XML 25 R14.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.22.2.2
Rates and Other Regulatory Activities
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Regulated Operations [Abstract]  
Public Utilities Disclosure [Text Block] 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 and Aspire Energy Express, our intrastate pipeline subsidiaries, are subject to regulation (excluding cost of service) by the Florida PSC and Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, respectively.

Delaware

See the discussion below under COVID-19 impact.
Maryland

Customer Information System Regulatory Asset Petition: In July 2022, we filed a joint petition for our natural gas divisions in Maryland (Maryland Division, Sandpiper, and Elkton Gas) for the approval to establish a regulatory asset for non-capitalizable expenses related to the set-up and implementation of the Company’s new Customer Information System ("CIS") system. The petition was approved by the Maryland PSC in August 2022. A similar petition for our Florida Regulated Energy business units was filed during the same time frame and has not yet been scheduled on the Florida PSC Agenda. The Delaware Division has previously received approval for this accounting treatment. We have evaluated and selected the CIS with implementation which is anticipated to begin during the first quarter of 2023 and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025.

Ocean City Maryland Reinforcement: In March 2022, we filed a Section 7(f) - Request for Service Area Determination with the FERC regarding plans to extend our natural gas facilities across the Delaware/Maryland state line from Sussex County, Delaware, to Worcester County, Maryland, to provide a secondary feed to Sandpiper Energy. The FERC approved the Section 7(f) request on August 29, 2022. The project will increase the reliability of the existing distribution system in those areas while also expanding infrastructure to serve new customers. Construction has been initiated with estimated completion in late 2022 or early 2023.

Strategic Infrastructure Development and Enhancement (“STRIDE”) Plan: In March 2021, Elkton Gas filed a STRIDE plan with the Maryland PSC. The STRIDE plan accelerates Elkton Gas' Aldyl-A pipeline replacement program as costs of the plan are recovered through a fixed charge rider which is effective for five years. Under the Elkton Gas STRIDE plan, the Aldyl-A pipelines will be fully replaced by the end of 2023. In July 2021, Elkton Gas reached a settlement with the Maryland PSC Staff and the Maryland Office of Public Counsel that approved the Elkton Gas STRIDE plan. This plan allows for recovery of the associated revenue requirement through a monthly surcharge, which was implemented effective September 2021. We filed the annual STRIDE plan update with the Maryland PSC on November 1, 2021, which was approved for new rates effective January 1, 2022.

Florida

Wildlight Expansion: In August 2022, Peninsula Pipeline and FPU filed a joint petition with the Florida PSC for approval of the Transportation Service Agreement between the parties associated with the Wildlight Expansion project. The Wildlight Expansion project will further enable us to meet the significant growing demand for service in Yulee, Florida. The Agreement and project have been structured to allow us to build the project alongside the construction and development of the area, and charge the reservation rate as each phase of the project goes into service. The Agreement reflects the construction of pipeline facilities in two separate phases. Phase one will consist of three extensions with associated facilities, and a gas injection interconnect with associated facilities. Phase two will consist of two additional pipeline extensions. The various phases of the project are anticipated to be placed in service beginning in the first quarter of 2023, with construction on the overall project continuing through 2025. We anticipate that the Agreement will be included on the November 2022 Florida PSC agenda.

Natural Gas Rate Case: In May 2022, our natural gas distribution businesses in Florida, FPU, FPU-Indiantown division, FPU-Fort Meade division and Chesapeake Utilities CFG division (collectively, “Florida natural gas distribution businesses”) filed a consolidated natural gas rate case with the Florida PSC. In connection with the application, we are seeking approval of the following: (i) interim rate relief of approximately $7.2 million, subject to refund, pending the outcome of the rate case proceeding; (ii) permanent rate relief of approximately $24.1 million, effective January 1, 2023, (iii) a depreciation study also submitted with filing; (iv) authorization to make certain changes to tariffs to include the consolidation of rates and rate structure across the businesses and to unify the Florida natural gas distribution businesses under FPU; (v) authorization to retain the acquisition adjustment recorded at the time of the FPU merger in our revenue requirement; and (vi) authorization to establish an environmental remediation surcharge for the purposes of addressing future expected remediation costs for FPU MGP sites. In August 2022, interim rates were approved by the Florida PSC in the amount of approximately $7.7 million on an annualized basis, effective for all meter readings in September 2022. The interim rates are subject to refund pending the final outcome of the rate case proceeding. The discovery process concluded in early October 2022 and the hearings for the proceeding were held later in the month. Briefs for the proceeding will be due in late November 2022. The outcome of the application is subject to review and approval by the Florida PSC.

Winter Haven Expansion Project: In May 2021, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement with CFG for an incremental 6,800 Dts/d of firm service in the Winter Haven, Florida area. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline constructed a new interconnect with FGT and a new
regulator station for CFG. This additional firm service is supporting new incremental load due to growth, including providing service to a new can manufacturing facility, as well as providing reliability and operational benefits to CFG’s existing distribution system in the area. In connection with Peninsula Pipeline’s new regulator station, CFG also extended its distribution system to connect to the new station. The Transportation Service Agreement was approved by the Florida PSC in September 2021 and the project was placed in service during the third quarter of 2022.

Beachside Pipeline Extension: In June 2021, Peninsula Pipeline and Florida City Gas entered into a Transportation Service Agreement for an incremental 10,176 Dts/d of firm service in Indian River County, Florida, to support Florida City Gas’ growth along the Indian River's barrier island. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline will construct 11.3 miles of pipeline from its existing pipeline in the Sebastian, Florida area, which will travel east under the Intercoastal Waterway ("ICW") and southward on the barrier island. As required by Peninsula Pipeline’s tariff and Florida Statutes, Peninsula Pipeline filed the required company and customer affidavits with the Florida PSC in June 2021. Construction commenced in June 2021 and the expected in-service date is during the first quarter of 2023.

St.Cloud / Twin Lakes Expansion: In July 2022, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement with our Florida natural gas division, FPU, for an additional 2,400 Dt/d of firm service in the St. Cloud, Florida area. As part of this agreement, Peninsula Pipeline will construct a pipeline extension and regulator station for FPU. The extension will be used to support new incremental load due to growth in the area, including providing service, most immediately, to the residential development, Twin Lakes. The expansion will also improve reliability and provide operational benefits to FPU's existing distribution system in the area, supporting future growth. The petition was approved by the Florida PSC on October 4, 2022. We expect this expansion to be in service by the second quarter of 2023.

Storm Protection Plan: In 2020, the Florida PSC implemented the Storm Protection Plan ("SPP") and Storm Protection Plan Cost Recovery Clause ("SPPCRC") rules, which require electric utilities to petition the Florida PSC for approval of a Transmission and Distribution Storm Protection Plan that covers the utility’s immediate 10-year planning period with updates to the plan at least every 3 years. The SPPCRC rules allow the utility to file for recovery of associated costs related to its SPP. Our Florida electric distribution operation’s SPP plan was filed in April 2022, and hearings were held in August 2022. The SPP was approved with modifications by the Florida PSC on October 4, 2022. The SPPCRC was filed in May 2022 with requested rates effective January 1, 2023. The SPPCRC hearing is scheduled for November 2022.

Eastern Shore

Southern Expansion Project: In January 2022, Eastern Shore submitted a prior notice filing with the FERC pursuant to blanket certificate procedures, regarding its proposal to install an additional compressor unit and related facilities at Eastern Shore's existing compressor station in Bridgeville, Sussex County, Delaware. The project will enable Eastern Shore to provide additional firm natural gas transportation service to an existing shipper on Eastern Shore's pipeline system, with a projected in-service date in the fourth quarter of 2023. We are currently awaiting an order from the FERC on this filing.

Capital Cost Surcharge: In June 2021, Eastern Shore submitted a filing with the FERC regarding a capital cost surcharge to recover capital costs associated with two mandated highway relocation projects that required the replacement of existing Eastern Shore facilities. The capital cost surcharge was an approved item in Eastern Shore’s last rate case. In conjunction with the filing of this surcharge, pursuant to the settlement agreement, a cumulative adjustment to the existing surcharge to reflect additional depreciation was included in this filing. The FERC issued an order approving the surcharge as filed on July 7, 2021. The combined revised surcharge became effective July 15, 2021.

COVID-19 Impact

In March 2020, the CDC declared a national emergency due to the rapidly growing outbreak of COVID-19. In response to this declaration and the rapid spread of COVID-19 within the United States, federal, state and local governments throughout the country imposed varying degrees of restrictions on social and commercial activity to promote social distancing in an effort to slow the spread of the illness. These restrictions significantly impacted economic conditions in the United States in 2020 and continued to impact economic conditions, to a lesser extent, through 2021 and 2022. Chesapeake Utilities is considered an “essential business,” which allowed us to continue operational activities and construction projects with appropriate safety precautions and personal protective equipment, while being mindful of the social distancing restrictions that were in place.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, we experienced reduced consumption of energy largely in the commercial and industrial sectors, higher bad debt expenses and incremental expenses associated with COVID-19, including expenditures associated with personal protective equipment and premium pay for field personnel. The additional operating expenses we incurred supported the ongoing delivery of our essential services during these unprecedented times. In April and May 2020, we were authorized by the Maryland and Delaware PSCs, respectively, to record regulatory assets for COVID-19 related costs which offered us the ability to seek recovery of those costs. In July 2021, the Florida PSC issued an order that approved incremental expenses we incurred due to COVID-19. The order allowed us to establish a regulatory asset in a total amount of $2.1 million as of June 30, 2021 for natural gas and electric distribution operations. The regulatory asset is being amortized over two years and is recovered through the Purchased Gas Adjustment and Swing Service mechanisms for our natural gas distribution businesses and through the Fuel Purchased Power Cost Recovery clause for our electric division. As of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021, our total COVID-19 regulatory asset balance was $1.5 million and $2.3 million, respectively.

In 2021 and 2022, restrictions were gradually lifted as vaccines became widely available in the United States. The various state of emergencies associated with the COVID-19 pandemic that were previously declared in our service territories have been terminated and we have adjusted our operating practices accordingly to ensure the safety of our operations and will take the necessary actions to comply with the CDC, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, as new developments occur.

Summary TCJA Table
Customer rates for our regulated businesses were adjusted as approved by the regulators, prior to 2020 with the exception of Elkton Gas; which implemented a one-time bill credit in May 2020. The following table summarizes the regulatory liabilities related to accumulated deferred taxes ("ADIT") associated with TCJA for our regulated businesses as of September 30, 2022 and December 31, 2021:

Amount (in thousands)
Operation and Regulatory JurisdictionSeptember 30, 2022December 31, 2021Status
Eastern Shore (FERC)$34,190$34,190Will be addressed in Eastern Shore's next rate case filing.
Chesapeake Delaware natural gas division (Delaware PSC)$12,469$12,591PSC approved amortization of ADIT in January 2019.
Chesapeake Maryland natural gas division (Maryland PSC)$3,737$3,840PSC approved amortization of ADIT in May 2018.
Sandpiper Energy (Maryland PSC)$3,612$3,656PSC approved amortization of ADIT in May 2018.
Chesapeake Florida natural gas division/CFG (Florida PSC)$7,892$8,032PSC issued order authorizing amortization and retention of net ADIT liability by the Company in February 2019.
FPU natural gas (excludes Fort Meade and Indiantown) (Florida PSC)$19,029$19,189Same treatment on a net basis as Chesapeake Florida Gas Division (above).
FPU Fort Meade and Indiantown natural gas divisions (Florida PSC)$262$271Same treatment on a net basis as Chesapeake Florida Gas Division (above).
FPU electric division (Florida PSC)$5,054$5,237In January 2019, PSC issued order approving amortization of ADIT through purchased power cost recovery, storm reserve and rates.
Elkton Gas (Maryland PSC)$1,066$1,091PSC approved amortization of ADIT in March 2018.