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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS, DEFINED BENEFIT PLANS (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Sep. 30, 2012
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Pension and postemployment benefit costs $ 3,500,000    
Other special termination benefits 1,500,000    
Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]      
Special termination benefits 5,000,000    
Amounts recognized on Consolidated Balance Sheets, Postemployment benefit liability      
Non-current (86,674,000) (67,897,000)  
Amounts Recognized in Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]      
Regulatory costs approved     308,000
Components of net periodic cost      
Special termination benefit 5,000,000    
Information relating to the assumed health care cost trend rate (HCCTR)      
Desired rate of return before permissible expense after inflation 6.00%    
Target allocations      
2015 Target Allocation 100.00%    
Assets at September 30 100.00% 100.00%  
US Equity Securities [Member]
      
Target allocations      
2015 Target Allocation 40.00%    
Assets at September 30 39.00% 42.00%  
International Securities [Member]
      
Target allocations      
2015 Target Allocation 20.00%    
Assets at September 30 20.00% 22.00%  
Fixed Income Securities [Member]
      
Target allocations      
2015 Target Allocation 40.00%    
Assets at September 30 41.00% 36.00%  
Pension [Member]
      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Employer discretionary contributions 0 20,000,000  
Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]      
Benefit obligation at beginning of year 198,826,000 [1] 211,136,000 [1]  
Service cost 6,143,000 [1] 6,871,000 [1] 5,375,000
Interest cost 10,066,000 [1] 8,942,000 [1] 8,825,000
Plan participants' contributions 47,000 [1] 49,000 [1]  
Special termination benefits 2,814,000 [1] 0 [1] 0
Actuarial (gain) loss 21,440,000 [1] (22,288,000) [1]  
Benefits paid, net of retiree subsidies received (11,637,000) [1] (5,884,000) [1]  
Benefit obligation at end of year 227,699,000 [1] 198,826,000 [1] 211,136,000 [1]
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]      
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year 200,236,000 [1] 166,664,000 [1]  
Actual return on plan assets 22,923,000 [1] 19,323,000 [1]  
Employer contributions 85,000 [1] 20,083,000 [1]  
Benefits paid, net of plan participants' contributions (11,591,000) [1] (5,834,000) [1]  
Fair value of plan asset at end of year 211,653,000 [1] 200,236,000 [1] 166,664,000 [1]
Funded status (16,046,000) [1] 1,410,000 [1]  
Amounts recognized on Consolidated Balance Sheets, Postemployment benefit liability      
Current (100,000) [1] (96,000) [1]  
Non-current (15,946,000) [1] 1,506,000 [1]  
Total (16,046,000) [1] 1,410,000 [1]  
Amounts Recognized in Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]      
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs, Net actuarial (loss) gain (5,596,000) (7,646,000) (5,015,000)
Prior service (cost) credit (111,000) (108,000) (46,000)
Net transition obligation 0 0 0
Amounts included in regulatory assets and accumulated other comprehensive income      
Net actuarial loss, Regulatory Assets 5,305,000    
Prior service cost (credit), Regulatory Assets 108,000    
Total, Regulatory Assets 5,413,000    
Net actuarial loss, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 1,680,000    
Prior service cost (credit), Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 3,000    
Total, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 1,683,000    
Accumulated benefit obligation in excess of the fair value of plan assets      
Projected benefit obligation 227,699,000 198,826,000  
Accumulated benefit obligation 198,058,000 176,172,000  
Fair value of plan assets 211,653,000 200,236,000  
Components of net periodic cost      
Service cost 6,143,000 [1] 6,871,000 [1] 5,375,000
Interest cost 10,066,000 [1] 8,942,000 [1] 8,825,000
Expected return on plan assets (15,475,000) (14,825,000) (12,685,000)
Recognized actuarial loss 5,596,000 7,646,000 5,015,000
Prior service (cost) credit 111,000 108,000 46,000
Recognized net initial obligation 0 0 0
Net periodic cost 6,441,000 8,742,000 6,576,000
Special termination benefit 2,814,000 [1] 0 [1] 0
Net periodic benefit cost recognized as expense 9,255,000 8,742,000 6,576,000
Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit costs      
Discount rate 5.15% 4.30% 5.25%
Expected asset return 8.25% 8.50% 8.25%
Compensation increase 3.25% 3.25% 3.25%
Weighted average assumptions used to determine obligations      
Discount rate 4.55% 5.15% 4.30%
Compensation increase   3.25% 3.25%
Estimated future benefit payments      
2015 7,176,000    
2016 8,102,000    
2017 8,513,000    
2018 9,309,000    
2019 10,017,000    
2020 - 2024 62,977,000    
Pension [Member] | Regulatory Assets [Member]
      
Amounts Recognized in Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]      
Beginning, Regulatory Assets 56,664,000 [2] 80,449,000  
Amounts arising during the period, Net actuarial loss (gain) 10,563,000 (17,961,000)  
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs, Net actuarial (loss) gain (5,326,000) (5,719,000)  
Prior service (cost) credit (107,000) (105,000)  
Net transition obligation 0 0  
Net actuarial loss (gain) 60,797,000 55,559,000  
Prior service cost (credit) 997,000 1,105,000  
Net transition obligation 0 0  
Ending, Regulatory Assets 61,794,000 56,664,000 [2]  
Components of net periodic cost      
Recognized actuarial loss 5,326,000 5,719,000  
Prior service (cost) credit 107,000 105,000  
Recognized net initial obligation 0 0  
Pension [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Location [Member]
      
Amounts Recognized in Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]      
Beginning, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 14,427,000 25,183,000  
Amounts arising during the period, Net actuarial loss (gain) 6,243,000 (8,826,000)  
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs, Net actuarial (loss) gain (3,085,000) (1,927,000)  
Prior service (cost) credit (4,000) (3,000)  
Net transition obligation 0 0  
Net actuarial loss (gain) 17,570,000 14,412,000  
Prior service cost (credit) 11,000 15,000  
Net transition obligation 0 0  
Ending, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 17,581,000 14,427,000  
Components of net periodic cost      
Recognized actuarial loss 3,085,000 1,927,000  
Prior service (cost) credit 4,000 3,000  
Recognized net initial obligation 0 0  
Pension [Member] | Minimum [Member]
      
Weighted average assumptions used to determine obligations      
Discount rate 3.25% [3]    
Pension [Member] | Maximum [Member]
      
Weighted average assumptions used to determine obligations      
Discount rate 3.50% [3]    
OPEB [Member]
      
Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]      
Benefit obligation at beginning of year 112,771,000 121,027,000  
Service cost 3,923,000 4,686,000 3,584,000
Interest cost 5,734,000 5,148,000 5,133,000
Plan participants' contributions 38,000 32,000  
Special termination benefits 648,000 0 0
Actuarial (gain) loss 6,792,000 (15,645,000)  
Benefits paid, net of retiree subsidies received (2,133,000) (2,477,000)  
Benefit obligation at end of year 127,773,000 112,771,000 121,027,000
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]      
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year 49,555,000 41,090,000  
Actual return on plan assets 4,590,000 5,120,000  
Employer contributions 4,970,000 5,977,000 5,800,000
Benefits paid, net of plan participants' contributions (2,206,000) (2,632,000)  
Fair value of plan asset at end of year 56,909,000 49,555,000 41,090,000
Funded status (70,864,000) (63,216,000)  
Amounts recognized on Consolidated Balance Sheets, Postemployment benefit liability      
Current (136,000) (100,000)  
Non-current (70,728,000) (63,116,000)  
Total (70,864,000) (63,216,000)  
Amounts Recognized in Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]      
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs, Net actuarial (loss) gain (2,500,000) (3,857,000) (2,894,000)
Prior service (cost) credit 357,000 355,000 (25,000)
Net transition obligation (11,000) (26,000) (356,000)
Amounts included in regulatory assets and accumulated other comprehensive income      
Net actuarial loss, Regulatory Assets 2,911,000    
Prior service cost (credit), Regulatory Assets (311,000)    
Total, Regulatory Assets 2,600,000    
Net actuarial loss, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 32,000    
Prior service cost (credit), Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (54,000)    
Total, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (22,000)    
Components of net periodic cost      
Service cost 3,923,000 4,686,000 3,584,000
Interest cost 5,734,000 5,148,000 5,133,000
Expected return on plan assets (4,174,000) (3,653,000) (2,746,000)
Recognized actuarial loss 2,500,000 3,857,000 2,894,000
Prior service (cost) credit (357,000) (355,000) 25,000
Recognized net initial obligation 11,000 26,000 356,000
Net periodic cost 7,637,000 9,709,000 9,246,000
Special termination benefit 648,000 0 0
Net periodic benefit cost recognized as expense 8,285,000 9,709,000 9,246,000
Weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit costs      
Discount rate 5.15% 4.30% 5.25%
Expected asset return 8.25% 8.50% 8.25%
Compensation increase 3.50% 3.25% 3.25%
Weighted average assumptions used to determine obligations      
Discount rate 4.55% 5.15% 4.30%
Compensation increase 3.50% 3.25% 3.25%
Information relating to the assumed health care cost trend rate (HCCTR)      
HCCTR 7.10% 7.30% 7.50%
Ultimate HCCTR 4.80% 4.80% 4.80%
Year ultimate HCCTR reached 2022 2022 2022
Effect of a 1 percentage point increase in the HCCTR on year-end benefit obligation 20,965,000 18,008,000 21,278,000
Effect of a 1 percentage point increase in the HCCTR on total service and interest cost 1,885,000 2,156,000 1,868,000
Effect of a 1 percentage point decrease in the HCCTR on year-end benefit obligation (16,932,000) (14,629,000) (17,034,000)
Effect of a 1 percentage point decrease in the HCCTR on total service and interest costs (1,493,000) (1,675,000) (1,457,000)
Estimated future benefit payments      
2015 3,509,000    
2016 4,292,000    
2017 4,735,000    
2018 5,197,000    
2019 5,705,000    
2020 - 2024 37,063,000    
OPEB [Member] | Regulatory Assets [Member]
      
Amounts Recognized in Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]      
Beginning, Regulatory Assets 41,812,000 [2] 58,799,000  
Amounts arising during the period, Net actuarial loss (gain) 4,277,000 (13,523,000)  
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs, Net actuarial (loss) gain (2,607,000) (3,743,000)  
Prior service (cost) credit 303,000 301,000  
Net transition obligation (11,000) (22,000)  
Net actuarial loss (gain) 45,809,000 44,140,000  
Prior service cost (credit) (2,035,000) (2,339,000)  
Net transition obligation 0 11,000  
Ending, Regulatory Assets 43,774,000 41,812,000 [2]  
Components of net periodic cost      
Recognized actuarial loss 2,607,000 3,743,000  
Prior service (cost) credit (303,000) (301,000)  
Recognized net initial obligation 11,000 22,000  
OPEB [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Location [Member]
      
Amounts Recognized in Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]      
Beginning, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (2,142,000) 1,511,000  
Amounts arising during the period, Net actuarial loss (gain) 2,098,000 (3,589,000)  
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs, Net actuarial (loss) gain 107,000 (114,000)  
Prior service (cost) credit 54,000 54,000  
Net transition obligation 0 (4,000)  
Net actuarial loss (gain) 425,000 (1,782,000)  
Prior service cost (credit) (308,000) (360,000)  
Net transition obligation 0 0  
Ending, Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) 117,000 (2,142,000)  
Components of net periodic cost      
Recognized actuarial loss (107,000) 114,000  
Prior service (cost) credit (54,000) (54,000)  
Recognized net initial obligation 0 4,000  
OPEB [Member] | Minimum [Member]
      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated future employer contributions over the next five years 4,000,000    
OPEB [Member] | Maximum [Member]
      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated future employer contributions over the next five years $ 6,000,000    
[1] Includes the Company's PEP.
[2] Balance represents amounts recognized in accordance with ASC 715 and excludes $308,000 associated with a regulatory asset approved by the BPU for fiscal 2012.
[3] Percentages for represented and nonrepresented plans, respectively.