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Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits
 9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Retirement Benefits [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 June 30,
2017
2016
 
2017
2016





 




Service Cost
$
2,992

$
2,928

 
$
612

$
583

Interest Cost
9,596

10,579

 
4,752

5,096

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(14,929
)
(14,842
)
 
(7,865
)
(7,883
)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)
264

308

 
(107
)
(228
)
Amortization of Losses
10,672

8,062

 
4,604

1,382

Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)
(3,193
)
14

 
1,302

3,936






 




Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
5,402

$
7,049

 
$
3,298

$
2,886

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Retirement Plan
 
Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Nine Months Ended June 30,
2017
2016
 
2017
2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
Service Cost
$
8,977

$
8,783

 
$
1,837

$
1,748

Interest Cost
28,788

31,736

 
14,256

15,289

Expected Return on Plan Assets
(44,788
)
(44,527
)
 
(23,594
)
(23,651
)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)
793

925

 
(322
)
(684
)
Amortization of Losses
32,015

24,186

 
13,811

4,147

Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)
3,577

7,531

 
6,404

14,657

 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Periodic Benefit Cost
$
29,362

$
28,634

 
$
12,392

$
11,506

 
 
 
 
 
 
(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 nine months ended June 30, 2017, the Company contributed $15.1 million to its tax-qualified, noncontributory defined-benefit retirement plan (Retirement Plan) and $3.2 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts for its other post-retirement benefits.  In the remainder of 2017, the Company may contribute up to $5.0 million to the Retirement Plan. In the remainder of 2017, the Company expects to contribute approximately $0.5 million to its VEBA trusts and 401(h) accounts.