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PENSION PLANS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
Defined Contribution Pension and Other Postretirement Plans Disclosure [Abstract] |
PENSION PLANS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS | PENSION PLANS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS Pension Plans The pension plans of Spire consist of plans for employees at the Missouri Utilities, plans covering employees of Alagasco, and plans for employees of EnergySouth since September 12, 2016. The Missouri Utilities have non-contributory, defined benefit, trusteed forms of pension plans covering the majority of their employees. Plan assets consist primarily of corporate and United States (US) government obligations and a growth segment consisting of exposure to equity markets, commodities, real estate and inflation-indexed securities, achieved through derivative instruments. Alagasco has non-contributory, defined benefit, trusteed forms of pension plans covering the majority of its employees. Qualified plan assets are comprised of US equities consisting of mutual and commingled funds with varying strategies, global equities consisting of mutual funds, alternative investments of commingled and mutual funds, and fixed income investments. The net periodic pension cost included the following components:
| Three Months Ended December 31,
| 2016 |  | 2015
Spire |  |  |
Service cost – benefits earned during the period | $ | 5.3 |  |  | $ | 3.9 |
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation | 6.9 |  |  | 7.1 |
Expected return on plan assets | (9.9 | ) |  | (8.9 | )
Amortization of prior service cost | 0.2 |  |  | 0.1 |
Amortization of actuarial loss | 3.4 |  |  | 2.0 |
Special termination benefits | — |  |  | 1.6 |
Subtotal | 5.9 |  |  | 5.8 |
Regulatory adjustment | 4.6 |  |  | 5.0 |
Net pension cost | $ | 10.5 |  |  | $ | 10.8 |
Laclede Gas |  |  |
Service cost – benefits earned during the period | $ | 3.3 |  |  | $ | 2.5 |
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation | 4.8 |  |  | 5.4 |
Expected return on plan assets | (7.3 | ) |  | (6.7 | )
Amortization of prior service cost | 0.2 |  |  | 0.1 |
Amortization of actuarial loss | 2.9 |  |  | 2.0 |
Special termination benefits | — |  |  | 1.6 |
Subtotal | 3.9 |  |  | 4.9 |
Regulatory adjustment | 2.8 |  |  | 3.5 |
Net pension cost | $ | 6.7 |  |  | $ | 8.4 |
Alagasco |  |  |
Service cost – benefits earned during the period | $ | 1.6 |  |  | $ | 1.4 |
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation | 1.5 |  |  | 1.7 |
Expected return on plan assets | (1.8 | ) |  | (2.2 | )
Amortization of actuarial loss | 0.5 |  |  | — |
Subtotal | 1.8 |  |  | 0.9 |
Regulatory adjustment | 1.6 |  |  | 1.5 |
Net pension cost | $ | 3.4 |  |  | $ | 2.4 |
Pursuant to the provisions of the Missouri Utilities’ and Alagasco’s pension plans, pension obligations may be satisfied by monthly annuities, lump-sum cash payments, or special termination benefits. Lump-sum payments are recognized as settlements (which can result in gains or losses) only if the total of such payments exceeds 100% of the sum of service and interest costs in a specific year. Special termination benefits, when offered, are also recognized as settlements which can result in gains or losses. In the quarter ended December 31, 2015, the Laclede Gas pension plans provided qualified employees with voluntary early retirement packages that qualified as special termination benefits, resulting in a charge of $1.6. The funding policy of the Utilities is to contribute an amount not less than the minimum required by government funding standards, nor more than the maximum deductible amount for federal income tax purposes. Fiscal year 2017 contributions to Laclede Gas’ pension plans through December 31, 2016 were $12.3 to the qualified trusts and $0.1 to non-qualified plans. There were no fiscal 2017 contributions to the Alagasco pension plans through December 31, 2016. Contributions to the Missouri Utilities’ pension plans for the remainder of fiscal 2017 are anticipated to be $16.7 to the qualified trusts and $0.5 to the non-qualified plans. No contributions to Alagasco’s pension plans are expected to be required for the remainder of fiscal 2017. Postretirement Benefits The Utilities provide certain life insurance benefits at retirement. Laclede Gas plans provide for medical insurance after early retirement until age 65. For retirements prior to January 1, 2015, the MGE plans provided medical insurance after retirement until death. For retirements after January 1, 2015, the MGE plans provide medical insurance after early retirement until age 65. Under the Alagasco plans, medical insurance is currently available upon retirement until death for certain retirees depending on the type of employee and the date the employee was originally hired. Net periodic postretirement benefit cost for the Company consisted of the following components:
| Three Months Ended December 31,
| 2016 |  | 2015
Spire |  |  |
Service cost – benefits earned during the period | $ | 2.8 |  |  | $ | 2.8 |
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation | 2.1 |  |  | 2.5 |
Expected return on plan assets | (3.4 | ) |  | (3.4 | )
Amortization of prior service credit | — |  |  | 0.1 |
Amortization of actuarial loss | 0.6 |  |  | 0.9 |
Special termination benefit | — |  |  | 2.6 |
Subtotal | 2.1 |  |  | 5.5 |
Regulatory adjustment | (0.8 | ) |  | (4.2 | )
Net postretirement benefit cost | $ | 1.3 |  |  | $ | 1.3 |
Laclede Gas |  |  |
Service cost – benefits earned during the period | $ | 2.6 |  |  | $ | 2.7 |
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation | 1.7 |  |  | 2.0 |
Expected return on plan assets | (2.3 | ) |  | (2.1 | )
Amortization of prior service credit | 0.1 |  |  | 0.1 |
Amortization of actuarial loss | 0.6 |  |  | 1.0 |
Special termination benefit | — |  |  | 2.6 |
Subtotal | 2.7 |  |  | 6.3 |
Regulatory adjustment | (0.4 | ) |  | (3.8 | )
Net postretirement benefit cost | $ | 2.3 |  |  | $ | 2.5 |
Alagasco |  |  |
Service cost – benefits earned during the period | $ | 0.1 |  |  | $ | 0.1 |
Interest cost on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation | 0.4 |  |  | 0.5 |
Expected return on plan assets | (1.1 | ) |  | (1.3 | )
Amortization of prior service credit | (0.1 | ) |  | — |
Amortization of actuarial gain | — |  |  | (0.1 | )
Subtotal | (0.7 | ) |  | (0.8 | )
Regulatory adjustment | (0.4 | ) |  | (0.4 | )
Net postretirement benefit income | $ | (1.1 | ) |  | $ | (1.2 | )
Missouri and Alabama state law provides for the recovery in rates of costs accrued pursuant to GAAP provided that such costs are funded through an independent, external funding mechanism. The Utilities have established Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) and Rabbi Trusts as external funding mechanisms. The assets of the VEBA and Rabbi Trusts consist primarily of money market securities and mutual funds invested in stocks and bonds. During the quarter ended December 31, 2015, the Laclede Gas post-retirement plan offered qualified employees voluntary enhanced early retirement packages that resulted in a special termination benefits charge of $2.6. The Utilities’ funding policy is to contribute amounts to the trusts equal to the periodic benefit cost calculated pursuant to GAAP as recovered in rates. There were no fiscal year 2017 contributions to the postretirement plans through December 31, 2016 for the Missouri Utilities. Contributions to the postretirement plans for the remainder of fiscal year 2017 are anticipated to be $10.3 to the qualified trusts and $0.4 paid directly to participants from the Missouri Utilities’ funds. For Alagasco, there were no contributions to the postretirement plans during the first three months of fiscal year 2017, and none are expected to be required for the remainder of the fiscal year.

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