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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Summary of Changes in Funded Status of Plans and Liabilities Recognized

The following summarizes the changes in the funded status of the plans and the related liabilities recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30:

	Pension (1)						OPEB
(Thousands)	2015			2014			2015			2014
Change in Benefit Obligation
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	227,699		$	198,826		$	127,773		$	112,771
Service cost	7,485			6,143			4,253			3,923
Interest cost	10,199			10,066			5,739			5,734
Plan participants' contributions	47			47			60			38
Special termination benefits	—			2,814			—			648
Actuarial loss	17,418			21,440			3,891			6,792
Benefits paid, net of retiree subsidies received	(6,861		)	(11,637		)	(3,349		)	(2,133		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	255,987		$	227,699		$	138,367		$	127,773
Change in plan assets
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	211,653		$	200,236		$	56,909		$	49,555
Actual return on plan assets	(5,813		)	22,923			(1,799		)	4,590
Employer contributions	97			85			5,672			4,970
Benefits paid, net of plan participants' contributions	(6,814		)	(11,591		)	(3,513		)	(2,206		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	199,123		$	211,653		$	57,269		$	56,909
Funded status	$	(56,864	)	$	(16,046	)	$	(81,098	)	$	(70,864	)
Amounts recognized on Consolidated Balance Sheets
Postemployment employee benefit (liability)
Current	$	(71	)	$	(100	)	$	(477	)	$	(136	)
Noncurrent	(56,793		)	(15,946		)	(80,621		)	(70,728		)
Total	$	(56,864	)	$	(16,046	)	$	(81,098	)	$	(70,864	)

(1) Includes the Company's PEP.

Summary of Regulatory Assets and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

The following table summarizes the amounts recognized in regulatory assets and accumulated other comprehensive income as of September 30:

	Regulatory Assets							Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
	Pension			OPEB				Pension			OPEB
Balance at September 30, 2013	$	56,664		$	41,812			$	14,427		$	(2,142	)
Amounts arising during the period:
Net actuarial loss	10,563			4,277				6,243			2,098
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs:
Net actuarial (loss) gain	(5,326		)	(2,607		)		(3,085		)	107
Prior service (cost) credit	(107		)	303				(4		)	54
Net transition obligation	—			(11		)		—			—
Balance at September 30, 2014	$	61,794		$	43,774			$	17,581		$	117
Amounts arising during the period:
Net actuarial loss	30,579			9,563				9,742			1,103
Amounts amortized to net periodic costs:
Net actuarial (loss)	(5,305		)	(2,911		)		(1,680		)	(32		)
Prior service (cost) credit	(108		)	311				(3		)	54
Net transition obligation	—			—				—			—
Balance at September 30, 2015	$	86,960		$	50,737			$	25,640		$	1,242

The amounts in regulatory assets and accumulated other comprehensive income not yet recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost as of September 30 are:

	Regulatory Assets												Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
	Pension						OPEB						Pension						OPEB
(Thousands)	2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014			2015			2014
Net actuarial loss	$	86,070		$	60,797		$	52,462		$	45,809		$	25,632		$	17,570		$	1,495		$	425
Prior service cost (credit)	890			997			(1,725		)	(2,035		)	8			11			(253		)	(308		)
Net transition obligation	—			—			—			—			—			—			—			—
Total	$	86,960		$	61,794		$	50,737		$	43,774		$	25,640		$	17,581		$	1,242		$	117

Schedule of Amounts Expected to be Recognized as Components of Net Periodic Benefit Cost

Amounts included in regulatory assets and accumulated other comprehensive income expected to be recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost in fiscal 2016 are as follows:

	Regulatory Assets							Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(Thousands)	Pension			OPEB				Pension			OPEB
Net actuarial loss	$	5,606		$	3,175			$	1,675		$	99
Prior service cost (credit)	108			(311		)		3			(54		)
Total	$	5,714		$	2,864			$	1,678		$	45

Schedule of Accumulated Benefit Obligations in Excess of Fair Value of Plan Assets

The accumulated benefit obligation for the pension plans, including the PEP, exceeded the fair value of plan assets. The projected benefit and accumulated benefit obligations and the fair value of plan assets as of September 30, are as follows:

	Pension
(Thousands)	2015			2014
Projected benefit obligation	$	255,987		$	227,699
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	217,937		$	198,058
Fair value of plan assets	$	199,123		$	211,653

Components of Net Periodic Cost

The components of the net periodic cost for pension benefits, including the Company's PEP, and OPEB costs (principally health care and life insurance) for employees and covered dependents for fiscal years ended September 30, are as follows:

	Pension									OPEB
(Thousands)	2015			2014			2013			2015			2014			2013
Service cost	$	7,485		$	6,143		$	6,871		$	4,253		$	3,923		$	4,686
Interest cost	10,199			10,066			8,942			5,739			5,734			5,148
Expected return on plan assets	(17,090		)	(15,475		)	(14,825		)	(4,977		)	(4,174		)	(3,653		)
Recognized actuarial loss	6,985			5,596			7,646			2,943			2,500			3,857
Prior service cost (credit) amortization	111			111			108			(364		)	(357		)	(355		)
Recognized net initial obligation	—			—			—			—			11			26
Net periodic benefit cost	$	7,690		$	6,441		$	8,742		$	7,594		$	7,637		$	9,709
Special termination benefit	—			2,814			—			—			648			—
Net periodic benefit cost recognized as expense	$	7,690		$	9,255		$	8,742		$	7,594		$	8,285		$	9,709

Schedule of Weighted Average Assumptions Used

The weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit costs during the fiscal year and obligations as of September 30, are as follows:

	Pension									OPEB
	2015			2014			2013			2015			2014			2013
Benefit costs:
Discount rate	4.55	%		5.15	%		4.30	%		4.55	%		5.15	%		4.30	%
Expected asset return	8.75	%		8.25	%		8.50	%		8.75	%		8.25	%		8.50	%
Compensation increase	3.25	%		3.25	%		3.25	%		3.50	%		3.50	%		3.25	%
Obligations:
Discount rate	4.50	%		4.55	%		5.15	%		4.60/4.55%		(1)	4.55	%		5.15	%
Compensation increase	3.25/3.50%		(1)	3.25/3.50%		(1)	3.25	%		3.50	%		3.50	%		3.25	%

(1) Percentages for represented and nonrepresented plans, respectively.

Information on Assumed HCCTR Used to Determine Expected OPEB Benefits

Information relating to the assumed HCCTR used to determine expected OPEB benefits as of September 30, and the effect of a one percent change in the rate, are as follows:

($ in thousands)	2015				2014				2013
HCCTR	6.7		%		7.1		%		7.3		%
Ultimate HCCTR	4.8		%		4.8		%		4.8		%
Year ultimate HCCTR reached	2022				2022				2022
Effect of a 1 percentage point increase in the HCCTR on:
Year-end benefit obligation	$	26,025			$	20,965			$	18,008
Total service and interest cost	$	2,026			$	1,885			$	2,156
Effect of a 1 percentage point decrease in the HCCTR on:
Year-end benefit obligation	$	(20,427	)		$	(16,932	)		$	(14,629	)
Total service and interest costs	$	(1,593	)		$	(1,493	)		$	(1,675	)

Schedule of Mix and Targeted Allocation of Plan Assets

The mix and targeted allocation of the pension and OPEB plans' assets are as follows:

	2016			Assets at
	Target			September 30,
Asset Allocation	Allocation			2015			2014
U.S. equity securities	40	%		38	%		39	%
International equity securities	20			19			20
Fixed income	40			43			41
Total	100	%		100	%		100	%

Schedule of Expected Benefit Payments

The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid during the following years:

(Thousands)	Pension			OPEB
2016	$	7,958		$	3,755
2017	$	8,383		$	4,122
2018	$	9,106		$	4,524
2019	$	9,807		$	5,005
2020	$	10,542		$	5,513
2021 - 2025	$	67,414		$	35,509

Schedule of Estimated Subsidy Payments

The estimated subsidy payments are:

	Estimated Subsidy Payment
Fiscal Year	(Thousands)
2016	$210
2017	$231
2018	$253
2019	$276
2020	$304
2021 - 2025	$2,067

Summary of Pension and OPEB Assets Held in the Master Trust

Pension and OPEB assets held in the master trust, measured at fair value, as of September 30, are summarized as follows:

	Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
(Thousands)	Pension								OPEB
Assets	2015				2014				2015				2014
Money market funds	$	—			$	50			$	2,237			$	1,154
Registered Investment Companies:
Equity Funds
Large Cap Index	63,285				70,358				17,460				19,092
Extended Market Index	11,827				12,475				3,762				3,733
International Stock	37,353				41,833				10,261				10,309
Fixed Income Funds
Emerging Markets	8,857				10,029				2,617				2,798
Core Fixed Income	—				—				7,148				6,522
Opportunistic Income	—				—				4,179				3,960
Ultra Short Duration	—				—				3,960				3,761
High Yield Bond Fund	20,532				21,054				5,645				5,580
Long Duration Fund	57,269				55,854				—				—
Total assets at fair value	$	199,123			$	211,653			$	57,269			$	56,909

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