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INCOME TAXES (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Net Provision For Income Tax
The net provisions for income taxes charged during the fiscal years ended September 30, 2013, 2012, and 2011 are as follows:
(Thousands)
2013
 
2012
 
2011
Included in Statements of Consolidated Income:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
 
 
 
 
 
Current
$
(4,173
)
 
$
(3,835
)
 
$
4,724

Deferred
19,925

 
26,365

 
20,602

Investment tax credits
(213
)
 
(213
)
 
(213
)
State and local
 
 
 
 
 
Current
(301
)
 
(430
)
 
573

Deferred
2,340

 
4,402

 
3,496

Total Income Tax Expense
$
17,578

 
$
26,289

 
$
29,182

Effective income tax rate variation from stated tax rate
The effective income tax rate varied from the federal statutory income tax rate for each year due to the following:
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
Federal income tax statutory rate
35.0
 %
 
35.0
 %
 
35.0
 %
State and local income taxes, net of federal income tax benefits
3.5

 
2.9

 
2.8

Certain expenses capitalized on books and deducted on tax return
(9.7
)
 
(6.9
)
 
(5.0
)
Taxes related to prior years
(1.6
)
 
(0.8
)
 
(0.7
)
Other items – net
(2.2
)
 
(0.6
)
 
(0.7
)
Effective income tax rate
25.0
 %
 
29.6
 %
 
31.4
 %
Significant Items in Net Deferred Tax Liability
The significant items comprising the net deferred tax liability recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30 are as follows:
(Thousands)
2013
 
2012
Deferred tax assets:
 
 
 
Reserves not currently deductible
$
13,933

 
$
16,400

Pension and other postretirement benefits
71,367

 
73,480

Unamortized investment tax credits
1,799

 
1,955

Other*
12,522

 
18,224

Total deferred tax assets
99,621

 
110,059

Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
 
Relating to property
341,975

 
303,474

Regulatory pension and other postretirement benefits
124,871

 
121,554

Deferred gas costs
7,112

 
20,652

Other
5,789

 
26,563

Total deferred tax liabilities
479,747

 
472,243

Net deferred tax liability
380,126

 
362,184

Net deferred tax liability – current*
(1,012
)
 
(6,675
)
Net deferred tax liability – non-current*
$
379,114

 
$
355,509



* The Company periodically invests in tax credits. As of September 30, 2013, $7.1 million of state tax credits are included in Other and Net deferred tax liability. $4.7 million of state tax credits were classified as current. $2.4 million of state tax credits were classified as non-current.
Unrecognized Tax Benefit Reconciliation
The following table presents a reconciliation of the beginning and ending balances of unrecognized tax benefits at September 30 as reported in the Consolidated Balance Sheets:
(Thousands)
2013
 
2012
Unrecognized tax benefits, beginning of year
$
5,810

 
$
5,596

Increases related to prior year tax positions
145

 
78

Increases related to tax positions taken in current year
1,450

 
547

Reductions due to lapse of applicable statute of limitations
(5,018
)
 
(411
)
Unrecognized tax benefits, end of year
$
2,387

 
$
5,810