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Pension Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2017
General Discussion of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract] |
Pension Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans | PENSION PLANS AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT PLANS Avista Utilities Avista Utilities’ pension and other postretirement plans have not changed during the three months ended March 31, 2017. The Company’s funding policy is to contribute at least the minimum amounts that are required to be funded under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, but not more than the maximum amounts that are currently deductible for income tax purposes. The Company contributed $7.4 million in cash to the pension plan for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and expects to contribute a total of $22.0 million in 2017. The Company contributed $12.0 million in cash to the pension plan in 2016. The Company uses a December 31 measurement date for its defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans. The following table sets forth the components of net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended March 31 (dollars in thousands):
| Pension Benefits |  | Other Post-retirement Benefits
| 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2017 |  | 2016
Three months ended March 31: |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Service cost | $ | 5,042 |  |  | $ | 4,519 |  |  | $ | 824 |  |  | $ | 779 |
Interest cost | 6,951 |  |  | 6,900 |  |  | 1,399 |  |  | 1,559 |
Expected return on plan assets | (7,900 | ) |  | (6,750 | ) |  | (475 | ) |  | (475 | )
Amortization of prior service cost | — |  |  | — |  |  | (312 | ) |  | (312 | )
Net loss recognition | 2,546 |  |  | 1,890 |  |  | 1,273 |  |  | 1,365 |
Net periodic benefit cost | $ | 6,639 |  |  | $ | 6,559 |  |  | $ | 2,709 |  |  | $ | 2,916 |
Total net periodic benefit costs in the table above are recorded to the same accounts as labor expense. Labor and benefits expense is recorded to various projects based on whether the work is a capital project or an operating expense. Approximately 40 percent of all labor and benefits is capitalized to utility property and 60 percent is expensed to other operating expenses.

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