State of Florida		Public Service Commission Capital Circle Office Center ● 2540 Shumard Oak Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0850 -M-E-M-O-R-A-N-D-U-M-
DATE:	December 20, 2024
TO:	Office of Commission Clerk (Teitzman)
FROM:	Division of Economics (P. Kelley) Office of the General Counsel (Sandy)
RE:	Docket No. 20240159-GU – Joint petition by Florida Public Utilities Company and Florida City Gas for approval of tariff changes to standardize and align Florida Public Utilities Company and Florida City Gas's transportation service tariffs and to implement a flexible gas service tariff for Florida City Gas.
AGENDA:	01/07/25 – Regular Agenda – Tariff Suspension – Participation is at the Commission’s Discretion
COMMISSIONERS ASSIGNED:			All Commissioners
PREHEARING OFFICER:			Administrative
CRITICAL DATES:			1/19/2025 (60-Day Suspension Date)
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:			None

Case Background

On November 20, 2024, Florida Public Utilities Company (FPUC) and Florida City Gas (FCG) (jointly, the Parties) filed a joint petition for approval of standardization and alignment of the Parties’ tariffs. The Parties are not proposing any rate changes in their schedules at this time. The Parties filed this petition as an ongoing effort to eliminate inconsistencies across the Parties’ platform, and to standardize their individual transportation service programs for purposes to achieve consistency with providing natural gas services.

In September 2023, Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (Chesapeake) purchased FCG from NextEra Energy; therefore, Chesapeake is the parent company of both FCG and FPUC. Since the acquisition, Chesapeake has taken steps to standardize and align FPUC and FCG as shown in the purchased gas adjustment and energy conservation cost recovery clause dockets shown in the petition. The Commission has jurisdiction over this matter pursuant to Sections 366.03, 366.04, 366.05, and 366.06, Florida Statutes (F.S.).

Discussion of Issues

Issue 1:

 Should the Parties' proposed revisions to their tariffs be suspended?

Recommendation: 

 Yes. Staff recommends that the proposed revisions to the tariffs be suspended to allow staff sufficient time to review the petition and gather all pertinent information in order to present the Commission with an informed recommendation on the proposed tariff revisions. (P. Kelley)

Staff Analysis: 

 Staff recommends that the proposed revisions to the Parties’ tariffs be suspended to allow staff sufficient time to review the petition and gather all pertinent information in order to present the Commission with an informed recommendation on the proposed tariff revisions.

Pursuant to Section 366.06(3), F.S., the Commission may withhold consent to the operation of all or any portion of a new rate schedule, delivering to the utility requesting such a change, a reason, or written statement of a good cause for doing so within 60 days. Staff believes that the reason stated above is a good cause consistent with the requirement of Section 366.06(3), F.S.

Issue 2:

 Should this docket be closed?

Recommendation: 

No. This docket should remain open pending the Commission’s decision on the proposed tariff revisions. (Sandy)

Staff Analysis: 

 This docket should remain open pending the Commission’s decision on the proposed tariff revisions.