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Income taxes - Tax Effect on Significant Portions of Deferred Tax Assets and Deferred Tax Liabilities (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
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Deferred tax assets: |  |
Non-capital loss, investment tax credits, currently non-deductible interest expenses, and financing costs | $ 531,353 | $ 382,448
Pension and OPEB | 66,826 | 54,113
Environmental obligation | 16,145 | 15,541
Regulatory liabilities | 168,054 | 160,200
Other | 65,787 | 59,103
Total deferred income tax assets | 848,165 | 671,405
Less: valuation allowance | (29,824) | (29,447)
Total deferred tax assets | 818,341 | 641,958
Deferred tax liabilities: |  |
Property, plant and equipment | 733,211 | 707,185
Outside basis in partnership | 406,429 | 235,063
Regulatory accounts | 212,937 | 145,852
Other | 12,528 | 14,811
Total deferred tax liabilities | 1,365,105 | 1,102,911
Net deferred tax liabilities | (546,764) | (460,953)
Deferred tax assets | 21,880 | 30,585
Deferred tax liabilities | $ (568,644) | $ (491,538)

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