Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

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, 2018 and 2017:



	Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
(dollars in thousands)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Change in Projected Benefit Obligation:
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	207,690		$	180,364		$	8,491		$	8,802
Service cost	5,342			4,999			218			227
Interest cost	7,646			7,904			292			324
Plan amendment	3,626			—			—			—
Actuarial (gain) loss	(21,717		)	20,397			(701		)	(355		)
Benefits/expenses paid	(6,505		)	(5,974		)	(414		)	(507		)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year	$	196,082		$	207,690		$	7,886		$	8,491

Changes in Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	$	173,648		$	150,872		$	11,053		$	10,538
Actual return on plan assets	(10,626		)	22,246			(629		)	1,022
Employer contributions	6,012			6,504			—			—
Benefits/expenses paid	(6,505		)	(5,974		)	(414		)	(507		)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	$	162,529		$	173,648		$	10,010		$	11,053

Funded Status:
Net amount recognized as accrued pension cost	$	(33,553	)	$	(34,042	)	$	2,124		$	2,562



	Pension Benefits						Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
(dollars in thousands)	2018			2017			2018			2017
Amounts recognized on the balance sheets:
Non-current assets	$	—		$	—		$	2,124		$	2,562
Current liabilities	—			—			—			—
Non-current liabilities	(33,553		)	(34,042		)	—			—
Net amount recognized	$	(33,553	)	$	(34,042	)	$	2,124		$	2,562
Amounts recognized in regulatory assets consist of:
Prior service cost (credit)	$	3,626		$	—		$	—		$	—
Net (gain) loss	31,587			32,761			(4,459		)	(5,650		)
Regulatory assets (liabilities)	35,213			32,761			(4,459		)	(5,650		)
Unfunded accrued pension cost	(1,660		)	1,281			2,335			3,088
Net liability (asset) recognized	$	33,553		$	34,042		$	(2,124	)	$	(2,562	)

Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in regulatory assets:
Regulatory asset at beginning of year	$	32,761		$	25,828		$	(5,650	)	$	(5,515	)
Net loss (gain)	81			7,856			421			(910		)
New prior service cost	3,626			—			—			—
Amortization of net gain (loss)	(1,255		)	(923		)	770			775
Total change in regulatory asset	2,452			6,933			1,191			(135		)
Regulatory asset (liability) at end of year	$	35,213		$	32,761		$	(4,459	)	$	(5,650	)

Net periodic pension costs	$	3,070		$	4,121		$	(752	)	$	(690	)
Change in regulatory asset	2,452			6,933			1,191			(135		)
Total recognized in net periodic pension cost and regulatory asset (liability)	$	5,522		$	11,054		$	439		$	(825	)

Estimated amounts that will be amortized from regulatory asset over the next fiscal year:
Prior service (cost) credit	$	(434	)	$	—		$	—		$	—
Net gain (loss)	$	(1,435	)	$	(1,378	)	$	598		$	727

Additional year-end information for plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets:
Projected benefit obligation	$	196,082		$	207,690		$	7,886		$	8,491
Accumulated benefit obligation	$	183,036		$	190,438		N/A			N/A
Fair value of plan assets	$	162,529		$	173,648		$	10,010		$	11,053

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations at December 31:
Discount rate	4.43		%	3.76		%	4.20		%	3.52		%
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 2018, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:



	Pension Benefits									Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
(dollars in thousands, except percent)	2018			2017			2016			2018			2017			2016
Components of Net Periodic Benefits Cost:
Service cost	$	5,342		$	4,999		$	5,094		$	218		$	227		$	247
Interest cost	7,646			7,904			7,910			292			324			371
Expected return on plan assets	(11,172		)	(9,705		)	(9,838		)	(493		)	(466		)	(489		)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	—			—			49			—			—			(34		)
Amortization of actuarial (gain) loss	1,254			923			911			(769		)	(775		)	(701		)
Net periodic pension cost under accounting standards	$	3,070		$	4,121		$	4,126		$	(752	)	$	(690	)	$	(606	)
Regulatory adjustment	—			465			859			—			—			—
Total expense recognized, before surcharges and allocation to overhead pool	$	3,070		$	4,586		$	4,985		$	(752	)	$	(690	)	$	(606	)

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic cost:
Discount rate	3.76		%	4.44		%	4.65		%	3.52		%	3.97		%	4.25		%
Expected long-term return on plan assets	6.50		%	6.50		%	7.00		%	*			*			*
Rate of compensation increase	**			**			**			N/A			N/A			N/A

*6.0% for union plan and 4.2% for non-union (net of income taxes) in 2018 and 2017 and 7.0% for union plan and 4.20% for non-union (net of income taxes) for 2016.

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

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, 2018 and 2017, by asset category are as follows:



	Pension Benefits				Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
Asset Category	2018		2017		2018		2017
Actual Asset Allocations:
Equity securities	53	%	57	%	59	%	59	%
Debt securities	43	%	39	%	39	%	37	%
Real Estate Funds	4	%	4	%	—	%	—	%
Cash equivalents	—	%	—	%	2	%	4	%
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, 2018 and 2017.



Target Asset Allocations for 2018:	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, 2018 and 2017:



	Net Asset Value as of December 31, 2018
(dollars in thousands)	Fair Value		Unfunded Commitments	Redemption Frequency	Redemption Notice Period
Cash equivalents	$	590	—	N/A	N/A
Fixed income fund	70,642		—	Daily	Daily
Equity securities:
U.S. small/mid cap funds	22,313		—	Daily	Daily
U.S. large cap funds	46,133		—	Daily	Daily
International funds	15,548		—	Daily	Daily
Total equity funds	83,994		—
Real estate funds	7,303		—	Daily	Daily
Total	$	162,529	—



	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	—

Schedule of estimated future benefit payments

stimated future benefit payments at December 31, 2018 for the next five years and thereafter are as follows (in thousands):



	Pension Benefits		Post-Retirement Medical Benefits
2019	$	7,343	$	585
2020	7,934		633
2021	8,597		709
2022	9,283		749
2023	9,860		764
Thereafter	57,832		3,172
Total	$	100,849	$	6,612

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	$	41	$	(35	)
Effect on post-retirement benefit obligation	$	759	$	(659	)

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, 2018 and 2017:



	Fair Value as of December 31, 2018
(dollars in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2	Level 3	Total
Fair Value of Post-Retirement Plan Assets:
Cash equivalents	$	263	—	—	$	263
Fixed income	3,871		—	—	3,871
U.S. equity securities	5,876		—	—	5,876
Total investments measured at fair value	$	10,010	—	—	$	10,010



	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	6,507		—	—	6,507
Total investments measured at fair value	$	11,060	—	—	$	11,060

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, 2018 and 2017:



(dollars in thousands)	2018			2017
Change in Benefit Obligation:
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	$	24,062		$	20,783
Service cost	1,096			930
Interest cost	888			893
Actuarial (gain) loss	(1,104		)	1,872
Benefits paid	(425		)	(416		)
Benefit obligation at end of year	$	24,517		$	24,062
Changes in Plan Assets:
Fair value of plan assets at beginning and end of year	—			—
Funded Status:
Net amount recognized as accrued cost	$	(24,517	)	$	(24,062	)



(in thousands)	2018			2017
Amounts recognized on the balance sheets:
Current liabilities	$	(433	)	$	(409	)
Non-current liabilities	(24,084		)	(23,653		)
Net amount recognized	$	(24,517	)	$	(24,062	)
Amounts recognized in regulatory assets consist of:
Prior service cost	$	—		$	—
Net loss	5,403			7,556
Regulatory assets	5,403			7,556
Unfunded accrued cost	19,114			16,506
Net liability recognized	$	24,517		$	24,062

Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in regulatory assets consist of:
Regulatory asset at beginning of year	$	7,556		$	6,474
Net (gain) loss	(1,104		)	1,872
Amortization of prior service credit	—			(12		)
Amortization of net loss	(1,049		)	(778		)
Total change in regulatory asset	(2,153		)	1,082
Regulatory asset at end of year	$	5,403		$	7,556

Net periodic pension cost	$	3,033		$	2,612
Change in regulatory asset	(2,153		)	1,082
Total recognized in net periodic pension and regulatory asset	$	880		$	3,694

Estimated amounts that will be amortized from regulatory asset over the next fiscal year:
Initial net asset (obligation)	$	—		$	—
Prior service cost	—			—
Net loss	(471		)	(1,049		)
Additional year-end information for plans with an accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets:
Projected benefit obligation	$	24,517		$	24,062
Accumulated benefit obligation	21,229			20,742
Fair value of plan assets	—			—
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations:
Discount rate	4.40		%	3.72		%
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 2018, 2017 and 2016 are as follows:



(dollars in thousands, except percent)	2018			2017			2016
Components of Net Periodic Benefits Cost:
Service cost	$	1,096		$	930		$	799
Interest cost	888			893			743
Amortization of prior service cost	—			12			25
Amortization of net loss	1,049			777			292
Net periodic pension cost	$	3,033		$	2,612		$	1,859

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic cost:
Discount rate	3.72		%	4.34		%	4.61		%
Rate of compensation increase	4.00		%	4.00		%	4.00		%

Schedule of estimated future benefit payments

Estimated future benefit payments for the SERP at December 31, 2018 for the next ten years are as follows (in thousands):



2019	$	433
2020	1,339
2021	1,396
2022	1,387
2023	1,378
Thereafter	8,003
Total	$	13,936

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, 2018 and 2017:



	Fair Value as of December 31, 2018
(dollars in thousands)	Level 1		Level 2	Level 3	Total
Fair Value of Assets held in Rabbi Trust:
Cash equivalents	$	166	—	—	$	166
Fixed income securities	6,251		—	—	6,251
Equity securities	9,995		—	—	9,995
Total investments measured at fair value	$	16,412	—	—	$	16,412



	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