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Asset Retirement Obligations | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011
Asset Retirement Obligation [Abstract] |
Asset Retirement Obligations | Asset Retirement Obligations The Company records obligations related to the plugging and abandonment of natural gas and oil wells, decommissioning of certain electric generating facilities, reclamation of certain aggregate properties, special handling and disposal of hazardous materials at certain electric generating facilities, natural gas distribution facilities and buildings, and certain other obligations. A reconciliation of the Company's liability, which is included in other liabilities, for the years ended December 31 was as follows:
| 2011 |  |  | 2010 |
| (In thousands)
Balance at beginning of year | $ | 95,970 |  |  | $ | 76,359 |
Liabilities incurred | 3,870 |  |  | 8,608 |
Liabilities acquired | — |  |  | 5,272 |
Liabilities settled | (10,418 | ) |  | (10,740 | )
Accretion expense | 4,466 |  |  | 3,588 |
Revisions in estimates | 3,921 |  |  | 12,621 |
Other | 342 |  |  | 262 |
Balance at end of year | $ | 98,151 |  |  | $ | 95,970 |
The Company believes that any expenses related to asset retirement obligations at the Company's regulated operations will be recovered in rates over time and, accordingly, defers such expenses as regulatory assets. The fair value of assets that are legally restricted for purposes of settling asset retirement obligations at December 31, 2011 and 2010, was $5.7 million and $5.7 million, respectively.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for an asset retirement obligation and the associated long-lived asset. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement from service of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 143 -Paragraph 22 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7569-110849 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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