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Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Employee benefit plans

Schedule of Pension Plan's funded status and amounts recognized in balance sheets and the components of net pension cost and accrued post-retirement liability

The following table sets forth the Pension Plan’s and post-retirement medical plan’s funded status and amounts recognized in Registrant’s balance sheets and the components of net pension cost and accrued liability at December 31, 2017 and 2016:

		Pension Benefits								Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
(dollars in thousands)		2017				2016				2017				2016
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year		$	180,364			$	168,934			$	8,802			$	9,393
Service cost		4,999				5,094				227				247
Interest cost		7,904				7,910				324				371
Actuarial (gain) loss		20,397				4,162				(355		)		(715		)
Benefits/expenses paid		(5,974		)		(5,736		)		(507		)		(494		)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year		$	207,690			$	180,364			$	8,491			$	8,802
Changes in Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year		$	150,872			$	142,174			$	10,538			$	10,614
Actual return on plan assets		22,246				9,182				1,022				418
Employer contributions		6,504				5,252				—				—
Benefits/expenses paid		(5,974		)		(5,736		)		(507		)		(494		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year		$	173,648			$	150,872			$	11,053			$	10,538
Funded Status:
Net amount recognized as accrued pension cost		$	(34,042	)		$	(29,492	)		$	2,562			$	1,736

		Pension Benefits								Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
(dollars in thousands)		2017				2016				2017				2016
Amounts recognized on the balance sheets:
Non-current assets		$	—			$	—			$	2,562			$	1,736
Current liabilities		—				—				—				—
Non-current liabilities		(34,042		)		(29,492		)		—				—
Net amount recognized		$	(34,042	)		$	(29,492	)		$	2,562			$	1,736
Amounts recognized in regulatory assets consist of:
Prior service cost (credit)		$	—			$	—			$	—			$	—
Net (gain) loss		32,761				25,828				(5,650		)		(5,515		)
Regulatory assets (liabilities)		32,761				25,828				(5,650		)		(5,515		)
Unfunded accrued pension cost		1,281				3,664				3,088				3,779
Net liability (asset) recognized		$	34,042			$	29,492			$	(2,562	)		$	(1,736	)
Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in regulatory assets:
Regulatory asset at beginning of year		$	25,828			$	21,970			$	(5,515	)		$	(5,606	)
Net loss (gain)		7,856				4,818				(910		)		(644		)
Amortization of prior service (cost) credit		—				(49		)		—				34
Amortization of net gain (loss)		(923		)		(911		)		775				701
Total change in regulatory asset		6,933				3,858				(135		)		91
Regulatory asset (liability) at end of year		$	32,761			$	25,828			$	(5,650	)		$	(5,515	)
Net periodic pension costs		$	4,121			$	4,126			$	(690	)		$	(606	)
Change in regulatory asset		6,933				3,858				(135		)		91
Total recognized in net periodic pension cost and regulatory asset (liability)		$	11,054			$	7,984			$	(825	)		$	(515	)
Estimated amounts that will be amortized from regulatory asset over the next fiscal year:
Prior service (cost) credit		$	—			$	—			$	—			$	—
Net gain (loss)		$	(1,378	)		$	(835	)		$	727			$	679
Additional year-end information for plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets:
Projected benefit obligation		$	207,690			$	180,364			$	8,491			$	8,802
Accumulated benefit obligation		$	190,438			$	165,998			N/A				N/A
Fair value of plan assets		$	173,648			$	150,872			$	11,053			$	10,538
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations at December 31:
Discount rate		3.76		%		4.44		%		3.52		%		3.97		%
Rate of compensation increase		*				*				N/A				N/A

* Age-graded ranging from 3.0% to 8.0%.

Schedule of components of net periodic pension and post-retirement benefits cost, before allocation to the overhead pool

The components of net periodic pension and post-retirement benefits cost, before allocation to the overhead pool, for 2017, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:

		Pension Benefits												Post-Retirement  Medical Benefits
(dollars in thousands, except percent)		2017				2016				2015				2017				2016				2015
Components of Net Periodic Benefits Cost:
Service cost		$	4,999			$	5,094			$	6,276			$	227			$	247			$	340
Interest cost		7,904				7,910				7,686				324				371				435
Expected return on plan assets		(9,705		)		(9,838		)		(9,795		)		(466		)		(489		)		(493		)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		—				49				118				—				(34		)		(200		)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss		923				911				1,790				(775		)		(701		)		(316		)
Net periodic pension cost under accounting standards		$	4,121			$	4,126			$	6,075			$	(690	)		$	(606	)		$	(234	)
Regulatory adjustment		465				859				523				—				—				—
Total expense recognized, before surcharges and allocation to overhead pool		$	4,586			$	4,985			$	6,598			$	(690	)		$	(606	)		$	(234	)
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic cost:
Discount rate		4.44		%		4.65		%		4.25		%		3.97		%		4.25		%		3.80		%
Expected long-term return on plan assets		6.50		%		7.00		%		7.00		%		*				*				*
Rate of compensation increase		**				**				4.00		%		N/A				N/A				N/A

*6.0% for union plan and 4.2% for non-union (net of income taxes) in 2017, and 7.00% for union plan and 4.20% for non-union (net of income taxes) for 2016 and 2015.

Schedule of Actual Allocation of Plan Assets [Table Text Block]

The Committee approves the target asset allocations.  Registrant’s pension and post-retirement plan weighted-average asset allocations at December 31, 2017 and 2016, by asset category are as follows:

		Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
Asset Category		2017			2016			2017			2016
Actual Asset Allocations:
Equity securities		57	%		57	%		59	%		58	%
Debt securities		39	%		38	%		37	%		39	%
Real Estate Funds		4	%		5	%		—	%		—	%
Cash equivalents		—	%		—	%		4	%		3	%
Total		100	%		100	%		100	%		100	%

Schedule of pension and post-retirement plan target asset allocations

Equity securities did not include AWR’s Common Shares as of December 31, 2017 and 2016.

Target Asset Allocations for 2017:		Pension Benefits			Post-retirement Medical Benefits
Equity securities		60	%		60	%
Debt securities		40	%		40	%
Total		100	%		100	%

Fair Value, Investments, Entities that Calculate Net Asset Value Per Share [Table Text Block]

The following tables set forth the fair value, measured by net asset value, of the pension investment assets as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

		Net Asset Value as of December 31, 2017
(dollars in thousands)		Fair Value				Unfunded Commitments			Redemption Frequency		Redemption Notice Period
Cash equivalents		$	489			—			N/A		N/A
Fixed income fund		66,669				—			Daily		Daily
Equity securities:
U.S. small/mid cap funds		26,998				—			Daily		Daily
U.S. large cap funds		53,985				—			Daily		Daily
International funds		17,893				—			Daily		Daily
Total equity funds		98,876				—
Real estate funds		7,614				—			Daily		Daily
Total		$	173,648			—

		Net Asset Value as of December 31, 2016
(dollars in thousands)		Fair Value				Unfunded Commitments			Redemption Frequency		Redemption Notice Period
Cash equivalents		$	500			—			N/A		N/A
Fixed income fund		57,674				—			Daily		Daily
Equity securities:
U.S. small/mid cap funds		24,312				—			Daily		Daily
U.S. large cap funds		46,175				—			Daily		Daily
International funds		14,869				—			Daily		Daily
Total equity funds		85,356
Real estate funds		7,342				—			Daily		Daily
Total		$	150,872			—

Schedule of pension and post-retirement plans' investment assets measured at fair value

The following tables set forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the post-retirement plan's investment assets measured at fair value as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

		Fair Value as of December 31, 2017
(dollars in thousands)		Level 1				Level 2			Level 3			Total
Fair Value of Post-Retirement Plan Assets:
Cash equivalents		$	189			—			—			$	189
Fixed income		4,364				—			—			4,364
U.S. equity securities (large cap stocks)		6,507				—			—			6,507
Total investments measured at fair value		$	11,060			—			—			$	11,060

		Fair Value as of December 31, 2016
(dollars in thousands)		Level 1				Level 2			Level 3			Total
Fair Value of Post-Retirement Plan Assets:
Cash equivalents		$	360			—			—			$	360
Fixed income		4,072				—			—			4,072
U.S. equity securities (large cap stocks)		6,106				—			—			6,106
Total investments measured at fair value		$	10,538			—			—			$	10,538

Schedule of estimated future benefit payments

stimated future benefit payments at December 31, 2017 for the next five years and thereafter are as follows (in thousands):

	Pension Benefits				Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
2018	$	6,737			$	554
2019	7,281				574
2020	7,900				632
2021	8,516				720
2022	9,196				749
Thereafter	54,429				3,365
Total	$	94,059			$	6,594

Schedule of effects of one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rates

A one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effects on the post-retirement medical plan:

(dollars in thousands)		1-Percentage-Point Increase				1-Percentage-Point Decrease
Effect on total of service and interest cost components		$	45			$	(39	)
Effect on post-retirement benefit obligation		$	894			$	(769	)

Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan [Member]

Employee benefit plans

Schedule of Pension Plan's funded status and amounts recognized in balance sheets and the components of net pension cost and accrued post-retirement liability

The following provides a reconciliation of benefit obligations, funded status of the SERP, as well as a summary of significant estimates at December 31, 2017 and 2016:

(dollars in thousands)		2017				2016
Change in Benefit Obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year		$	20,783			$	16,317
Service cost		930				799
Interest cost		893				743
Actuarial (gain) loss		1,872				3,341
Benefits paid		(416		)		(417		)
Benefit obligation at end of year		$	24,062			$	20,783
Changes in Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning and end of year		—				—
Funded Status:
Net amount recognized as accrued cost		$	(24,062	)		$	(20,783	)

(in thousands)		2017				2016
Amounts recognized on the balance sheets:
Current liabilities		$	(409	)		$	(419	)
Non-current liabilities		(23,653		)		(20,364		)
Net amount recognized		$	(24,062	)		$	(20,783	)
Amounts recognized in regulatory assets consist of:
Prior service cost		$	—			$	11
Net loss		7,556				6,463
Regulatory assets		7,556				6,474
Unfunded accrued cost		16,506				14,309
Net liability recognized		$	24,062			$	20,783
Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in regulatory assets consist of:
Regulatory asset at beginning of year		$	6,474			$	3,452
Net (gain) loss		1,872				3,339
Amortization of prior service credit		(12		)		(25		)
Amortization of net loss		(778		)		(292		)
Total change in regulatory asset		1,082				3,022
Regulatory asset at end of year		$	7,556			$	6,474
Net periodic pension cost		$	2,612			$	1,859
Change in regulatory asset		1,082				3,022
Total recognized in net periodic pension and regulatory asset		$	3,694			$	4,881
Estimated amounts that will be amortized from regulatory asset over the next fiscal year:
Initial net asset (obligation)		$	—			$	—
Prior service cost		—				(11		)
Net loss		(1,049		)		(777		)
Additional year-end information for plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets:
Projected benefit obligation		$	24,062			$	20,783
Accumulated benefit obligation		20,742				17,144
Fair value of plan assets		—				—
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations:
Discount rate		3.72		%		4.34		%
Rate of compensation increase		4.00		%		4.00		%

Schedule of components of net periodic pension and post-retirement benefits cost, before allocation to the overhead pool

The components of SERP expense, before allocation to the overhead pool, for 2017, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:

(dollars in thousands, except percent)		2017				2016				2015
Components of Net Periodic Benefits Cost:
Service cost		$	930			$	799			$	814
Interest cost		893				743				653
Amortization of prior service cost		12				25				117
Amortization of net loss		777				292				431
Net periodic pension cost		$	2,612			$	1,859			$	2,015
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic cost:
Discount rate		4.34		%		4.61		%		4.15		%
Rate of compensation increase		4.00		%		4.00		%		4.00		%

Schedule of pension and post-retirement plans' investment assets measured at fair value

The following tables set forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the Rabbi Trust investment assets measured at fair value as of December 31, 2017 and 2016:

		Fair Value as of December 31, 2017
(dollars in thousands)		Level 1				Level 2			Level 3			Total
Fair Value of Assets held in Rabbi Trust:
Cash equivalents		$	45			—			—			$	45
Fixed income securities		6,072				—			—			6,072
Equity securities		9,110				—			—			9,110
Total investments measured at fair value		$	15,227			—			—			$	15,227

		Fair Value as of December 31, 2016
(dollars in thousands)		Level 1				Level 2			Level 3			Total
Fair Value of Assets held in Rabbi Trust:
Cash equivalents		$	46			—			—			$	46
Fixed income securities		4,801				—			—			4,801
Equity securities		7,149				—			—			7,149
Total investments measured at fair value		$	11,996			—			—			$	11,996

Schedule of estimated future benefit payments

Estimated future benefit payments for the SERP at December 31, 2017 for the next ten years are as follows (in thousands):

2018	$	409
2019	754
2020	1,278
2021	1,334
2022	1,326
Thereafter	7,276
Total	$	12,377

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