PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2017

Defined Benefit Plan [Abstract]

Schedule of defined benefit plans disclosures

For the three and six months ended June 30, 2017 and 2016, net periodic benefit cost related to the employee and officer pension and other postretirement benefit plans for SJI consisted of the following components (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits
	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Service Cost	$	1,112		$	1,106		$	2,494		$	2,421
Interest Cost	2,931			3,062			5,886			6,062
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(3,529		)	(3,374		)	(7,053		)	(6,754		)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	33			53			66			106
Actuarial Loss	2,528			2,388			5,141			4,697
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3,075			3,235			6,534			6,532
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(1,129		)	(1,213		)	(2,400		)	(2,400		)
Deferred Benefit Cost	(139		)	(161		)	(300		)	(322		)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	1,807		$	1,861		$	3,834		$	3,810

	Other Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended June 30,						Six Months Ended June 30,
	2017			2016			2017			2016
Service Cost	$	208		$	195		$	455		$	425
Interest Cost	609			654			1,209			1,307
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(853		)	(776		)	(1,705		)	(1,552		)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	(86		)	(86		)	(172		)	(172		)
Actuarial Loss	307			261			619			555
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	185			248			406			563
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(46		)	(45		)	(101		)	(146		)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	139		$	203		$	305		$	417