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Regulatory Assets and Liabilities (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities

The following table represents existing regulatory assets and liabilities (thousands of dollars):

 

December 31,    2012     2011  

Regulatory assets:

    

Accrued pension and other postretirement benefit costs (1)

   $ 373,615      $ 330,844   

Unrealized net loss on non-trading derivatives (Swaps) (2)

     2,395        11,743   

Deferred purchased gas costs (3)

     6,031        2,323   

Accrued purchased gas costs (4)

     30,300        18,400   

Unamortized premium on reacquired debt (5)

     19,452        19,011   

Other (6)

     44,927        32,988   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 
     476,720        415,309   

Regulatory liabilities:

    

Deferred purchased gas costs (3)

     (98,957     (72,426

Accumulated removal costs

     (256,000     (233,000

Unrealized net gain on non-trading derivatives (Swaps) (2)

     (6       

Deferred gain on southern Nevada division operations facility (7)

     (392     (806

Unamortized gain on reacquired debt (8)

     (11,934     (12,470

Other (9)

     (6,951     (14,501
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net regulatory assets

   $ 102,480      $ 82,106   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

Included in Deferred charges and other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Recovery period is greater than five years. (See Note 10).

(2)

The following table details the regulatory assets/(liabilities) offsetting the derivatives (Swaps) at fair value in the balance sheets (thousands of dollars). The actual amounts, when realized at settlement, become a component of purchased gas costs under the Company’s purchased gas adjustment (“PGA”) mechanisms. (See Note 13).

 

Instrument    Balance Sheet Location    2012     2011  

Swaps

   Deferred charges and other assets    $ 319      $ 621   

Swaps

   Prepaids and other current assets      2,076        11,122   

Swaps

   Other deferred credits      (6       

 

(3)

Balance recovered or refunded on an ongoing basis with interest.

(4)

Included in Prepaids and other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and recovered over one year or less.

(5)

Included in Deferred charges and other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Recovered over life of debt instruments.

(6)

Other regulatory assets including deferred costs associated with rate cases, regulatory studies, and state mandated public purpose programs (including low income and conservation programs), as well as margin and interest-tracking accounts, amounts associated with accrued absence time, and deferred post-retirement benefits other than pensions. Recovery periods vary.

(7)

Balance was originally being amortized over a four-year period beginning in the fourth quarter of 2009. As a result of the most recent Nevada general rate case Decision, the amortization period was extended through 2015.

(8)

Included in Other deferred credits on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Amortized over life of debt instruments.

(9)

Other regulatory liabilities includes amounts associated with income tax and gross-up.