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Derivative Instruments
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]  
Derivative Instruments
Derivative Instruments
 
GSWC’s BVES division purchases power at a fixed cost, under purchased power contracts, depending on the amount of power and the period during which the power is purchased under such contracts.  These contracts are subject to the accounting guidance for derivatives and require mark-to-market derivative accounting.  For the most recent purchased power contract, which expired in November 2013, the CPUC authorized GSWC to establish a regulatory asset and liability memorandum account to offset the entries required by the accounting guidance.  Accordingly, all unrealized gains and losses generated from the purchased power contract were deferred on a monthly basis into a non-interest bearing regulatory memorandum account that tracked the changes in fair value of the derivative throughout the term of the contract. As a result, these unrealized gains and losses did not impact GSWC’s earnings.
As a result of the expiration of this purchase power contract, there was no cumulative unrealized gain or loss in the memorandum account at December 31, 2013.  In June 2013, GSWC filed with the CPUC for approval of a new purchase power master agreement which, if approved, would enable GSWC to purchase 12 megawatts of base load energy at a fixed-price which will be negotiated upon CPUC approval of the agreement. The filing also requested a regulatory asset and liability memorandum account for the new contract to offset the entries required by the accounting guidance on derivatives, as discussed above. BVES is currently purchasing energy based on month-to-month purchased power contracts, pending approval of the new purchase power master agreement.
As previously discussed in Note 1, the accounting guidance for fair value measurements establishes a framework for measuring fair value and requires fair value measurements to be classified and disclosed in one of three levels. Registrant’s valuation model utilizes various inputs that include quoted market prices for energy over the duration of the contract. The market prices used to determine the fair value for this derivative instrument were estimated based on independent sources such as broker quotes and publications that are not observable in or corroborated by the market.  Registrant received one broker quote to determine the fair value of its derivative instrument.  When such inputs have a significant impact on the measurement of fair value, the instrument is categorized in Level 3. Accordingly, the valuation of the derivative on Registrant’s purchased power contract has been classified as Level 3 for all periods presented.
 The following table presents changes in the fair value of GSWC’s derivatives for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012.
(dollars in thousands)
 
2013
 
2012
Balance, at beginning of the period
 
$
(3,060
)
 
$
(7,611
)
Unrealized gain on purchased power contracts
 
3,060

 
4,551

Balance, at end of the period
 
$
—

 
$
(3,060
)