utility segment experiences higher throughput of natural gas in the winter months and lower throughput of natural gas in the summer months.
 
Employer Contributions.    During the six months ended March 31, 2016, the Company contributed $4.0 million to its tax-qualified, noncontributory defined-benefit retirement plan (Retirement Plan) and $1.8 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts for its other post-retirement benefits.  In the remainder of 2016, the Company expects to make no additional contributions to the Retirement Plan. In the remainder of 2016, the Company expects to contribute approximately $0.8 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts.