COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES: GUARANTEES — As of March 31, 2018, SJI had issued $6.1 million of parental guarantees on behalf of an unconsolidated subsidiary. These guarantees generally expire within the next two years and were issued to enable the subsidiary to market retail natural gas. GAS SUPPLY CONTRACTS - In the normal course of business, SJG and SJRG have entered into long-term contracts for natural gas supplies, firm transportation and gas storage service. The transportation and storage service agreements with interstate pipeline suppliers were made under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved tariffs. SJG's cumulative obligation for gas supply-related demand charges and reservation fees paid to suppliers for these services averages approximately $5.8 million per month and is recovered on a current basis through the BGSS. SJRG's cumulative obligation for demand charges and reservation fees paid to suppliers for these services is approximately $0.5 million per month. SJRG has also committed to purchase a minimum of 604,000 dts/d and up to 954,000 dts/d of natural gas, from various suppliers, for terms ranging from 3 to 10 years at index-based prices. COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS — Unionized personnel represent approximately 40% and 57% of SJI's and SJG's workforce at March 31, 2018, respectively. SJI 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 employees represented by the IBEW operate under a collective bargaining agreement that runs through February 2022. SJG's remaining unionized employees are represented by the IAM and operate under a collective bargaining agreement that runs through August 2021. STANDBY LETTERS OF CREDIT — As of March 31, 2018, SJI provided $6.0 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. SJG provided a $0.9 million letter of credit under its revolving credit facility to support the remediation of environmental conditions at certain locations in SJG's service territory. SJG has provided $25.1 million of additional letters of credit under a separate facility 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. PENDING LITIGATION — SJI and SJG are subject to claims arising in the ordinary course of business and other legal proceedings. SJI has been named in, among other actions, certain gas supply contract disputes and certain product liability claims related to our former sand mining subsidiary. SJI is currently involved in a pricing dispute related to two long-term gas supply contracts. On May 8, 2017, a jury from the United States District Court for the District of Colorado returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff supplier. On July 21, 2017, the Court entered Final Judgment against SJG and SJRG. As a result of this ruling, SJG and SJRG have accrued, including interest, $20.6 million and $53.9 million, respectively, from the first quarter of 2017 through March 31, 2018. We believe that the amount to be paid by SJG reflects a gas cost that ultimately will be recovered from SJG’s customers through adjusted rates. As such, this amount was recorded as both an Accounts Payable and a reduction of Regulatory Liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets of both SJI and SJG as of March 31, 2018. The amount associated with SJRG was also recorded as an Accounts Payable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets of SJI as of March 31, 2018, with charges of $0.1 million to Cost of Sales - Nonutility on the condensed consolidated statements of income of SJI for the three months ended March 31, 2018. SJI also recorded $0.2 million to Interest Charges on the condensed consolidated statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2018. In April 2018, SJI filed an appeal of this judgment. During the pendency of the appeal, SJI continues to dispute the supplier invoices received and has created a reserve to reflect the difference between the invoices and paid amounts. The plaintiff supplier filed a second related lawsuit against SJG and SJRG in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado on December 21, 2017, alleging that SJG and SJRG have continued to breach the gas supply contracts notwithstanding the judgment in the prior lawsuit. The plaintiff supplier is seeking recovery of the amounts disputed by SJI since the earlier judgment, and a declaration regarding the price under the disputed contracts going forward until the contracts terminate in October 2019. SJI moved to stay the second lawsuit pending resolution of the post-judgment motions in the first lawsuit and any appeal of that lawsuit. All legal reserves related to this second lawsuit are recorded as part of the accrued amounts disclosed above. Liabilities related to claims are accrued when the amount or range of amounts of probable settlement costs or other charges for these claims can be reasonably estimated. For matters other than the pricing dispute noted above, SJI has accrued approximately $3.1 million and $3.0 million related to all claims in the aggregate as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, of which SJG has accrued approximately $0.8 million and $0.7 million as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. Although SJI and SJG do not presently believe that these matters will have a material adverse effect on its business, given the inherent uncertainties in such situations, SJI and SJG can provide no assurance regarding the outcome of litigation. ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION COSTS — SJG 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. Other than the changes discussed in Note 8 to the condensed consolidated financial statements, there have been no changes to the status of SJI’s environmental remediation efforts since December 31, 2017, as described in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of SJI’s and SJG's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES:

GUARANTEES — As of March 31, 2018, SJI had issued $6.1 million of parental guarantees on behalf of an unconsolidated subsidiary. These guarantees generally expire within the next two years and were issued to enable the subsidiary to market retail natural gas.

GAS SUPPLY CONTRACTS - In the normal course of business, SJG and SJRG have entered into long-term contracts for natural gas supplies, firm transportation and gas storage service. The transportation and storage service agreements with interstate pipeline suppliers were made under Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved tariffs. SJG's cumulative obligation for gas supply-related demand charges and reservation fees paid to suppliers for these services averages approximately $5.8 million per month and is recovered on a current basis through the BGSS. SJRG's cumulative obligation for demand charges and reservation fees paid to suppliers for these services is approximately $0.5 million per month. SJRG has also committed to purchase a minimum of 604,000 dts/d and up to 954,000 dts/d of natural gas, from various suppliers, for terms ranging from 3 to 10 years at index-based prices.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS — Unionized personnel represent approximately 40% and 57% of SJI's and SJG's workforce at March 31, 2018, respectively. SJI 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 employees represented by the IBEW operate under a collective bargaining agreement that runs through February 2022. SJG's remaining unionized employees are represented by the IAM and operate under a collective bargaining agreement that runs through August 2021.

STANDBY LETTERS OF CREDIT — As of March 31, 2018, SJI provided $6.0 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. SJG provided a $0.9 million letter of credit under its revolving credit facility to support the remediation of environmental conditions at certain locations in SJG's service territory. SJG has provided $25.1 million of additional letters of credit under a separate facility 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.

PENDING LITIGATION — SJI and SJG are subject to claims arising in the ordinary course of business and other legal proceedings. SJI has been named in, among other actions, certain gas supply contract disputes and certain product liability claims related to our former sand mining subsidiary.

SJI is currently involved in a pricing dispute related to two long-term gas supply contracts. On May 8, 2017, a jury from the United States District Court for the District of Colorado returned a verdict in favor of the plaintiff supplier. On July 21, 2017, the Court entered Final Judgment against SJG and SJRG. As a result of this ruling, SJG and SJRG have accrued, including interest, $20.6 million and $53.9 million, respectively, from the first quarter of 2017 through March 31, 2018. We believe that the amount to be paid by SJG reflects a gas cost that ultimately will be recovered from SJG’s customers through adjusted rates. As such, this amount was recorded as both an Accounts Payable and a reduction of Regulatory Liabilities on the condensed consolidated balance sheets of both SJI and SJG as of March 31, 2018. The amount associated with SJRG was also recorded as an Accounts Payable on the condensed consolidated balance sheets of SJI as of March 31, 2018, with charges of $0.1 million to Cost of Sales - Nonutility on the condensed consolidated statements of income of SJI for the three months ended March 31, 2018. SJI also recorded $0.2 million to Interest Charges on the condensed consolidated statements of income for the three months ended March 31, 2018. In April 2018, SJI filed an appeal of this judgment. During the pendency of the appeal, SJI continues to dispute the supplier invoices received and has created a reserve to reflect the difference between the invoices and paid amounts.

The plaintiff supplier filed a second related lawsuit against SJG and SJRG in the United States District Court for the District of Colorado on December 21, 2017, alleging that SJG and SJRG have continued to breach the gas supply contracts notwithstanding the judgment in the prior lawsuit. The plaintiff supplier is seeking recovery of the amounts disputed by SJI since the earlier judgment, and a declaration regarding the price under the disputed contracts going forward until the contracts terminate in October 2019. SJI moved to stay the second lawsuit pending resolution of the post-judgment motions in the first lawsuit and any appeal of that lawsuit. All legal reserves related to this second lawsuit are recorded as part of the accrued amounts disclosed above.

Liabilities related to claims are accrued when the amount or range of amounts of probable settlement costs or other charges for these claims can be reasonably estimated. For matters other than the pricing dispute noted above, SJI has accrued approximately $3.1 million and $3.0 million related to all claims in the aggregate as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, of which SJG has accrued approximately $0.8 million and $0.7 million as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. Although SJI and SJG do not presently believe that these matters will have a material adverse effect on its business, given the inherent uncertainties in such situations, SJI and SJG can provide no assurance regarding the outcome of litigation.

ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION COSTS — SJG 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. Other than the changes discussed in Note 8 to the condensed consolidated financial statements, there have been no changes to the status of SJI’s environmental remediation efforts since December 31, 2017, as described in Note 15 to the Consolidated Financial Statements in Item 8 of SJI’s and SJG's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.