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Employee Benefit Plans
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]  
Employee Benefit Plans
11.  Employee Benefit Plans

Pensions
The Company maintains a general and administrative and a union-represented defined benefit pension plan covering all of its employees hired prior to May 1, 2010.  Employees hired after May 1, 2010 are eligible for an enhanced 401(k) plan rather than a defined benefit plan.  The benefits under the defined benefit plans are based upon years of service and compensation near retirement.  The Company amended its defined benefit pension plans in 2014, generally limiting the years of eligible service under the plans to 30 years. The Company’s funding policy is to contribute annually the amount permitted by the PPUC to be collected from customers in rates, but in no case less than the minimum Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) required contribution.

The following table sets forth the plans’ funded status as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.  The measurement of assets and obligations of the plans is as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.

Obligations and Funded Status
At December 31
  
2023
    
2022
  
             
Change in Benefit Obligation
            
Pension benefit obligation at beginning of year
  
$
38,717
    
$
51,530
  
Service cost
    
598
      
1,025
  
Interest cost
    
1,876
      
1,336
  
Actuarial loss (gain)
    
974
      
(13,431
)
Benefit payments
    
(1,967
)
    
(1,743
)
Pension benefit obligation at end of year
    
40,198
      
38,717
  
                 
Change in Plan Assets
                
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year
    
55,807
      
65,584
  
Actual return on plan assets
    
8,058
      
(10,334
)
Employer contributions
    
1,680
      
2,300
  
Benefits paid
    
(1,967
)
    
(1,743
)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year
    
63,578
      
55,807
  
                 
Funded Status of Plans at End of Year
  
$
23,380
    
$
17,090
  

The accounting standards require that the funded status of defined benefit pension plans be fully recognized on the balance sheets.  They also call for the unrecognized actuarial gain or loss, the unrecognized prior service cost, and the unrecognized transition costs to be adjustments to shareholders’ equity (accumulated other comprehensive income).  Due to a rate order granted by the PPUC, the Company is permitted under the accounting standards to defer the charges otherwise recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income as a regulatory asset.  Management believes these costs will be recovered in future rates charged to customers.  The asset for the funded status of the Company’s pension plans as of  December 31, 2023 and 2022 is recorded in “Prepaid pension cost” on its balance sheets.

In 2023, the plans recognized a significant actuarial loss.  In 2023, the Company recognized a 25 basis point decrease in the discount rate. In 2022, the plans recognized a significant actuarial gain.  In 2022, the Company recognized a 235 basis point increase in the discount rate. The Company uses the corridor method to amortize actuarial gains and losses.  Gains and losses over 10% of the greater of pension benefit obligation or the market value of assets are amortized over the average future service of plan participants expected to receive benefits.
Changes in plan assets and benefit obligations recognized in regulatory liabilities are as follows:

 
2023
    
2022
  
Net loss (gain) arising during the year
  
$
(3,472
)
  
$
1,121
  
Recognized prior service credit
    
13
      
13
  
Total changes in regulatory asset (liability) during the year
  
$
(3,459
)
  
$
1,134
  

Amounts recognized in regulatory liabilities that have not yet been recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost consist of the following at December 31:

 
2023
    
2022
  
Net loss
  
$
(526
)
  
$
2,946
  
Prior service credit
    
(24
)
    
(37
)
Regulatory asset (liability)
  
$
(550
)
  
$
2,909
  

Components of net periodic benefit cost are as follows:

 
2023
    
2022
  
Service cost
  
$
598
    
$
1,025
  
Interest cost
    
1,876
      
1,336
  
Expected return on plan assets
    
(3,612
)
    
(4,218
)
Amortization of prior service credit
    
(13
)
    
(13
)
Rate-regulated adjustment
    
2,831
      
4,170
  
Net periodic benefit cost
  
$
1,680
    
$
2,300
  

Pension service cost is recorded in operating expenses.  All other components of net periodic pension cost are recorded as other pension costs in other income (expenses).

The rate-regulated adjustment set forth above is required in order to reflect pension expense for the Company in accordance with the method used in establishing water rates.  The Company is permitted by rate order of the PPUC to expense pension costs to the extent of contributions and defer any remaining expense to regulatory assets or recognize the excess as a regulatory liability to be collected in rates at a later date as additional contributions are made.  During 2023, the deferral decreased by $2,831.

The estimated costs for the defined benefit pension plans relating to the December 31, 2023 balance sheet that will be amortized from regulatory liabilities into net periodic benefit cost over the next fiscal year are as follows:

Net loss
  
$
–
  
Net prior service credit
    
(13
)
    $
(13
)

The Company plans to contribute $1,556 to the plans in 2024.

The following benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid in each of the next five years and the subsequent five years in the aggregate:

2024
  
2025
  
2026
  
2027
  
2028
  
2029–2033
$2,238
  
$2,231
  
$2,318
  
$2,358
  
$2,588
  
$13,698

The following tables show the projected benefit obligation, the accumulated benefit obligation, and the fair value of plan assets as of December 31:

 
2023
    
2022
  
Projected benefit obligation
  
$
40,198
    
$
38,717
  
Fair value of plan assets
    
63,578
      
55,807
  

 
2023
    
2022
  
Accumulated benefit obligation
  
$
38,510
    
$
37,040
  
Fair value of plan assets
    
63,578
      
55,807
  

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations at December 31:

2023
  
2022
  
Discount rate
4.75%
  
5.00%
  
Rate of compensation increase
2.50% – 3.00%
  
2.50% – 3.00%
  

Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost for years ended December 31:

2023
  
2022
  
Discount rate
5.00%
  
2.65%
  
Expected long-term return on plan assets
5.00%
  
6.50%
  
Rate of compensation increase
2.50% – 3.00%
  
2.50% – 3.00%
  

The selected long-term rate of return on plan assets was primarily based on the asset allocation of each of the plan’s assets.  Analysis of the historic returns of these asset classes and projections of expected future returns were considered in setting the long-term rate of return.

The Company adopted new investment policy statements in December 2023.  The investment objective of the Company’s defined benefit pension plans is to grow the assets in such a manner that, when coupled with contributions to the plans, the assets are sufficient to pay the benefits promised to the participants and beneficiaries as they come due.  At December 31, 2023, compliance with the new investment policy had only recently commenced implementation, resulting in a significant portion of the assets in cash and money market funds awaiting deployment to the asset classes defined in the investment policy statements.

The weighted-average target asset allocations are 70% to 90% fixed income securities, 10% to 30% equity securities, and 0% to 10% reserves (cash and cash equivalents).  The Company’s investment performance is reviewed on a quarterly basis, with long-term emphasis placed on results achieved over a three to five year period.

Eligible investments for fixed income securities include: (i) U.S. Treasury securities and agency securities; (ii) agency and non-agency mortgage-backed securities backed by loans secured by residential, multi-family and commercial properties including, but not limited to passthroughs, collateralized mortgage obligations, REMICs, project loans, construction loans, and adjustable rate mortgages; (iii) U.S.-dollar denominated obligations of foreign governments and supranational organizations; (iv) U.S.-dollar denominated obligations of domestic and foreign corporations; (v) asset-backed securities; (vi) municipal bonds, both taxable and tax-exempt issues; (vii) cash equivalent investments such as commercial paper, asset-backed commercial paper, certificates of deposit (domestic and U.S.-dollar denominated foreign,) bankers’ acceptances and floating rate notes; and (viii) fixed income mutual funds and exchange traded funds consistent with the investment guidelines. At the time of purchase, securities must be rated investment grade pursuant to the inclusion rules for a reference benchmark provider. Securities that are not index eligible must be rated investment grade by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization at the time of purchase.  The portfolio is allowed to hold up to 5% in aggregate market value of the portfolio in bonds downgraded below investment grade, provided that an overall investment grade rating is maintained for the total portfolio.

Direct exposure to the following strategies and types of securities is prohibited: oil and gas wells; interest only securities; warrants; principal only securities; margin trading; and inverse floating rate securities.

The fair values of the Company’s pension plan assets at December 31, 2023 and 2022 by asset category and fair value hierarchy level are as follows.  All of the valuations are based on quoted prices on active markets (Level 1).

 
Total
Fair
Value
    
Quoted Prices in
Active Markets for
Identical Assets
(Level 1)
  
Asset Category
  
2023
    
2022
    
2023
    
2022
  
Cash and Money Market Funds (a)
  
$
53,490
    
$
6,108
    
$
53,490
    
$
6,108
  
Equity Securities:
                                
Common Equity Securities (b)
     –       17,792       –       17,792  
Equity Mutual Funds (c)
    
10,065
      
13,542
      
10,065
      
13,542
  
Fixed Income Securities:
                                
Fixed Income Mutual Funds (d)
    
23
      
18,365
      
23
      
18,365
  
Total Plan Assets
  
$
63,578
    
$
55,807
    
$
63,578
    
$
55,807
  

(a)
The portfolios are designed to keep up to one year of distributions in immediately available funds. The Company was more heavily-weighted in cash as of December 31, 2023 due to the timing of the change in the investment policy statements and as of December 31, 2022 due to the timing of employer contributions and market volatility.

(b)
This category included investments in U.S. common stocks and foreign stocks trading in the U.S. widely distributed among consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, health care, industrials, information technology, materials, real estate, telecommunication, and utilities.

(c)
This category currently includes a majority of investments in exchange traded funds as well as domestic equity mutual funds and international mutual funds which give the portfolio exposure to mid and large cap index funds as well as international diversified index funds.

(d)
This category includes fixed income investments in mutual funds which include government and corporate securities of both the U.S. and other countries.  The non-U.S. corporate and sovereign investments add further diversity to the fixed income portion of the portfolio.

Defined Contribution Plan
The Company has a savings plan pursuant to the provisions of section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code.  For employees hired before May 1, 2010, this plan provides for elective employee contributions of up to 15% of compensation and Company matching contributions of 100% of the participant’s contribution, up to a maximum annual Company contribution of $2.8 for each employee.

Employees hired after May 1, 2010 are entitled to an enhanced feature of the plan.  This feature provides for elective employee contributions of up to 15% of compensation and Company matching contributions of 100% of the participant’s contribution, up to a maximum of 4% of the employee’s compensation.  In addition, the Company will make an annual contribution of $1.2 to each employee’s account whether or not they defer their own compensation.  Employees eligible for this enhanced 401(k) plan feature are not eligible for the defined benefit plans.  As of December 31, 2023, 76 employees were participating in the enhanced feature of the plan.  The Company’s contributions to both portions of the plan amounted to $380 in 2023 and $345 in 2022.

Deferred Compensation
The Company has non-qualified deferred compensation and supplemental retirement agreements with certain members of management. The future commitments under these arrangements are offset by corporate-owned life insurance policies. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the present value of the future obligations included in “Accrued compensation and benefits” and “Deferred employee benefits” was approximately $4,188 and $4,067, respectively. The insurance policies included in “Other assets” had a total cash value of approximately $4,566 and $4,306 at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.  The Company’s net (income) expenses under the plans amounted to $419 in 2023 and $(385) in 2022.

Other
The Company has a retiree life insurance program which pays the beneficiary of a retiree $2 upon the retiree’s death.  At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the present value of the future obligations was approximately $100 and $91, respectively.  There is no trust or insurance covering this future liability, instead the Company will pay these benefits out of its general assets.  The Company’s net (income) expenses under the plan amounted to $9 in 2023 and $(58) in 2022.