Rates and Other Regulatory Activities	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Regulated Operations [Abstract]
Rates and Other Regulatory Activities	Rates and Other Regulatory Activities Our natural gas and electric distribution operations in Delaware, Maryland and Florida are subject to regulation by their respective PSC; Eastern Shore, our natural gas transmission subsidiary, is subject to regulation by the FERC; and Peninsula Pipeline, our intrastate pipeline subsidiary, is subject to regulation by the Florida PSC. Chesapeake Utilities' Florida natural gas distribution division and FPU’s natural gas and electric distribution operations continue to be subject to regulation by the Florida PSC as separate entities. Delaware Rate Case Filing: In December 2015, our Delaware Division filed an application with the Delaware PSC for a base rate increase and certain other changes to its tariff. The Delaware Division, Delaware PSC Staff, the Division of the Public Advocate and other intervenors met and reached a settlement agreement in November 2016. The terms of the settlement agreement included an annual increase of $2.25 million in base rates. The order became final in December 2016, and the new rates became effective January 1, 2017. Amounts collected through interim rates in excess of the respective portion of the $2.25 million increase through December 31, 2016 were accrued as of that date. In January 2017, we filed our proposed refund plan with the Delaware PSC and subsequently issued refunds to customers in March 2017. Florida Cost Recovery for the Electric Interconnect Project: In September 2015, FPU’s electric division filed to recover the cost of the proposed Florida Power & Light Company interconnect project through FPU's annual Fuel and Purchased Power Cost Recovery Clause filing. The interconnect project would enable FPU's electric division to negotiate a new power purchase agreement to mitigate fuel costs for its Northeast division. FPU's proposal was approved by the Florida PSC at its Agenda Conference held in December 2015. In January 2016, however, the Office of Public Counsel filed an appeal of the Florida PSC's decision with the Florida Supreme Court. In March 2017, after consideration of the legal briefs filed and oral arguments held in the proceeding, the Supreme Court reversed the Florida PSC decision. As a result, FPU will exclude the recovery of these costs from its 2018 Fuel and Purchased Power Cost Recovery Clause filing. Surcharge Associated with Modernization of Electric Distribution System Project: In February 2017, FPU’s electric division filed a petition with the Florida PSC requesting a temporary surcharge mechanism to recover costs and generate an appropriate return on investment associated with an essential reliability and modernization project for its electric distribution system. We requested approval to invest approximately $59.8 million over a five-year period associated with this project. In February 2017, the Office of Public Counsel intervened in this petition. The Florida PSC requested that FPU file a limited proceeding to include these investments in base rates instead of seeking approval of a temporary surcharge. In April 2017, FPU voluntarily withdrew its petition. FPU will prepare and file a limited proceeding, as recommended by the Florida PSC, before the end of 2017. Eastern Shore White Oak Mainline Expansion Project: In November 2014, Eastern Shore submitted an application to the FERC seeking authorization to construct, own and operate certain expansion facilities designed to provide 45,000 Dts/d of firm transportation service to an electric power generator in Kent County, Delaware. Eastern Shore proposed to construct approximately 7.2 miles of 16-inch diameter pipeline looping in Chester County, Pennsylvania and add additional compression capability at Eastern Shore’s existing Delaware City compressor station in New Castle County, Delaware. In November 2015, Eastern Shore filed an amendment to this application, which indicated the preferred pipeline route and shortened the total miles of the proposed pipeline to 5.4 miles. In July 2016, the FERC authorized Eastern Shore to construct and operate the proposed White Oak Mainline Project. The FERC denied Eastern Shore’s request for a pre-determination of rolled-in rate treatment in the certificate proceeding. However, FERC’s determination does not prevent Eastern Shore from proposing rolled-in rate treatment of these project facilities in a future general rate case. In August 2016, the FERC issued a “Notice to Proceed,” and Eastern Shore commenced construction. Upon receiving the FERC's approval in December 2016, the Daleville and Kemblesville Loops commenced operation. Upon receiving the FERC's approval, the Delaware City Compressor Station commenced service in March 2017. As of the end of March 2017, the entire project was placed into service. The total cost to complete the project is approximately $41.0 million. System Reliability Project: In May 2015, Eastern Shore submitted an application to the FERC seeking authorization to construct, own and operate approximately 10.1 miles of 16-inch pipeline looping and auxiliary facilities in New Castle and Kent Counties, Delaware, and a new compressor at its existing Bridgeville compressor station in Sussex County, Delaware. Eastern Shore further proposed to reinforce critical points on its pipeline system. Since the project is intended to improve system reliability, Eastern Shore requested a predetermination of rolled-in rate treatment for the costs of the project. In July 2016, the FERC ordered that Eastern Shore’s request for a determination of rolled-in rate treatment may be addressed in its next base rate proceeding and required Eastern Shore to comply with 19 environmental conditions. In September 2016, the FERC granted approval to start construction on all phases of the project. Construction commenced on the Bridgeville Compressor Station and the Porter Road Loop in August 2016 and on the Dover Loop in September 2016. In December 2016, Eastern Shore filed a request to place into service the pipeline looping located in New Castle County, Delaware. The FERC granted approval to place the Porter Road Loop into service in December 2016. The remaining components of the project, the Bridgeville Compressor Station and the Dover Loop, are anticipated to be completed by the end of May 2017. Eastern Shore continues to file weekly status reports with the FERC in compliance with the environmental conditions. The estimated cost of the project is approximately $37.0 million. We expect that we will begin to recover the project's costs in August 2017, coinciding with the proposed effectiveness of new rates, subject to refund pending final resolution of the base rate case. 2017 Expansion Project: In May 2016, Eastern Shore submitted a request to the FERC to initiate the pre-filing review procedures for Eastern Shore's 2017 expansion project. The project's facilities include approximately 23 miles of pipeline looping in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware; upgrades to existing metering facilities in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; installation of an additional compressor unit at Eastern Shore’s existing Daleville compressor station in Chester County, Pennsylvania; and approximately 17 miles of new mainline extension and two pressure control stations in Sussex County, Delaware. In May 2016, the FERC approved Eastern Shore’s request to commence the pre-filing review process. Eastern Shore entered into Precedent Agreements with four existing customers as well as Chesapeake affiliates, for a total of 61,162 Dts/d of additional firm natural gas transportation service on Eastern Shore’s pipeline system with an additional 52,500 Dts/d of firm transportation service at certain Eastern Shore receipt facilities. In December 2016, Eastern Shore submitted an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity seeking authorization to construct the expansion facilities. Six of Eastern Shore's existing customers timely intervened to become parties to the docket. In February 2017, Eastern Shore submitted responses to the FERC staff's data requests. The FERC has scheduled issuance of the environmental assessment for this project in May 2017, with approval of the project anticipated in August 2017. The estimated cost of this expansion project is $98.6 million. 2017 Rate Case Filing: In January 2017, Eastern Shore filed a base rate proceeding with the FERC, as required by the terms of its 2012 rate case settlement agreement. Eastern Shore's proposed rates are based on the mainline cost of service of approximately $60.0 million resulting in an overall requested revenue increase of approximately $18.9 million and a requested rate of return on common equity of 13.75 percent. The filing includes incremental rates for the White Oak Mainline Expansion and Lateral projects, each of which benefits a single customer. Eastern Shore is also proposing to revise its depreciation rates and negative salvage rate based on the results of independent, third-party depreciation and negative salvage value studies. The FERC issued a notice of the filing in January 2017, and the comment period ended in February 2017. Fourteen parties intervened in the proceeding with six of those parties filing protests to various aspects of the filing. New rates were proposed to be effective on March 1, 2017; however, the FERC issued an order suspending the tariff rates for the usual five-month period. Accordingly, the new rates are to become effective, subject to refund, on August 1, 2017.

Rates and Other Regulatory Activities

Our natural gas and electric distribution operations in Delaware, Maryland and Florida are subject to regulation by their respective PSC; Eastern Shore, our natural gas transmission subsidiary, is subject to regulation by the FERC; and Peninsula Pipeline, our intrastate pipeline subsidiary, is subject to regulation by the Florida PSC. Chesapeake Utilities' Florida natural gas distribution division and FPU’s natural gas and electric distribution operations continue to be subject to regulation by the Florida PSC as separate entities.

Delaware

Rate Case Filing: In December 2015, our Delaware Division filed an application with the Delaware PSC for a base rate increase and certain other changes to its tariff. The Delaware Division, Delaware PSC Staff, the Division of the Public Advocate and other intervenors met and reached a settlement agreement in November 2016. The terms of the settlement agreement included an annual increase of $2.25 million in base rates. The order became final in December 2016, and the new rates became effective January 1, 2017. Amounts collected through interim rates in excess of the respective portion of the $2.25 million increase through December 31, 2016 were accrued as of that date. In January 2017, we filed our proposed refund plan with the Delaware PSC and subsequently issued refunds to customers in March 2017.

Florida

Cost Recovery for the Electric Interconnect Project: In September 2015, FPU’s electric division filed to recover the cost of the proposed Florida Power & Light Company interconnect project through FPU's annual Fuel and Purchased Power Cost Recovery Clause filing. The interconnect project would enable FPU's electric division to negotiate a new power purchase agreement to mitigate fuel costs for its Northeast division. FPU's proposal was approved by the Florida PSC at its Agenda Conference held in December 2015. In January 2016, however, the Office of Public Counsel filed an appeal of the Florida PSC's decision with the Florida Supreme Court. In March 2017, after consideration of the legal briefs filed and oral arguments held in the proceeding, the Supreme Court reversed the Florida PSC decision. As a result, FPU will exclude the recovery of these costs from its 2018 Fuel and Purchased Power Cost Recovery Clause filing.

Surcharge Associated with Modernization of Electric Distribution System Project: In February 2017, FPU’s electric division filed a petition with the Florida PSC requesting a temporary surcharge mechanism to recover costs and generate an appropriate return on investment associated with an essential reliability and modernization project for its electric distribution system. We requested approval to invest approximately $59.8 million over a five-year period associated with this project. In February 2017, the Office of Public Counsel intervened in this petition. The Florida PSC requested that FPU file a limited proceeding to include these investments in base rates instead of seeking approval of a temporary surcharge. In April 2017, FPU voluntarily withdrew its petition. FPU will prepare and file a limited proceeding, as recommended by the Florida PSC, before the end of 2017.

Eastern Shore

White Oak Mainline Expansion Project: In November 2014, Eastern Shore submitted an application to the FERC seeking authorization to construct, own and operate certain expansion facilities designed to provide 45,000 Dts/d of firm transportation service to an electric power generator in Kent County, Delaware. Eastern Shore proposed to construct approximately 7.2 miles of 16-inch diameter pipeline looping in Chester County, Pennsylvania and add additional compression capability at Eastern Shore’s existing Delaware City compressor station in New Castle County, Delaware. In November 2015, Eastern Shore filed an amendment to this application, which indicated the preferred pipeline route and shortened the total miles of the proposed pipeline to 5.4 miles.

In July 2016, the FERC authorized Eastern Shore to construct and operate the proposed White Oak Mainline Project. The FERC denied Eastern Shore’s request for a pre-determination of rolled-in rate treatment in the certificate proceeding. However, FERC’s determination does not prevent Eastern Shore from proposing rolled-in rate treatment of these project facilities in a future general rate case. In August 2016, the FERC issued a “Notice to Proceed,” and Eastern Shore commenced construction.

Upon receiving the FERC's approval in December 2016, the Daleville and Kemblesville Loops commenced operation. Upon receiving the FERC's approval, the Delaware City Compressor Station commenced service in March 2017. As of the end of March 2017, the entire project was placed into service. The total cost to complete the project is approximately $41.0 million.

System Reliability Project: In May 2015, Eastern Shore submitted an application to the FERC seeking authorization to construct, own and operate approximately 10.1 miles of 16-inch pipeline looping and auxiliary facilities in New Castle and Kent Counties, Delaware, and a new compressor at its existing Bridgeville compressor station in Sussex County, Delaware. Eastern Shore further proposed to reinforce critical points on its pipeline system. Since the project is intended to improve system reliability, Eastern Shore requested a predetermination of rolled-in rate treatment for the costs of the project. In July 2016, the FERC ordered that Eastern Shore’s request for a determination of rolled-in rate treatment may be addressed in its next base rate proceeding and required Eastern Shore to comply with 19 environmental conditions.

In September 2016, the FERC granted approval to start construction on all phases of the project. Construction commenced on the Bridgeville Compressor Station and the Porter Road Loop in August 2016 and on the Dover Loop in September 2016. In December 2016, Eastern Shore filed a request to place into service the pipeline looping located in New Castle County, Delaware. The FERC granted approval to place the Porter Road Loop into service in December 2016. The remaining components of the project, the Bridgeville Compressor Station and the Dover Loop, are anticipated to be completed by the end of May 2017. Eastern Shore continues to file weekly status reports with the FERC in compliance with the environmental conditions. The estimated cost of the project is approximately $37.0 million. We expect that we will begin to recover the project's costs in August 2017, coinciding with the proposed effectiveness of new rates, subject to refund pending final resolution of the base rate case.

2017 Expansion Project: In May 2016, Eastern Shore submitted a request to the FERC to initiate the pre-filing review procedures for Eastern Shore's 2017 expansion project. The project's facilities include approximately 23 miles of pipeline looping in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware; upgrades to existing metering facilities in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; installation of an additional compressor unit at Eastern Shore’s existing Daleville compressor station in Chester County, Pennsylvania; and approximately 17 miles of new mainline extension and two pressure control stations in Sussex County, Delaware. In May 2016, the FERC approved Eastern Shore’s request to commence the pre-filing review process. Eastern Shore entered into Precedent Agreements with four existing customers as well as Chesapeake affiliates, for a total of 61,162 Dts/d of additional firm natural gas transportation service on Eastern Shore’s pipeline system with an additional 52,500 Dts/d of firm transportation service at certain Eastern Shore receipt facilities.

In December 2016, Eastern Shore submitted an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity seeking authorization to construct the expansion facilities. Six of Eastern Shore's existing customers timely intervened to become parties to the docket. In February 2017, Eastern Shore submitted responses to the FERC staff's data requests. The FERC has scheduled issuance of the environmental assessment for this project in May 2017, with approval of the project anticipated in August 2017. The estimated cost of this expansion project is $98.6 million.

2017 Rate Case Filing: In January 2017, Eastern Shore filed a base rate proceeding with the FERC, as required by the terms of its 2012 rate case settlement agreement. Eastern Shore's proposed rates are based on the mainline cost of service of approximately $60.0 million resulting in an overall requested revenue increase of approximately $18.9 million and a requested rate of return on common equity of 13.75 percent. The filing includes incremental rates for the White Oak Mainline Expansion and Lateral projects, each of which benefits a single customer. Eastern Shore is also proposing to revise its depreciation rates and negative salvage rate based on the results of independent, third-party depreciation and negative salvage value studies. The FERC issued a notice of the filing in January 2017, and the comment period ended in February 2017. Fourteen parties intervened in the proceeding with six of those parties filing protests to various aspects of the filing. New rates were proposed to be effective on March 1, 2017; however, the FERC issued an order suspending the tariff rates for the usual five-month period. Accordingly, the new rates are to become effective, subject to refund, on August 1, 2017.