Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits (tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

General Discussion Of Pension And Other Postretirement Benefits Abstract

		Three Months Ended June 30,
							Other Postretirement
			Pension Benefits				Benefits
Thousands			2011		2010		2011		2010
Service cost		$	1,900	$	1,773	$	168	$	156
Interest cost			4,526		4,492		343		342
Expected return on plan assets			(4,456)		(4,563)		-		-
Amortization of net actuarial loss			2,692		1,768		68		8
Amortization of prior service costs			88		204		49		49
Amortization of transition obligations			-		-		103		103
	Net periodic benefit cost		4,750		3,674		731		658
Amount allocated to construction			(1,251)		(947)		(229)		(207)
Amount deferred to regulatory balancing account⁽¹⁾			(1,329)		-		-		-
	Net amount charged to expense	$	2,170	$	2,727	$	502	$	451

		Six Months Ended June 30,
							Other Postretirement
			Pension Benefits				Benefits
Thousands			2011		2010		2011		2010
Service cost		$	3,799	$	3,546	$	336	$	312
Interest cost			9,053		8,983		687		685
Expected return on plan assets			(8,912)		(9,127)		-		-
Amortization of net actuarial loss			5,384		3,536		136		15
Amortization of prior service costs			176		410		98		98
Amortization of transition obligations			-		-		206		206
	Net periodic benefit cost		9,500		7,348		1,463		1,316
Amount allocated to construction			(2,486)		(1,900)		(455)		(415)
Amount deferred to regulatory balancing account⁽¹⁾			(2,659)		-		-		-
	Net amount charged to expense	$	4,355	$	5,448	$	1,008	$	901

⁽¹⁾ Effective January 1, 2011, the OPUC approved the deferral of certain pension expenses above or below the amount set in rates, with recovery of these deferred amounts through the implementation of a balancing account, which includes the expectation of lower pension expenses in future years. Our recovery of deferred pension expense balances includes accrued interest at the utility’s authorized rate of return.