Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost (in thousands):

	Retirement Plan				Other Post-Retirement Benefits
Three Months Ended December 31,	2021		2020		2021		2020
Service Cost	$	2,190	$	2,466	$	332	$	400
Interest Cost	5,707		5,422		2,267		2,326
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(13,074)		(14,537)		(7,340)		(7,241)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)	134		158		(107)		(107)
Amortization of (Gains) Losses	6,601		9,203		(1,903)		212
Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)	4,420		3,713		6,246		6,854
Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Income)	$	5,978	$	6,425	$	(505)	$	2,444

(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.