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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Details) (USD $)
1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
May 31, 2012
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
sites
Guarantees [Abstract]      
Liability recorded related to guarantees   $ 600,000sji_GuarantorObligationsNonCurrent  
Maximum amount of obligation under guarantee contracts   4,200,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure  
Notes receivable - affiliate   15,921,000us-gaap_NotesReceivableRelatedPartiesCurrent 14,657,000us-gaap_NotesReceivableRelatedPartiesCurrent
Collective bargaining agreements [Abstract]      
Percentage of personnel represented by collective bargaining agreements (in hundredths)   45.00%sji_PercentageOfPersonnelRepresentedCollectiveBargainingAgreements  
Number of unions (in unions)   2sji_NumberOfUnionsCollectiveBargainingAgreements  
Letter of credit provided   610,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity  
Pending litigation [Abstract]      
Estimated litigation liability   3,200,000us-gaap_LitigationReserve 2,900,000us-gaap_LitigationReserve
Environmental remediation costs [Abstract]      
Number of sites for environmental cleanup (in number of sites)     12sji_NumberOfSitesForEnvironmentalCleanup
Standby Letter of Credit      
Collective bargaining agreements [Abstract]      
Letter of credit provided   13,600,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= us-gaap_FinancialStandbyLetterOfCreditMember
 
Letter of Credit, Separate Facility      
Collective bargaining agreements [Abstract]      
Letter of credit provided   87,600,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= sji_LetterOfCreditSeparateFacilityMember
 
Energenic      
Guarantees [Abstract]      
Equity interest (in hundredths)   50.00%us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentOwnershipPercentage
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= sji_EnergenicMember
 
Energenic | UMM Energy Partners, LLC      
Guarantees [Abstract]      
Contract term (in years) 30 years    
Energenic | UMM Energy Partners, LLC | Maximum      
Guarantees [Abstract]      
Annual obligations under the agreement   2,400,000sji_AnnualObligationsUnderAgreement
/ sji_CapitalContributionObligationAxis
= sji_UmmEnergyPartnersLlcMember
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= sji_EnergenicMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
 
LVE Energy Partners      
Guarantees [Abstract]      
Notes receivable - affiliate   8,600,000us-gaap_NotesReceivableRelatedPartiesCurrent
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= sji_LveEnergyPartnersMember
 
Parental Guarantee      
Guarantees [Abstract]      
Guaranteed amount   $ 7,200,000sji_GuaranteedAmount
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= sji_ParentalGuaranteeMember