Public Service Company of Colorado, a major supplier of natural gas and electricity in Colorado, included the following amounts in its 1993 balance sheet

(dollars in thousands):

1993 1992 Deferred Charges Employees’ postretirement benefits, other than pensions (Note 10) $ 25,855 —

Pension benefits (Note 10) 23,149 $ 15,629 Noncurrent Liabilities Defueling and decommissioning liability (Note 2) 140,008 140,008 Employees’ postretirement benefits, other than pensions (Note 10) 42,878 43,078 Part I Required

a. Describe each of the items excerpted from Public Service’s balance sheet.

b. Why did Public Service show $25,855,000 of deferred charges for employees’ postretirement benefits in 1993, but none in 1992?

c. Why do you suppose that Public Service’s liability for defueling and decommissioning did not change during 1993?

d. Why did Public Service’s deferred charges for pension benefits increase significantly in 1993?