v3.25.2
Regulatory Matters
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Regulatory Assets and Liabilities, Other Disclosure [Abstract]  
Regulatory Matters Regulatory Matters
New York Jurisdiction
    
    Distribution Corporation's current delivery rates in its New York jurisdiction were approved by the NYPSC in an order issued on December 19, 2024 with rates effective January 1, 2025 (“2024 Rate Order”). The 2024 Rate Order authorizes a three-year rate plan effective October 1, 2024, with a make-whole provision allowing full recovery of revenues that would have been billed at the new rates between October 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024. It also reflects a return on equity of 9.7% and authorizes a revenue requirement increase of $57.3 million in fiscal 2025, an additional revenue requirement increase of $15.8 million in fiscal 2026, and an additional revenue requirement increase of $12.7 million in fiscal 2027. The revenue requirement for each year of the three-year plan has been reduced by $14 million for actuarial projections of income that is
expected to be recognized for qualified pension and other post-retirement benefits. Qualified pension and other post-retirement benefit income or costs are matched with amounts included in revenue resulting in zero impact to earnings. The 2024 Rate Order approves the continuation of several ratemaking mechanisms, including revenue decoupling and WNA, and establishes a number of new cost trackers and regulatory deferrals. It also includes an earnings sharing mechanism, gas safety and customer service performance metrics (including maintaining the Company’s leak prone pipe replacement program), and provisions that will facilitate achievement of the emissions reduction goals of the CLCPA.

Pennsylvania Jurisdiction

    Distribution Corporation’s current delivery rates in its Pennsylvania jurisdiction were approved by the PaPUC in an order issued on June 15, 2023 with rates effective August 1, 2023 (“2023 Rate Order”). The 2023 Rate Order provided for, among other things, an increase in Distribution Corporation’s annual base rate operating revenues of $23 million and authorized a new weather normalization adjustment mechanism.

    On April 10, 2024, Distribution Corporation filed with the PaPUC a petition for approval of a distribution system improvement charge (“DSIC”) to recover, between base rate cases, capital expenses related to eligible property constructed or installed to rehabilitate, improve and replace portions of the Company’s natural gas distribution system. The DSIC petition was approved by the PaPUC on December 5, 2024, and on January 1, 2025, the Company initiated recovery of eligible costs on incremental rate base added after September 30, 2024. During the quarters ended March 31, 2025 and June 30, 2025, Distribution Corporation recovered $0.2 million and $0.3 million, respectively, from customers.

FERC Jurisdiction

    Supply Corporation’s rate settlement, approved June 11, 2024, provides that Supply Corporation may make a rate filing for new rates to be effective at any time. As well, any party can make a filing under NGA Section 5. Supply Corporation has no rate case currently on file.

    On March 17, 2025, FERC approved an amendment to Empire's 2019 rate case settlement, which provides for a modest reduction in Empire’s transportation unit rates, effective November 1, 2025. This settlement amendment is estimated to decrease Empire's revenues on a yearly basis by approximately $0.5 million. As well, the revenue sharing mechanism under the 2019 rate case settlement was adjusted and Empire committed to undertake greenhouse gas and reliability reporting. Empire will not be able to file a new Section 4 rate case before April 30, 2027 and is required to file a Section 4 rate case by May 31, 2031.