Rates and Other Regulatory Activities |
3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2026 | |
| 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 Delaware Natural Gas Rate Case: In August 2024, our Delaware natural gas division filed an application for a natural gas rate case with the Delaware PSC. In connection with the application we sought approval of the following: (i) permanent rate relief of approximately $12.1 million with a ROE of 11.5 percent; (ii) proposed changes to depreciation rates which were part of a depreciation study also submitted with the filing; and (iii) authorization to make certain changes to tariffs. Annualized interim rates were approved by the Delaware PSC in the amount of $2.5 million and became effective in October 2024. A settlement among all interested parties was reached and approved by the Delaware PSC in June 2025 providing an annual revenue increase of $6.1 million, as well as dividing the rate case into two phases. Rates set to recover the approved components of the increase were effective in March 2025 and approved tariff-related changes including rate design were effective as of October 15, 2025. Maryland Maryland Natural Gas Rate Case: In January 2024, our natural gas distribution businesses in Maryland, CUC-Maryland Division, Sandpiper Energy, Inc., and Elkton Gas Company (collectively, the “Maryland natural gas distribution businesses”), filed a joint application for a natural gas rate case with the Maryland PSC. In connection with the application, we sought approval of the following: (i) permanent rate relief of approximately $6.9 million with a ROE of 11.5 percent; (ii) authorization to make certain changes to tariffs to include a unified rate structure and to consolidate the Maryland natural gas distribution businesses; and (iii) authorization to establish a rider for recovery of the costs associated with our new technology systems. In September 2024, the Maryland Public Utility Judge approved a $2.6 million increase in annual base rates, which was followed by the Company submitting a Phase II filing in November 2024 to determine rate design across the Maryland natural gas distribution businesses, consolidation of the applicable tariffs and recovery of technology costs. In March 2025 the Phase II was approved, including an additional $0.9 million in revenue requirement, for a total cumulative increase of $3.5 million. A final order was issued in April 2025 and included approval of the consolidation of the operations and the assets of CUC-Maryland Division, Sandpiper Energy, and Elkton Gas into one entity, which was renamed and operates as Chesapeake Utilities of Maryland, Inc. Florida Wildlight Expansion: In August 2022, Peninsula Pipeline and FPU filed a joint petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement associated with the Wildlight planned community located in Nassau County, Florida. The petition was approved by the Florida PSC in November 2022. The project enables us to meet the significant growing demand for service in Yulee, Florida, and to construct the project during the build-out of the community and charge the reservation rate as each phase of the project goes into service. Construction of the pipeline facilities will occur in two separate phases. Phase one consists 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 commenced in the first quarter of 2023, and construction was completed in 2025. FCG Natural Gas Rate Case: In May 2022, FCG filed a general base rate increase with the Florida PSC based on a projected 2023 test year. In June 2023, the Florida PSC issued an order approving a single total base revenue increase of $23.3 million (which included an incremental increase of $14.1 million, a previously approved increase of $3.8 million for a liquefied natural gas facility, and $5.3 million to transfer the SAFE investments from a rider clause to base rates), with new rates becoming effective as of May 1, 2023. The Florida PSC also approved FCG's proposed RSAM with a $25.0 million reserve amount, continuation and expansion of the capital SAFE program, implementation of an automated metering infrastructure pilot, and continuation of the storm damage reserve with a target reserve of $0.8 million. The Florida OPC filed a notice of appeal with the Florida Supreme Court in July 2023, which is pending. The Florida OPC filed their initial brief in January 2024 with answer briefs filed in April 2024. Oral arguments in the case were held in December 2024. The Florida Supreme Court has yet to rule on the case. The RSAM was recorded as either an increase or decrease to accrued removal costs which is reflected on the Company’s balance sheets and a corresponding increase or decrease to depreciation and amortization expense. In order to earn the targeted regulatory ROE in each reporting period subject to the conditions of the effective rate agreement, RSAM was calculated using a trailing thirteen-month average of rate base and capital structure in conjunction with the trailing twelve month regulatory base net operating income, which primarily included the base portion of rates and other revenues, net of operations and maintenance expenses, depreciation and amortization, interest and tax expenses. In general, the net impact of these income statement line items was adjusted, in part, by RSAM or its reversal to earn the targeted regulatory ROE. At December 31, 2024, the RSAM reserve was completely utilized. FCG Depreciation Study: In February 2025, FCG filed a depreciation study with the Florida PSC. The application is requesting approval of revised annual depreciation rates, as well as a reduction related to a reserve imbalance that would be amortized over a two-year period. In February 2026, the Florida PSC approved a $6.8 million reserve imbalance to be amortized over the remaining life of the assets. Florida City Gas Rate Case: In April 2026, FCG filed a petition with the Florida PSC. In connection with the application, we are seeking approval of the following: (i) interim rate relief of approximately $16.2 million, subject to refund, pending the outcome of the rate case proceeding; (ii) general base rate increase of $46.9 million with a ROE of 11.25 percent based on a 2027 projected test year; (iii) reclassification of approximately $16.4 million in the existing SAFE program revenues from surcharge recovery to base rates; (iv) authorization to retain the unamortized portion of the previously approved acquisition adjustment; and (v) further implementation of the advanced metering infrastructure (“AMI”). The outcome of the application will be subject to review and approval by the Florida PSC. FCG SAFE Program: In June 2023, the Florida PSC issued the approval order for the continuation of the SAFE program beyond its 2025 expiration date and inclusion of 150 miles of additional mains and services located in rear property easements. The SAFE program is designed to relocate certain mains and facilities associated with rear lot easements to street front locations to improve FCG's ability to inspect and maintain the facilities and reduce opportunities for damage and theft. In the same order, the Florida PSC approved a replacement of 160 miles of pipe that was used in the 1970s and 1980s and shown through industry research to exhibit premature failure in the form of cracking. The program includes projected capital expenditures of $205.0 million over a 10-year period. In April 2024, FCG filed a petition with the Florida PSC to more closely align the SAFE Program with FPU's GUARD program. Specifically, the requested modifications enable FCG to accelerate remediation related to problematic pipe and facilities consisting of obsolete and exposed pipe. These modifications will improve the safety and reliability of service to FCG's customers and result in an estimated additional $50.0 million in capital expenditures associated with the SAFE Program, increasing the total projected capital expenditures to approximately $255.0 million over a 10-year period. The Florida PSC approved the modifications in September 2024. GUARD Program: In February 2023, FPU filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of the GUARD program. GUARD is a ten-year program to enhance the safety, reliability, and accessibility of portions of our natural gas distribution system. We identified various categories of projects to be included in GUARD, which include the relocation of mains and service lines located in rear easements and other difficult to access areas to the front of the street, the replacement of problematic distribution mains, service lines, and maintenance and repair equipment and system reliability projects. In August 2023, the Florida PSC approved the GUARD program, which included $205.0 million of capital expenditures projected to be spent over a 10-year period. Florida Mandatory Relocates: In October 2025, FPU and FCG filed a joint petition for approval to establish a recovery surcharge for actual, estimated and projected relocation costs pursuant to the Florida Administrative Code which enables companies to recover the costs associated with relocating or reconstructing facilities that have been required by governmental entities. The projected revenue requirement for 2026 is $0.5 million for FPU and $1.0 million for FCG. The Florida PSC approved the petition in February 2026, with the surcharge effective in March 2026. 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 for the SPP. Our Florida electric distribution operation’s initial SPP plan was filed and approved in 2022, with modifications, by the Florida PSC. Rates associated with this initiative were effective in January 2023. In October 2024, the Florida PSC approved the Company's projected 2025 SPP costs of $20.4 million for both capital and operating expenses. Our Florida electric distribution operations filed an updated SPP plan in January 2025 which was approved in June 2025, with modifications by the Florida PSC. FPU Electric Rate Case: In August 2024, our Florida Electric division filed a petition with the Florida PSC seeking a general base rate increase of $12.6 million with a ROE of 11.3 percent based on a 2025 projected test year. Annualized interim rates of approximately $1.8 million were approved with an effective date of November 1, 2024. In March 2025, the Florida PSC approved the permanent rate increase, but the order was subsequently protested. In May 2025, the Company reached a settlement agreement with the interested parties. This settlement which was approved by the Florida PSC in July 2025, provided for a total revenue increase of approximately $8.6 million on an annual basis, with $1.0 million of the increase deferred from the first year's base rate increase and recovered over three years. A step-up rate increase was also approved for up to $0.7 million, upon completion of the purchase and refurbishment of certain substations, which is expected to be completed in December 2026. Newberry Expansion: In April 2023, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreement with FPU for an additional 8,000 Dts/d of firm service in the Newberry, Florida area. The petition was approved by the Florida PSC in the third quarter of 2023. Peninsula Pipeline will construct a pipeline extension, which will be used by FPU to support the development of a natural gas distribution system to provide gas service to the City of Newberry. A filing to address the acquisition and conversion of existing Company owned propane community gas systems in Newberry was made in November 2023. The Florida PSC approved it in April 2024. Conversions of the community gas systems commenced in the second quarter of 2024 and are projected to be complete in the second quarter of 2026. East Coast Reinforcement Projects: In December 2023, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreements with FPU for projects that will provide additional supply to coastal communities on the East Coast of Florida, which are experiencing significant population growth. Peninsula Pipeline proposed several pipeline extensions to support FPU’s distribution system in the areas of Boynton Beach and New Smyrna Beach with an additional 15,000 Dts/d and 3,400 Dts/d, respectively. The Florida PSC approved the projects in March 2024. New Smyrna Beach was placed into service during May 2025 and construction is projected to be complete for Boynton Beach in the second quarter of 2026. Central Florida Reinforcement Projects: In February 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of its Transportation Service Agreements with FPU for projects that will support additional supply to communities located in Central Florida which are also experiencing significant population growth. Peninsula Pipeline's extensions support FPU’s distribution system around the Plant City and Lake Mattie areas of Florida with an additional 5,000 Dts/d and 8,700 Dts/d, respectively. The Florida PSC approved the projects in March 2024. The Plant City project was completed in the fourth quarter of 2024, and the Lake Mattie project went into service in July 2025. Renewable Natural Gas Supply Projects: In February 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of Transportation Service Agreements with FCG for projects that will support the transportation of additional renewable energy supply to FCG. The projects, located in Florida’s Brevard, Indian River and Miami-Dade counties, will bring renewable natural gas produced from local landfills into FCG’s natural gas distribution system. Peninsula Pipeline will construct several pipeline extensions which will support FCG's distribution system in Brevard County, Indian River County, and Miami-Dade County. Benefits of these projects include increased gas supply to serve expected FCG growth, strengthened system reliability and additional system flexibility. The Florida PSC approved the petition at its July 2024 meeting. In October 2025, the Florida PSC approved amendments to the Transportation Service Agreements that were filed to include Peninsula Pipeline as a party to the related interconnection agreements. The projects are underway and are estimated to be completed in the second half of 2026. St. Cloud Project Amendment: In February 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of an amendment to its Transportation Service Agreement with FPU for a project that will support additional supply to communities in the St. Cloud, Florida area. The project is driven by the need to expand gas service to future communities that are expected in that area. Peninsula Pipeline will construct pipeline expansions that will allow FPU to serve the expected new growth. The expansion will provide FPU with an additional 10,000 Dts/d. The Florida PSC approved the project in May 2024, and it is expected to be complete in the second quarter of 2026. Miami Inner Loop Pipeline Projects: In September 2024, Peninsula Pipeline filed a petition with the Florida PSC for approval of the Transportation Service Agreement with FCG for a series of projects that will enhance the infrastructure in Miami-Dade County. The proposed expansion consists of the development of several pipeline projects to support growth and FCG's distribution system in the area, as well as enhance FCG's access to gas from various points in the Miami-Dade County area. The expansion was approved in February 2025 and interim services began in August 2025 with permanent facilities expected to be in service by the second quarter of 2026. Eastern Shore Worcester Resiliency Upgrade: In August 2023, Eastern Shore filed an application with the FERC requesting authorization to construct the Worcester Resiliency Upgrade, which consists of a mixture of storage and transmission facilities in Sussex County, Delaware and Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset Counties in Maryland. The project will provide long-term incremental supply necessary to support the growing demand of the participating shippers. In January 2025, the FERC approved the project. In June 2025, Eastern Shore filed a limited amended application with the FERC requesting revised initial transportation rates for the project. The revised rates reflected increased capital costs associated with unanticipated changes in global markets and supply chains, including the availability of skilled laborers with the requisite certifications to work on this project. Eastern Shore requested expedited action by the FERC in relation to this matter and an approved order was issued in July 2025. Construction commenced shortly after approval and is well underway. The weather during the first quarter resulted in several brief slowdowns which had a cumulative impact on the overall timeline. Project construction and commissioning are expected to be complete in the latter part of the year with the FERC approval process to immediately follow. The Company expects to receive full approval for in-service of the facility by the beginning of 2027. Salisbury Integrity Project: Eastern Shore submitted a Prior Notice Filing under its Blanket Certificate to the FERC in March 2025 requesting to construct, own, operate, and maintain approximately 5.5 miles of 10-inch looping pipeline in Wicomico County, Maryland. The protest period terminated in May 2025 with no protests filed. The project is necessary to comply with pipeline integrity management regulations of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration ("PHMSA"). The project went into service in October 2025. Capital Cost Surcharge: In December 2025, Eastern Shore submitted a filing with the FERC regarding a capital cost surcharge to recover capital costs associated with the replacement of existing Eastern Shore facilities because of mandated highway relocation projects as well as compliance with PHMSA regulation. The capital cost surcharge mechanism was approved in Eastern Shore's last rate case. In conjunction with the filing of this surcharge, a cumulative adjustment to the existing surcharge to reflect additional depreciation was included. The FERC issued an order approving the surcharge as filed in December 2025. The combined revised surcharge became effective January 1, 2026. In March 2026, Eastern Shore submitted an annual true-up filing with the FERC regarding a capital cost surcharge to recover capital costs associated with the replacement of existing Eastern Shore facilities because of mandated highway relocation projects as well as compliance with a PHMSA regulation. The capital cost surcharge mechanism was approved in Eastern Shore's last rate case. There was a slight decrease to the revenue requirement of the currently effective surcharge as a result of the true-up. The FERC issued an order approving the surcharge as filed effective April 1, 2026. TCJA In connection with the TCJA, which was signed into law in December 2017, customer rates for our regulated businesses were adjusted as approved by the regulators. Regulatory liabilities related to accumulated deferred income taxes (“ADIT”) associated with the TCJA amounted to $83.1 million and $83.4 million at March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, respectively. With the exception of the ADIT balance of $34.2 million attributable to Eastern Shore, such amounts are being amortized in accordance with approvals received from the Delaware, Maryland, and Florida PSCs in 2018 and 2019. The ADIT balance attributable to Eastern Shore will be addressed in its next rate case filing.
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