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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Utility Plant) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Capitalized interest costs | $ 1,112us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized | $ 905us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized | $ 913us-gaap_InterestCostsCapitalized
Construction in progress | 23,208us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentConstructionWorkInProgress | 30,846us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentConstructionWorkInProgress |
Land | 16,838us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentLand | 10,418us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentLand |
Major components of depreciable plant and equipment [Abstract] |  |  |
Equipment | 242,383us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentEquipment | 226,557us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentEquipment |
Transmission and distribution | 1,042,794us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentTransmissionAndDistribution | 967,031us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentTransmissionAndDistribution |
Office buildings and other structures | 68,595us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherPropertyPlantAndEquipment | 60,998us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentOtherPropertyPlantAndEquipment |
Total depreciable plant and equipment | 1,353,772us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentPlantInService | 1,254,586us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentPlantInService |
Estimated Useful Lives of Plant and Equipment [Abstract] |  |  |
Depreciation expense as percentage of beginning of year balance of depreciable plant | 3.40%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDisclosureOfCompositeDepreciationRateForPlantsInService | 3.40%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDisclosureOfCompositeDepreciationRateForPlantsInService | 3.50%us-gaap_PublicUtilitiesPropertyPlantAndEquipmentDisclosureOfCompositeDepreciationRateForPlantsInService
Minimum [Member] |  |  |
Estimated Useful Lives of Plant and Equipment [Abstract] |  |  |
Estimated service lives of assets | 5 years |  |
Estimated useful life of equipment | 5 years |  |
Estimated useful life of transmission and distribution plant | 35 years |  |
Estimated useful lives of office buildings and other structures | 7 years |  |
Useful life of intangible assets | 5 years |  |
Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Estimated Useful Lives of Plant and Equipment [Abstract] |  |  |
Estimated service lives of assets | 75 years |  |
Estimated useful life of equipment | 35 years |  |
Estimated useful life of transmission and distribution plant | 75 years |  |
Estimated useful lives of office buildings and other structures | 50 years |  |
Useful life of intangible assets | 70 years |  |
General and Administrative Expense [Member] |  |  |
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Depreciation | 1,586us-gaap_Depreciation / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpenseMember | 1,556us-gaap_Depreciation / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpenseMember | 1,531us-gaap_Depreciation / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpenseMember
Water Plant [Member] |  |  |
Public Utility, Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Depreciation | $ 35,424us-gaap_Depreciation / us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis = us-gaap_WaterPlantMember | $ 32,616us-gaap_Depreciation / us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis = us-gaap_WaterPlantMember | $ 31,005us-gaap_Depreciation / us-gaap_PublicUtilityAxis = us-gaap_WaterPlantMember

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- Definition Useful life of assets common to business units owned by public utility, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References No definition available. + Details
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