Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits (tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

		Three Months Ended March 31,
							Other Postretirement
			Pension Benefits				Benefits
Thousands			2012		2011		2012		2011
Service cost		$	2,130	$	1,899	$	177	$	168
Interest cost			4,304		4,527		314		344
Expected return on plan assets			(4,638)		(4,456)		-		-
Amortization of net actuarial loss			3,843		2,692		103		68
Amortization of prior service costs			49		88		49		49
Amortization of transition obligations			-		-		103		103
	Net periodic benefit cost		5,688		4,750		746		732
Amount allocated to construction			(1,418)		(1,235)		(214)		(226)
Amount deferred to regulatory balancing account⁽¹⁾			(2,068)		(1,330)		-		-
	Net amount charged to expense	$	2,202	$	2,185	$	532	$	506

⁽¹⁾ Effective January 1, 2011, the Oregon Public Utility Commission (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. Deferred pension expense balances include accrued interest at the utility’s authorized rate of return.