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EMPLOYEE BENEFITS (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS [Abstract] |
Schedule of Net Benefit Costs | The net periodic benefits costs charged to operating expenses, which were valued with a measurement date of January 1 for each year and August 31, 2017 remeasurement date, consisted of the following components (in thousands of dollars):
| For the Years Ended December 31,
| 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Service cost | $ | 7,423 |  |  | $ | 8,238 |  |  | $ | 10,128 |
Interest cost | 8,103 |  |  | 9,855 |  |  | 9,649 |
Expected return on assets | (11,826 | ) |  | (10,113 | ) |  | (10,375 | )
Amortization of prior service credit | (7,570 | ) |  | (6,688 | ) |  | (6,801 | )
Amortization of unrecognized (gains) losses | (2,437 | ) |  | 129 |  |  | 1,512 |
Net periodic (benefits) costs | $ | (6,307 | ) |  | $ | 1,421 |  |  | $ | 4,113 |
Schedule of Accumulated and Projected Benefit Obligations | Reconciliations of the beginning and ending balances of the postretirement benefit obligation, which is calculated as of December 31 measurement date, the fair value of plan assets available for benefits and the funded status of the benefit obligation follow (in thousands of dollars):
| 2017 |  | 2016
Benefit obligation at beginning of year | $ | 265,028 |  |  | $ | 239,348 |
Service cost | 7,423 |  |  | 8,238 |
Interest cost | 8,103 |  |  | 9,855 |
Plan participants' contributions | 3,346 |  |  | 2,943 |
Actuarial (gains) losses | (34,236 | ) |  | 13,218 |
Plan amendment | (34,182 | ) |  | — |
Benefits paid | (8,631 | ) |  | (9,439 | )
Prescription drug rebates | 1,499 |  |  | 865 |
Benefit obligation at end of year | 208,350 |  |  | 265,028 |
Plan assets available for benefits at beginning of year | 163,545 |  |  | 155,611 |
Actual returns on plan assets | 29,477 |  |  | 13,557 |
Plan participants' contributions | 3,266 |  |  | 2,774 |
Benefits paid | (8,295 | ) |  | (9,262 | )
Prescription drug rebates | 1,499 |  |  | 865 |
Plan assets available for benefits at end of year | 189,492 |  |  | 163,545 |
Noncurrent postretirement benefit obligation | $ | 18,858 |  |  | $ | 101,483 |
Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) | The amounts recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive earnings (AOCE) consisted of the following (in thousands of dollars):
| As of December 31,
| 2017 |  | 2016
Prior service credit | $ | 80,426 |  |  | $ | 53,814 |
Unrecognized gains (losses) | 36,794 |  |  | (12,656 | )
Deferred tax (liability) | (43,793 | ) |  | (15,861 | )
Net accumulated gains | $ | 73,427 |  |  | $ | 25,297 |
Schedule of Amounts in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) to be Recognized over Next Fiscal Year | The components of AOCE related to unrecognized gains that will be amortized into net periodic postretirement benefit costs in 2018 are estimated as follows (in thousands of dollars):
| 2018
Amortization of prior service credit | $ | (9,696 | )
Amortization of unrecognized gains | (2,787 | )
Estimated amount to be amortized from AOCE into net periodic postretirement benefit costs | $ | (12,483 | )
Schedule of Assumptions Used | The following assumptions were used to determine net periodic benefit costs at January 1 of each year (excluding the August 31, 2017 remeasurement date):
| For the Years Ended December 31,
| 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Discount rate | 4.00 | % |  | 4.20 | % |  | 3.89 | %
Long-term rate of return on plan assets, net of tax | 7.13 | % |  | 6.65 | % |  | 6.65 | %
Initial healthcare cost trend rate - pre age 65 | 6.81 | % |  | 7.00 | % |  | 7.25 | %
Initial healthcare cost trend rate - post age 65 | 9.36 | % |  | 7.00 | % |  | 7.25 | %
Ultimate healthcare cost trend rate | 4.50 | % |  | 4.50 | % |  | 4.50 | %
Year ultimate healthcare cost trend rate reached | 2026 |  |  | 2026 |  |  | 2026 |
The following assumptions were used to determine benefit obligations at December 31:
| 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Discount rate | 3.44 | % |  | 4.00 | % |  | 4.20 | %
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, net of tax | 7.13 | % |  | 7.13 | % |  | 6.65 | %
Initial healthcare cost trend rate - pre age 65 | 6.56 | % |  | 6.81 | % |  | 7.00 | %
Initial healthcare cost trend rate - post age 65 | N/A |  |  | 9.36 | % |  | 7.00 | %
Catastrophic drug benefit | 12.50 | % |  | N/A |  |  | N/A |
Ultimate healthcare cost trend rate | 4.50 | % |  | 4.50 | % |  | 4.50 | %
Year ultimate healthcare cost trend rate reached | 2026 |  |  | 2026 |  |  | 2026 |
HRA credit inflation index for grandfathered retirees | 2.50 | % |  | N/A |  |  | N/A |
Schedule of Effect of One-Percentage-Point Change in Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates | 1 percentage point change in assumed healthcare cost trend rates would have the following effects on 2017 results (in thousands of dollars):
| 1 Percentage Point
| Increase |  | (Decrease)
Effect on total service and interest cost | $ | 1,269 |  |  | $ | (1,053 | )
Effect on postretirement benefit obligation | 5,516 |  |  | (5,095 | )
Schedule of Allocation of Plan Assets | The plan's assets are stated at fair value, which represents the net asset value of shares held by the plan in the registered investment companies at the quoted market prices (Level 1 input). The plan assets available for benefits are net of Trust liabilities, primarily related to deferred income taxes and taxes payable at December 31 (in thousands of dollars):
| 2017 |  | 2016
Registered investment companies: |  |  |
Fidelity Spartan U.S. Equity Index Fund | $ | 83,238 |  |  | $ | 70,950 |
Vanguard 500 Index Fund | 103,706 |  |  | 87,587 |
Vanguard Total International Stock | 30,684 |  |  | 24,056 |
Plan Assets | 217,628 |  |  | 182,593 |
Trust liabilities | (28,136 | ) |  | (19,048 | )
Plan assets available for benefits | $ | 189,492 |  |  | $ | 163,545 |
Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments | The Company forecasts the following benefit payments related to postretirement (which include a projection for expected future employee service) for the next ten years (in thousands of dollars):
Year |  | Estimated Gross Benefit Payments
2018 |  | $ | 7,365 |
2019 |  | 8,956 |
2020 |  | 10,029 |
2021 |  | 11,025 |
2022 |  | 12,077 |
2023-2027 |  | 67,760 |

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the major categories of plan assets of pension plans and/or other employee benefit plans. This information may include, but is not limited to, the target allocation of plan assets, the fair value of each major category of plan assets, and the level within the fair value hierarchy in which the fair value measurements fall. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (d)(5) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the amounts related to pension plans and/or other employee benefit plans in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year, including the net gain (loss), net prior service cost or credit, and net transition asset or obligation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (s) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the net gain (loss) and net prior service cost or credit recognized in other comprehensive income (loss) for the period for pension plans and/or other employee benefit plans, and reclassification adjustments of other comprehensive income (loss) for the period, as those amounts, including amortization of the net transition asset or obligation, are recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (i) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the assumptions used to determine for pension plans and/or other employee benefit plans the benefit obligation and net benefit cost, including assumed discount rates, rate increase in compensation increase, and expected long-term rates of return on plan assets. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (k) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the change in the benefit obligation of pension plans and/or other employee benefit plans from the beginning to the end of the period, showing separately, if applicable, the effects of the following: service cost, interest cost, contributions by plan participants, actuarial gains and losses, foreign currency exchange rate changes, benefits paid, plan amendments, business combinations, divestitures, curtailments, settlements, and special and contractual termination benefits. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of benefits expected to be paid by pension plans and/or other employee benefit plans in each of the next five fiscal years and in the aggregate for the five fiscal years thereafter. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the components of net benefit costs for pension plans and/or other employee benefit plans including service cost, interest cost, expected return on plan assets, gain (loss), prior service cost or credit, transition asset or obligation, and gain (loss) recognized due to settlements or curtailments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (h) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82843861&loc=d3e1928-114920 + Details
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