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EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS, SUMMARY OF CHANGE IN FUNDED STATUS AND LIABILITIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2014
Change in plan assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Employer contributions |  | $ 30,000 |  |  | $ 0 |  |
Postemployment employee (liability) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Noncurrent |  |  | $ (141,604) |  | (137,414) |  |
Pension |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Change in Benefit Obligation |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Benefit obligation at beginning of year | [1] | 255,987 | 255,987 |  | 227,699 |  |
Service cost |  |  | 7,591 | [1] | 7,485 | [1] | $ 6,143
Interest cost |  |  | 11,342 | [1] | 10,199 | [1] | 10,066
Plan participants’ contributions | [1],[2] |  | 47 |  | 47 |  |
Actuarial loss | [1] |  | 26,369 |  | 17,418 |  |
Benefits paid, net of retiree subsidies received | [1] |  | (7,682) |  | (6,861) |  |
Benefit obligation at end of year | [1] |  | 293,654 |  | 255,987 |  | 227,699
Change in plan assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year | [1] | 199,123 | 199,123 |  | 211,653 |  |
Actual return on plan assets | [1] |  | 28,316 |  | (5,813) |  |
Employer contributions | [1] |  | 30,071 |  | 97 |  |
Benefits paid, net of plan participants’ contributions | [1],[2] |  | (7,635) |  | (6,814) |  |
Fair value of plan assets at end of year | [1] |  | 249,875 |  | 199,123 |  | 211,653
Funded status | [1] |  | (43,779) |  | (56,864) |  |
Postemployment employee (liability) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Current | [1] |  | (79) |  | (71) |  |
Noncurrent | [1] |  | (43,700) |  | (56,793) |  |
Total | [1] |  | (43,779) |  | (56,864) |  |
OPEB |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Change in Benefit Obligation |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Benefit obligation at beginning of year |  | 138,367 | 138,367 |  | 127,773 |  |
Service cost |  |  | 4,521 |  | 4,253 |  | 3,923
Interest cost |  |  | 6,256 |  | 5,739 |  | 5,734
Plan participants’ contributions | [2] |  | 104 |  | 60 |  |
Actuarial loss |  |  | 15,590 |  | 3,891 |  |
Benefits paid, net of retiree subsidies received |  |  | (4,445) |  | (3,349) |  |
Benefit obligation at end of year |  |  | 160,393 |  | 138,367 |  | 127,773
Change in plan assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year |  | $ 57,269 | 57,269 |  | 56,909 |  |
Actual return on plan assets |  |  | 5,872 |  | (1,799) |  |
Employer contributions |  |  | 3,235 |  | 5,672 |  | 5,000
Benefits paid, net of plan participants’ contributions | [2] |  | (4,341) |  | (3,513) |  |
Fair value of plan assets at end of year |  |  | 62,035 |  | 57,269 |  | $ 56,909
Funded status |  |  | (98,358) |  | (81,098) |  |
Postemployment employee (liability) |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Current |  |  | (454) |  | (477) |  |
Noncurrent |  |  | (97,904) |  | (80,621) |  |
Total |  |  | $ (98,358) |  | $ (81,098) |  |
[1] | Includes the Company’s PEP.
[2] | Prior to July 1, 1998, employees were eligible to elect an additional participant contribution to enhance their benefits and contributions made during the periods were insignificant.

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- Definition The difference between fair value of plan assets at the end of the period and the fair value at the beginning of the period, adjusted for contributions and payments of benefits during the period, and after adjusting for taxes and other expenses, as applicable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Actual Return on Plan Assets (Component of Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6504192 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Actual Return on Plan Assets (Component of Net Periodic Pension Cost) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6504226 + Details
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- Definition 1) For defined benefit pension plans, the benefit obligation is the projected benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value as of a date of all benefits attributed by the pension benefit formula to employee service rendered prior to that date. 2) For other postretirement defined benefit plans, the benefit obligation is the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation, which is the actuarial present value of benefits attributed to employee service rendered to a particular date. + 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=65897934&loc=d3e1928-114920 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Projected Benefit Obligation -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6522206 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Accumulated Postretirement Benefit Obligation -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6503904 + Details
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