RETIREMENT PLAN AND POST-RETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Net Benefit Costs [Table Text Block]

NVE
	Pension Benefits					Other Postretirement Benefits
		For the Three Months Ended March 31,				For the Three Months Ended March 31,
		2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	4,406	$	4,607	$	595	$	653
Interest cost		10,228		10,169		1,905		2,090
Expected return on plan assets		(12,447)		(12,192)		(1,563)		(1,596)
Amortization of prior service cost		(724)		(738)		(987)		(987)
Amortization of net loss		3,473		4,155		731		1,083
Net periodic benefit cost	$	4,936	$	6,001	$	681	$	1,243
The average percentage of NVE net periodic costs capitalized during 2012 and 2011 was 33.2% and 32.2%, respectively.

NPC
	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
		For the Three Months Ended March 31,				For the Three Months Ended March 31,
		2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	2,358	$	2,445	$	350	$	363
Interest cost		4,881		4,880		602		615
Expected return on plan assets		(6,237)		(6,169)		(592)		(590)
Amortization of prior service cost		(456)		(470)		229		229
Amortization of net loss		1,363		1,690		221		302
Net periodic benefit cost	$	1,909	$	2,376	$	810	$	919
The average percentage of NPC net periodic costs capitalized during 2012 and 2011 was 35.6% and 37.2%, respectively.

SPPC
	Pension Benefits				Other Postretirement Benefits
	For the Three Months Ended March 31,				For the Three Months Ended March 31,
	2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost	$	1,695	$	1,840	$	227	$	271
Interest cost		5,043		5,013		1,283		1,457
Expected return on plan assets		(5,937)		(5,741)		(941)		(976)
Amortization of prior service cost		(277)		(277)		(1,220)		(1,219)
Amortization of net loss		2,026		2,412		504		773
Net periodic benefit cost	$	2,550	$	3,247	$	(147)	$	306
The average percentage of SPPC net periodic costs capitalized during 2012 and 2011 was 33% and 29.3%, respectively.