Note 11 — Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans

In the U.S., we sponsor a defined benefit pension plan for employees hired prior to January 1, 2009, of UGI, UGI Utilities, PNG, CPG and certain of UGI’s other domestic wholly owned subsidiaries (“U.S. Pension Plan”). We also provide postretirement health care benefits to certain retirees and postretirement life insurance benefits to nearly all U.S. active and retired employees. In addition, employees of UGI France SAS and its subsidiaries are covered by certain defined benefit pension and postretirement plans.

Net periodic pension expense and other postretirement benefit costs include the following components:



	Pension Benefits						Other Postretirement Benefits
Three Months Ended December 31,	2017			2016			2017			2016
Service cost	$	2.8		$	3.0		$	0.2		$	0.2
Interest cost	6.5			6.2			0.2			0.2
Expected return on assets	(8.6		)	(8.3		)	(0.2		)	(0.2		)
Amortization of:
Prior service cost (benefit)	0.1			0.1			(0.1		)	(0.1		)
Actuarial loss	3.3			4.1			0.1			0.1
Net benefit cost	4.1			5.1			0.2			0.2
Change in associated regulatory liabilities	—			—			(0.1		)	(0.1		)
Net benefit cost after change in regulatory liabilities	$	4.1		$	5.1		$	0.1		$	0.1

The U.S. Pension Plan’s assets are held in trust and consist principally of publicly traded, diversified equity and fixed income mutual funds and, to a much lesser extent, UGI Common Stock. It is our general policy to fund amounts for U.S. Pension Plan benefits equal to at least the minimum required contribution set forth in applicable employee benefit laws. During the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company made cash contributions to the U.S. Pension Plan of $3.4 and $2.8, respectively. The Company expects to make additional discretionary cash contributions of approximately $10.1 to the U.S. Pension Plan during the remainder of Fiscal 2018.

UGI Utilities has established a Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (“VEBA”) trust to pay retiree health care and life insurance benefits by depositing into the VEBA the annual amount of postretirement benefits costs, if any. The difference between such amount and amounts included in UGI Gas’ and Electric Utility’s rates, if any, is deferred for future recovery from, or refund to, ratepayers. There were no required contributions to the VEBA during the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016.

We also sponsor unfunded and non-qualified supplemental executive defined benefit retirement plans. Net periodic costs associated with these plans for the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, were not material.