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Income Taxes (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Abstract]  
Reconciliation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits
A reconciliation of the amount of unrecognized tax benefits is as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)
 
Dec. 31, 2012
  
Dec. 31, 2011
 
Unrecognized tax benefit - Permanent tax positions
 $0.1  $- 
Unrecognized tax benefit - Temporary tax positions
  1.2   1.5 
Total unrecognized tax benefit
 $1.3  $1.5 
 
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of unrecognized tax benefit is as follows:
 
(Millions of Dollars)
 
2012
  
2011
  
2010
 
Balance at Jan. 1
 $1.5  $1.9  $1.2 
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year
  0.5   0.6   0.7 
Reductions based on tax positions related to the current year
  (0.2)  (0.1)  - 
Additions for tax positions of prior years
  0.3   0.7   0.1 
Reductions for tax positions of prior years
  (0.8)  (0.3)  (0.1)
Settlements with taxing authorities
  -   (1.2)  - 
Lapse of applicable statutes of limitations
  -   (0.1)  - 
Balance at Dec. 31
 $1.3  $1.5  $1.9 
Tax Benefits Associated with NOL and Tax Credit Carryforwards
The unrecognized tax benefit balance was reduced by the tax benefits associated with NOL and tax credit carryforwards. The amounts of tax benefits associated with NOL and tax credit carryfowards are as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)
 
Dec. 31, 2012
  
Dec. 31, 2011
 
NOL and tax credit carryforwards
 $(0.9) $(1.1)
NOL and Tax Credit Carryforwards
Other Income Tax Matters — NOL amounts represent the amount of the tax loss that is carried forward and tax credits represent the deferred tax asset. NOL and tax credit carryforwards as of Dec. 31 were as follows:

(Millions of Dollars)
 
2012
  
2011
 
Federal NOL carryforward
 $44.3  $59.3 
Federal tax credit carryforwards
  8.0   8.0 
State NOL carryforward
  3.4   3.5 
Reconciliation of Effective Tax Rate
Total income tax expense from operations differs from the amount computed by applying the statutory federal income tax rate to income before income tax expense. The following reconciles such differences for the years ending Dec. 31:

   
2012
  
2011
  
2010
 
Federal statutory rate
  35.0 %  35.0 %  35.0 %
Increases (decreases) in tax from:
            
State income taxes, net of federal income tax benefit
  3.4   4.4   3.5 
Change in unrecognized tax benefits
  0.1   (0.2)  - 
Tax credits recognized
  (0.9)  (0.9)  (1.1)
Regulatory differences — utility plant items
  (0.3)  0.5   (0.7)
Medicare Part D
  -   -   1.0 
Other, net
  (0.1)  0.9   0.2 
Effective income tax rate
  37.2 %  39.7 %  37.9 %
Components of Income Tax Expense
The components of income tax expense for the years ending Dec. 31 were:

(Thousands of Dollars)
 
2012
  
2011
  
2010
 
Current federal tax expense (benefit)
 $930  $(1,540) $3,754 
Current state tax expense
  2,216   1,573   1,536 
Current change in unrecognized tax (benefit) expense
  (69)  (1,418)  730 
Deferred federal tax expense
  25,089   30,251   19,133 
Deferred state tax expense
  1,890   4,105   2,288 
Deferred change in unrecognized tax expense (benefit)
  128   1,254   (707)
Deferred investment tax credits
  (626)  (611)  (622)
Total income tax expense
 $29,558  $33,614  $26,112 

The components of deferred income tax expense for the years ending Dec. 31 were:

(Thousands of Dollars)
 
2012
  
2011
  
2010
 
Deferred tax expense excluding items below
 $27,995  $34,017  $20,987 
Amortization and adjustments to deferred income taxes on             
income tax regulatory assets and liabilities
  (837)  1,644   (222)
Tax expense allocated to other comprehensive income
  (51)  (51)  (51)
Deferred tax expense
 $27,107  $35,610  $20,714 
Components of Net Deferred Tax Liability
The components of the net deferred tax liability (current and noncurrent portions) at Dec. 31 were:

(Thousands of Dollars)
 
2012
  
2011
 
Deferred tax liabilities:
      
Difference between book and tax bases of property
 $265,202  $241,003 
Regulatory assets
  52,898   52,131 
Employee benefits
  16,862   21,013 
Other
  10,535   9,328 
Total deferred tax liabilities
 $345,497  $323,475 
          
Deferred tax assets:
        
Environmental remediation
 $43,344  $44,154 
NOL carryforward
  17,588   22,318 
Tax credit carryforward
  8,011   7,998 
Regulatory liabilities
  5,927   6,222 
Deferred investment tax credits
  5,766   5,705 
Other
  2,191   2,403 
Total deferred tax assets
 $82,827  $88,800 
Net deferred tax liability
 $262,670  $234,675