Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- November 19, 2021
Contact:
Kevin Kelly (573) 751-9300
PR-22-73

PSC Directs Spire Missouri to Cooperate with PSC Staff
in Communicating with its gas Customers

JEFFERSON CITY---The Missouri Public Service Commission (Commission) has ordered Spire Missouri, Inc. (Spire) to provide information and communicate with its customers about the continued operation of the Spire STL Pipeline and providing natural gas service to customers this winter.

The Commission has ordered Spire to prepare a letter to each customer in its Spire East service area that explains: 1) the gas supply situation for the upcoming winter heating season as accurately as possible; 2) how future real time communication will be made available; and 3) suggested voluntary actions that customers may take to help reduce gas consumption when
temperatures fall.

Spire is to submit drafts, including Public Service Announcements providing the same message to the Public Service Commission Staff (PSC Staff) for review and approval no later than 5:00 pm today (November 19); all in order to allay public fears and concerns. The PSC Staff is to file a notice in this case no later than November 22, 2021 indicating whether Spire has complied and describing when the notification to customers will be done.

On November 18, 2021, the PSC Staff filed a motion asking the Commission to require Spire to take certain actions to better inform the public about the continued operation of the Spire STL Pipeline.

The PSC Staff motion explained that the Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Louis had directed the Commission’s attention to various public announcements and communications made by Spire Missouri. “Staff expresses concern that the communications described by the Board of Aldermen appear to reflect an attempt by Spire to mobilize public opinion, through fear, in order to potentially pressure federal authorities to act to temporarily or permanently extend the operating authority of the Spire STL Pipeline,”said the Commission. The motion asked the Commission to order Spire to take certain actions to ensure that the public is appropriately informed about the
situation surrounding continued operation of the Spire STL Pipeline.

The Commission’s order also requires Spire to provide the PSC Staff a copy of everyvcommunication to its customers and/or the public, by any means, since June 22, 2021 that refers to the Spire STL Pipeline.

The Commission’s order also directs the PSC Staff to file a recommendation no later than January 4, 2022, indicating whether Staff believes a complaint against Spire is warranted for false and misleading communications to its customers and the public; failure to ensure the availability of sufficient gas supplies for the upcoming winter heating season; and any other matter Staff’s investigations might disclose.
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