Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- September 02, 2021
Contact:
Kevin Kelly (573) 751-9300
PR-22-29

PSC Orders Spire Missouri to File Periodic Reports

JEFFERSON CITY---The Missouri Public Service Commission (Commission) has ordered Spire Missouri to file periodic reports on its current contingency plans, ongoing contingency plan development, and conditions affecting its ability to provide adequate natural gas supply and pressure to all customers for the winters of 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024.

On July 28, 2021, the Commission opened a docket directing the Public Service Commission Staff (PSC Staff) to investigate Spire STL Pipeline’s application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for authority to continue operating the Spire STL Pipeline to provide natural gas to the St. Louis area.

The Spire STL Pipeline application filed with FERC on July 26, 2021, seeks a temporary emergency certificate, or, in the alternative, a limited-term certificate asking FERC for authority to continue operating the STL Pipeline to provide natural gas to the St. Louis area despite the recent decision of the U.S. Appellate Court of the D.C. Circuit vacating the certificate of convenience and necessity that had been issued for the operation of the pipeline.

The PSC Staff was directed to investigate concerns about serious service disruptions to Spire Missouri’s provision of natural gas in the St. Louis area that might result from the shut-down of the Spire STL Pipeline. “Such a shut-down might result from a recent decision of the U.S. Appellate Court for the D.C. Circuit that vacated the certificate of convenience and necessity that had been issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the operation of the pipeline,” said the Commission.

A report was filed by the PSC Staff on August 16, 2021. “Staff’s report expresses concern that because of the significant alterations made to Spire Missouri’s distribution system when it began to take service from the Spire STL Pipeline, there is a real risk of natural gas outages during the winter of 2021-2022 if Spire Missouri is not able to obtain gas supplies from the Spire STL Pipeline,” said the Commission.

The PSC Staff recommended and the Commission has ordered Spire Missouri to file periodic reports on its current contingency plans, ongoing contingency plan development, and conditions affecting its ability to provide adequate natural gas supply and pressure to all customers for the winters of 2021-2022, 2022-2023, and 2023-2024.

Reports are to be filed monthly, by the 15th of each month, for the period of November 2021 through March 2022. Thereafter, reports are to be filed at the end of each quarter. Spire Missouri is to also provide additional reports when conditions occur operationally or related to Spire STL’s court and FERC cases that prompt Spire Missouri to take action related to its operations or its transportation and storage capacity on pipelines.
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