| **Segment Information (Company's Segment Information, Continuing Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands** | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------|----------------|
||
| **Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]**                                                                    |           |           |   |   |
| Operating revenues                                                                                                | $ 203,418      | $ 203,876      | $ 391,205 | $ 396,483 |
| Operations and maintenance expense                                                                                | 70,853         | 73,994         | 139,981 | 147,535 |
| Depreciation                                                                                                      | 33,407         | 31,619         | 67,244 | 63,764 |
| Operating income                                                                                                  | 84,612         | 83,493         | 154,508 | 155,824 |
| Interest expense, net                                                                                             | 21,387         | 20,115         | 42,713 | 39,968 |
| Allowance for funds used during construction                                                                      | 3,463          | 1,871          | 6,656 | 4,179 |
| Income tax expense (benefit)                                                                                      | 5,569          | 5,515          | 8,499 | 8,522 |
| Net income (loss)                                                                                                 | 60,968         | 59,626         | 110,040 | 111,363 |
| Capital expenditures                                                                                              |           |           | 208,472 | 168,587 |
| Regulated [Member]                                                                                                |           |           |   |   |
| **Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]**                                                                    |           |           |   |   |
| Operating revenues                                                                                                | 201,960        | 198,086        | 388,309 | 384,092 |
| Operations and maintenance expense                                                                                | 72,560         | 69,676         | 140,070 | 137,001 |
| Depreciation                                                                                                      | 34,141         | 32,214         | 67,807 | 64,420 |
| Operating income                                                                                                  | 81,152         | 82,018         | 152,219 | 154,868 |
| Interest expense, net                                                                                             | 19,747         | 19,093         | 39,524 | 37,894 |
| Allowance for funds used during construction                                                                      | 3,463          | 1,871          | 6,656 | 4,179 |
| Income tax expense (benefit)                                                                                      | 5,249          | 5,910          | 9,105 | 9,583 |
| Net income (loss)                                                                                                 | 59,629         | 59,004         | 110,525 | 111,898 |
| Capital expenditures                                                                                              |           |           | 208,174 | 167,900 |
| Other [Member]                                                                                                    |           |           |   |   |
| **Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]**                                                                    |           |           |   |   |
| Operating revenues                                                                                                | 1,458          | 5,790          | 2,896 | 12,391 |
| Operations and maintenance expense                                                                                | (1,707)        | 4,318          | (89) | 10,534 |
| Depreciation                                                                                                      | (734)          | (595)          | (563) | (656) |
| Operating income                                                                                                  | 3,460          | 1,475          | 2,289 | 956 |
| Interest expense, net                                                                                             | 1,640          | 1,022          | 3,189 | 2,074 |
| Allowance for funds used during construction                                                                      |                |                |  |  |
| Income tax expense (benefit)                                                                                      | 320            | (395)          | (606) | (1,061) |
| Net income (loss)                                                                                                 | $ 1,339        | $ 622          | (485) | (535) |
| Capital expenditures                                                                                              |           |           | $ 298 | $ 687 |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation.
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|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.
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|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.
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|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.
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No definition available.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
The cash outflow associated with the acquisition of long-lived, physical assets that are used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services and not intended for resale; includes cash outflows to pay for construction of self-constructed assets.
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|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Total increase in earnings in the period representing the cost of equity (based on assumed rate of return) and/or borrowed funds (based on interest rate) used to finance construction of regulated assets, which is expected to be recovered through rate adjustments.
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|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).
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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount of operating expense for routine plant maintenance, repairs and operations of regulated operation.
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| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Interest expense, net of AFUDC which represents capitalized costs used to finance the construction of utility plants.
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No definition available.
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