Goodwill Schedule of Goodwill Allocated to Reporting Segments (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Goodwill [Line Items]

Schedule of Goodwill [Table Text Block]

The following table reflects goodwill allocated to each reporting segment at September 30, 2011 and 2010:

	Itron North America			Itron International			Total Company
	(in thousands)
Goodwill balance at January 1, 2010	$	197,515		$	1,108,084		$	1,305,599
Effect of change in exchange rates	130			(69,146		)	(69,016		)
Goodwill balance at September 30, 2010	$	197,645		$	1,038,938		$	1,236,583
Goodwill balance at January 1, 2011	$	198,048		$	1,011,328		$	1,209,376
Goodwill acquired	—			10,251			10,251
Goodwill impairment	—			(540,400		)	(540,400		)
Effect of change in exchange rates	(317		)	35,696			35,379
Goodwill balance at September 30, 2011	$	197,731		$	516,875		$	714,606

Schedule of Goodwill Impairment [Table Text Block]

The goodwill impairment was associated with two reporting units from the Itron International operating segment. The goodwill balance before and after the estimated goodwill impairment is as follows:

	September 30, 2011
Reporting Unit	Before Estimated Impairment		Estimated Impairment		After Estimated Impairment
	(in thousands)
Itron International - Electricity	$	363,626	$	216,085	$	147,541
Itron International - Water	389,308		324,315		64,993
			$	540,400