Retirement Plan And Other Post-Retirement Benefits

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

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 December 31,	2022		2021		2022		2021
Service Cost	$	1,297	$	2,190	$	147	$	332
Interest Cost	10,629		5,707		3,912		2,267
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(16,648)		(13,074)		(6,403)		(7,340)
Amortization of Prior Service Cost (Credit)	109		134		(107)		(107)
Amortization of (Gains) Losses	(1,920)		6,601		(2,189)		(1,903)
Net Amortization and Deferral for Regulatory Purposes (Including Volumetric Adjustments) (1)	5,378		4,420		3,820		6,246
Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Income)	$	(1,155)	$	5,978	$	(820)	$	(505)

(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.

    The components of net periodic benefit cost other than service cost are presented in Other Income (Deductions) on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Employer Contributions.    The Company did not make any contributions to its tax-qualified, noncontributory defined benefit retirement plan (Retirement Plan) or its VEBA trusts for its other post-retirement benefits during the three months ended December 31, 2022, and does not anticipate making any such contributions during the remainder of fiscal 2023.