COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: GUARANTEES — The Company has recorded a liability of $0.6 million which is included in Other Noncurrent Liabilities with a corresponding increase in Investment in Affiliates on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2015 for the fair value of the following guarantees: SJI has guaranteed certain obligations of WC Landfill Energy, LLC (WCLE) and BC Landfill Energy, LLC (BCLE), unconsolidated joint ventures in which Marina has a 50% equity interest through Energenic. WCLE and BCLE have entered into agreements through 2018 and 2027, respectively, with the respective county governments to lease and operate facilities that will produce electricity from landfill methane gas. Although unlikely, the maximum amount that SJI could be obligated for, in the event that WCLE and BCLE do not meet minimum specified levels of operating performance and no mitigating action is taken, or are unable to meet certain financial obligations as they become due, is approximately $4.2 million each year. SJI and its partner in these joint ventures have entered into reimbursement agreements that secure reimbursement for SJI of a proportionate share of any payments made by SJI on these guarantees. SJI holds variable interests in WCLE and BCLE but is not the primary beneficiary. In December 2013, SJI entered into agreements to guarantee certain obligations of WCLE, SC Landfill Energy, LLC, SX Landfill Energy, LLC, FC Landfill Energy, LLC, and AC Landfill Energy, LLC (collectively, the "Landfills"), unconsolidated joint ventures in which Marina has a 50% equity interest through Energenic. The Landfills have entered into long-term debt agreements which run through 2020. Although unlikely, SJI could be liable through the guarantees for 50% of the outstanding debt along with any interest related to the debt in the event the Landfills do not meet minimum specified levels of operating performance and no mitigating action is taken, or the Landfills are unable to meet certain financial obligations as they become due. As of March 31, 2015, 50% of the currently outstanding debt is $8.6 million. In May 2012, UMM Energy Partners, LLC (UMM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energenic, in which Marina has a 50% equity interest, entered into a 30-year contract with a public university to build, own and operate a combined heating, cooling and power system for its main campus in New Jersey. The system commenced commercial operations in September 2013. SJI has guaranteed certain obligations of UMM under the operating and lease agreements between UMM and the university, for the terms of the agreements, commencing with the first year of operations. As of March 31, 2015, SJI has guaranteed up to $2.4 million. This amount is adjusted each year based upon the Consumer Price Index. SJI and its partner in this joint venture have entered into reimbursement agreements that secure reimbursement for SJI of a proportionate share of any payments made by SJI on these guarantees. SJI holds variable interests in UMM but is not the primary beneficiary. As of March 31, 2015, SJI had issued $7.2 million of parental guarantees on behalf of an unconsolidated subsidiary. These guarantees generally expire within the next two years and were issued to enable our subsidiary to market retail natural gas. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS — Unionized personnel represent approximately 45.0% of our workforce at March 31, 2015. The Company has collective bargaining agreements with two unions that represent these employees: the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1293 and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 76. SJG and SJESP employees represented by the IBEW operate under collective bargaining agreements that run through February 2017. The remaining unionized employees are represented by the IAM and operate under collective bargaining agreements that run through August 2017. STANDBY LETTERS OF CREDIT — As of March 31, 2015, SJI provided $13.6 million of standby letters of credit through its revolving credit facility to enable SJE to market retail electricity and for various construction and operating activities. The Company has also provided $87.6 million of additional letters of credit under separate facilities outside of the revolving credit facility to support variable-rate demand bonds issued through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to finance the expansion of SJG’s natural gas distribution system and to finance Marina's initial thermal plant project. PENDING LITIGATION — The Company is subject to claims arising in the ordinary course of business and other legal proceedings. The Company has been named in, among other actions, certain product liability claims related to our former sand mining subsidiary. We accrue liabilities related to these claims when we can reasonably estimate the amount or range of amounts of probable settlement costs or other charges for these claims. The Company has accrued approximately $3.2 million and $2.9 million related to all claims in the aggregate as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. Management does not believe that it is reasonably possible that there will be a material change in the Company's estimated liability in the near term and does not currently anticipate the disposition of any known claims that would have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows. ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION COSTS — SJI incurred and recorded costs for environmental cleanup of 12 sites where SJG or its predecessors operated gas manufacturing plants. SJG stopped manufacturing gas in the 1950s. SJI and some of its nonutility subsidiaries also recorded costs for environmental cleanup of sites where SJF previously operated a fuel oil business and Morie maintained equipment, fueling stations and storage. There have been no changes to the status of the Company’s environmental remediation efforts since December 31, 2014 as described in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of SJI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES:

GUARANTEES — The Company has recorded a liability of $0.6 million which is included in Other Noncurrent Liabilities with a corresponding increase in Investment in Affiliates on the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2015 for the fair value of the following guarantees:

SJI has guaranteed certain obligations of WC Landfill Energy, LLC (WCLE) and BC Landfill Energy, LLC (BCLE), unconsolidated joint ventures in which Marina has a 50% equity interest through Energenic. WCLE and BCLE have entered into agreements through 2018 and 2027, respectively, with the respective county governments to lease and operate facilities that will produce electricity from landfill methane gas. Although unlikely, the maximum amount that SJI could be obligated for, in the event that WCLE and BCLE do not meet minimum specified levels of operating performance and no mitigating action is taken, or are unable to meet certain financial obligations as they become due, is approximately $4.2 million each year. SJI and its partner in these joint ventures have entered into reimbursement agreements that secure reimbursement for SJI of a proportionate share of any payments made by SJI on these guarantees. SJI holds variable interests in WCLE and BCLE but is not the primary beneficiary.

In December 2013, SJI entered into agreements to guarantee certain obligations of WCLE, SC Landfill Energy, LLC, SX Landfill Energy, LLC, FC Landfill Energy, LLC, and AC Landfill Energy, LLC (collectively, the "Landfills"), unconsolidated joint ventures in which Marina has a 50% equity interest through Energenic. The Landfills have entered into long-term debt agreements which run through 2020. Although unlikely, SJI could be liable through the guarantees for 50% of the outstanding debt along with any interest related to the debt in the event the Landfills do not meet minimum specified levels of operating performance and no mitigating action is taken, or the Landfills are unable to meet certain financial obligations as they become due. As of March 31, 2015, 50% of the currently outstanding debt is $8.6 million.

In May 2012, UMM Energy Partners, LLC (UMM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energenic, in which Marina has a 50% equity interest, entered into a 30-year contract with a public university to build, own and operate a combined heating, cooling and power system for its main campus in New Jersey. The system commenced commercial operations in September 2013. SJI has guaranteed certain obligations of UMM under the operating and lease agreements between UMM and the university, for the terms of the agreements, commencing with the first year of operations. As of March 31, 2015, SJI has guaranteed up to $2.4 million. This amount is adjusted each year based upon the Consumer Price Index. SJI and its partner in this joint venture have entered into reimbursement agreements that secure reimbursement for SJI of a proportionate share of any payments made by SJI on these guarantees. SJI holds variable interests in UMM but is not the primary beneficiary.

As of March 31, 2015, SJI had issued $7.2 million of parental guarantees on behalf of an unconsolidated subsidiary. These guarantees generally expire within the next two years and were issued to enable our subsidiary to market retail natural gas.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS — Unionized personnel represent approximately 45.0% of our workforce at March 31, 2015. The Company has collective bargaining agreements with two unions that represent these employees: the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1293 and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 76. SJG and SJESP employees represented by the IBEW operate under collective bargaining agreements that run through February 2017. The remaining unionized employees are represented by the IAM and operate under collective bargaining agreements that run through August 2017.

STANDBY LETTERS OF CREDIT — As of March 31, 2015, SJI provided $13.6 million of standby letters of credit through its revolving credit facility to enable SJE to market retail electricity and for various construction and operating activities. The Company has also provided $87.6 million of additional letters of credit under separate facilities outside of the revolving credit facility to support variable-rate demand bonds issued through the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) to finance the expansion of SJG’s natural gas distribution system and to finance Marina's initial thermal plant project.

PENDING LITIGATION — The Company is subject to claims arising in the ordinary course of business and other legal proceedings. The Company has been named in, among other actions, certain product liability claims related to our former sand mining subsidiary. We accrue liabilities related to these claims when we can reasonably estimate the amount or range of amounts of probable settlement costs or other charges for these claims. The Company has accrued approximately $3.2 million and $2.9 million related to all claims in the aggregate as of March 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively. Management does not believe that it is reasonably possible that there will be a material change in the Company's estimated liability in the near term and does not currently anticipate the disposition of any known claims that would have a material effect on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION COSTS — SJI incurred and recorded costs for environmental cleanup of 12 sites where SJG or its predecessors operated gas manufacturing plants. SJG stopped manufacturing gas in the 1950s. SJI and some of its nonutility subsidiaries also recorded costs for environmental cleanup of sites where SJF previously operated a fuel oil business and Morie maintained equipment, fueling stations and storage. There have been no changes to the status of the Company’s environmental remediation efforts since December 31, 2014 as described in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of SJI’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.