PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Defined Benefit Plan [Abstract]

Schedule of defined benefit plan disclosures

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018, 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 September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Service Cost	$	1,387	$	1,875	$	4,187	$	4,691
Interest Cost	4,307		3,818		12,971		9,642
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(5,077)		(5,256)		(15,213)		(12,908)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	26		26		79		84
Actuarial Loss	2,398		2,878		7,195		8,642
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3,041		3,341		9,219		10,151
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(454)		(762)		(1,423)		(1,799)
Deferred Benefit Cost	(516)		(594)		(1,710)		(1,719)
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	2,071	$	1,985	$	6,086	$	6,633

	Other Postretirement Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Service Cost	$	129	$	251	$	400	$	692
Interest Cost	729		644		2,163		1,720
Expected Return on Plan Assets	(1,147)		(1,129)		(3,428)		(3,012)
Amortizations:
Prior Service Cost	(144)		(74)		(432)		(246)
Actuarial Loss	292		223		876		674
Net Periodic Benefit Cost	(141)		(85)		(421)		(172)
Capitalized Benefit Cost	(115)		263		(270)		258
Deferred Benefit Cost	118		—		352		—
Total Net Periodic Benefit Expense	$	(138)	$	178	$	(339)	$	86