Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Jul. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2014
Utility Plant:
Utility plant in service		$ 5,251,808	$ 5,011,497
Less accumulated depreciation		1,244,236	1,166,922
Utility plant in service, net		4,007,572	3,844,575
Construction work in progress		214,507	141,693
Plant held for future use		3,155	3,155
Total utility plant, net		4,225,234	3,989,423
Other Physical Property, at cost (net of accumulated depreciation of $921 in 2015 and $904 in 2014		338	355
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents		10,664	9,643
Trade accounts receivable(1) (less allowance for doubtful accounts of $2,971 in 2015 and $2,152 in 2014)	[1]	61,999	65,260
Income taxes receivable		10,679	36,100
Other receivables		6,887	3,361
Unbilled utility revenues		1,730	21,093
Inventories:
Gas in storage		64,205	84,081
Materials, supplies and merchandise		1,254	1,652
Gas purchase derivative assets, at fair value		1,140	4,898
Regulatory assets		12,434	29,088
Prepayments		24,419	39,030
Deferred income taxes		26,526	53,418
Other current assets		360	326
Total current assets		222,297	347,950
Noncurrent Assets:
Equity method investments in non-utility activities		195,812	170,171
Goodwill		48,852	48,852
Regulatory assets		179,187	184,779
Income taxes receivable		25,875	0
Marketable securities, at fair value		4,755	3,727
Overfunded postretirement asset		43,901	33,757
Other noncurrent assets		5,182	5,239
Total noncurrent assets		503,564	446,525
Total		4,951,433	4,784,253
Stockholders’ equity:
Cumulative preferred stock – no par value – 175 shares authorized		0	0
Common stock - no par value - shares authorized: 200,000 shares; outstanding: 79,195 in 2015 and 78,531 in 2014		660,721	636,835
Retained earnings		745,968	672,004
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(628)	(237)
Total stockholders’ equity		1,406,061	1,308,602
Long-term debt		1,384,450	1,424,430
Total capitalization		2,790,511	2,733,032
Current Liabilities:
Current maturities of long-term debt		40,000	0
Short-term debt		370,000	355,000
Trade accounts payable (1)	[1]	88,123	85,299
Other accounts payable		40,783	54,349
Accrued interest		24,068	27,982
Customers’ deposits		20,770	19,994
General taxes accrued		21,041	23,828
Regulatory liabilities		34,815	46,231
Other current liabilities		7,215	9,303
Total current liabilities		646,815	621,986
Noncurrent Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes		861,947	809,467
Unamortized federal investment tax credits		1,067	1,193
Accumulated provision for postretirement benefits		15,383	15,471
Regulatory liabilities		587,648	558,598
Conditional cost of removal obligations		15,344	14,647
Other noncurrent liabilities		32,718	29,859
Total noncurrent liabilities		$ 1,514,107	$ 1,429,235
Commitments and Contingencies
Total		$ 4,951,433	$ 4,784,253

[1] See Note 12 for amounts attributable to affiliates.