Financial Instruments & Related Fair Value (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2012

Financial Instruments And Related Fair Value Tables [Abstract]

Assets And Liabilities Measured And Recorded At Fair Value On Recurring Basis

The following table sets forth, by level of the fair value hierarchy, our financial assets and liabilities that were accounted for at fair value on a recurring basis as of January 31, 2012 and October 31, 2011.

Recurring Fair Value Measurements as of January 31, 2012
				Significant
		Quoted Prices		Other		Significant
		in Active		Observable		Unobservable		Total
		Markets		Inputs		Inputs		Carrying
In thousands		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Value
Assets:
Derivatives held for distribution operations	$	1,776	$	-	$	-	$	1,776
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities:
Money markets		300		-		-		300
Mutual funds		1,940		-		-		1,940
Total fair value assets	$	4,016	$	-	$	-	$	4,016

Recurring Fair Value Measurements as of October 31, 2011
				Significant
		Quoted Prices		Other		Significant
		in Active		Observable		Unobservable		Total
		Markets		Inputs		Inputs		Carrying
In thousands		(Level 1)		(Level 2)		(Level 3)		Value
Assets:
Derivatives held for distribution operations	$	2,772	$	-	$	-	$	2,772
Debt and equity securities held as trading securities:
Money markets		217		-		-		217
Mutual funds		1,274		-		-		1,274
Total fair value assets	$	4,263	$	-	$	-	$	4,263

Schedule Of Long Term Debt Fair Value Carrying Amount [Table Text Block]

The carrying amount and fair value of our long-term debt, including the current portion, are shown below.

		Carrying
In thousands		Amount		Fair Value
As of January 31, 2012	$	675,000	$	834,979
As of October 31, 2011		675,000		831,323

Fair Value By Balance Sheet Grouping

The following table presents the fair value and balance sheet classification of our financial options for natural gas as of January 31, 2012 and October 31, 2011.

Fair Value of Derivative Instruments
		Fair Value		Fair Value
In thousands		January 31, 2012		October 31, 2011
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments under Derivative Accounting Standards:
Asset Financial Instruments:
Current Assets - Gas purchase derivative assets (March 2012-February 2013)	$	1,776
Current Assets - Gas purchase derivative assets (December 2011-October 2012)			$	2,772

Impact Of Financial Instruments Would Have Had On Statement Of Operations

The following table presents the impact that financial instruments not designated as hedging instruments under derivative accounting standards would have had on our consolidated statements of comprehensive income for the three months ended January 31, 2012 and 2011, absent the regulatory treatment under our approved PGA procedures.

									Location of Loss
	Amount of Loss Recognized				Amount of Loss Deferred				Recognized through
In thousands	on Derivatives Instruments				Under PGA Procedures				PGA Procedures
	Three Months Ended				Three Months Ended
		January 31,				January 31,
		2012		2011		2012		2011
Gas purchase options	$	2,923	$	4,221	$	2,923	$	4,221	Cost of Gas